David Kreiner, MD FACOG| Medical Director

Dr. Kreiner remembers when IVF was risky business. Still, events in his life fell into place, drawing the young doctor-in-training toward the new, growing field of fertility treatment.

“I’d always known from my first year of medical school, 1977, that I wanted to go into reproductive endocrinology and infertility,” the now highly recognized physician recalls.

He was working at a family planning clinic run by a reproductive endocrinologist when the world’s first IVF baby was born in Great Britain. A short time after, the first American IVF pregnancy was announced at the Jones Institute by Howard and Georgeanna Jones just as Kreiner was starting his REI training with Zev Rosenwaks in 1980.

Being at the forefront of developing this life-changing fertility treatment resulted in a professional perspective strongly influenced by his empathetic personal philosophy.  

The idea of making the miracle of IVF available to patients everywhere seemed almost outlandish in the early 1980‘s. In 1985, Dr. David Kreiner was fortunate to continue his training in REI and begin his fellowship at the Jones Institute.

Having advanced his professional expertise under the mentorship of the world’s foremost practice during IVF’s formative years, Dr. Kreiner brings a depth of experience and historical perspective shared by few in the field. 

“Back then, IVF was so new that we still counted which number baby was being born,” he says, “and it was still in only the double digits. People came from all over to the Jones Institute because our success rate was the best in the world -- at that time, just 15 percent.”

The technology of IVF was so inefficient then, it was routine to transfer six embryos at a time. That’s what it typically took to create a singleton pregnancy. Sometimes the result was multiples. Dr. Kreiner’s experience with a couple of quadruplet pregnancies early in the fellowship opened his eyes and heart to the additional struggles that accompanied his patients’ tremendous joy at finally being pregnant.

“Before IVF, quadruplets were rare, so it was a learning experience for us all. I had become close with a patient who conceived quadruplets in her second IVF attempt. After her babies were born prematurely, she kept in touch about their intensive care experiences, their resulting health conditions, and the tremendous toll. What started out as their miracle pregnancy was significantly tainted by the dangers typical for multiple babies.”

Dr. Kreiner and his colleagues suffered with their patients as the mothers and babies endured physical traumas and the couples experienced marital strain related to multiple pregnancies.

“I remember also hearing a lecture in the early 90’s by an expert in selective reduction, the term we now more accurately refer to as multi-fetal reduction,” Kreiner remarks. “He was very critical and complained we were creating too much business for him.”

Taking the experiences to heart, David Kreiner believed the answer lie somewhere between limiting the number of embryos transferred and achieving a high success rate, two things that were mutually exclusive at the time.

With the discoveries and improvements in procedures and techniques in the early 2000’s in both clinical and the laboratory such as ultrasound guided catheter placement in embryo transfer and culture media, success rates for IVF boomed. Soon, the transfer of fewer embryos was required for optimizing successful conception.

In 2002, Dr. David Kreiner established East Coast Fertility, vowing to make the highest standard of fertility care accessible with an emphasis on safe and healthy pregnancy.

In addition to achieving the first successful IVF, cryopreserved, and donor egg pregnancies on Long Island, Dr. Kreiner and the East Coast Fertility team have focused on offering the most successful IVF with the lowest risk.

His distinguished line of training, experience, and awards culminate in some of the most competitive pregnancy success rates in the country. Kreiner’s personal philosophy is demonstrated daily through practice policies that make fertility treatment both affordable and successful.

Points of interest:

Completed Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility fellowship in 1987 at the Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine

Recipient of several national awards recognizing his achievements in IVF research
    Endometriosis- Presence of Endometrial Antibody- Finalist Best Research
    Donor Egg- Treatment of Recipient With Transdermal Estradiol- Best Poster
    IVF Stimulation- Follicular Fluid Estradiol and Progesterone Levels- Best Poster

Assistant Professor at the Jones Institute, Medical College of Hampton Roads
    Director of the Embryo Cryopreservation program, the Laser Laparoscopy program &       Donor Egg program

Established and became Director of Long Island IVF, 1988

First successful IVF, cryo and donor egg pregnancies on Long Island

Named recipient of prestigious Teddy Roosevelt Award, 1993, in recognition for achievements in advancing the standards of infertility care in the region

In an effort to offer more personalized practice with more direct patient contact, Dr. David Kreiner established East Coast Fertility - KreinerIVF on Long Island in 2002.

Honored in 2006 by the Mid Island Y and in 2007 received the Family Building Award by the American Fertility Association and noted for his pioneering efforts at maximizing success while minimizing risk with IVF.