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Alan Penzias, MD

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Alan Penzias, MD (he/him) is a board-certified Reproductive Endocrinologist at Boston IVF and an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. He specializes in all aspects of fertility care.

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Alan Penzias, MD

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Biography

Dr. Alan Penzias is double board-certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology/Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility.

He specializes in all aspects of infertility care.

Dr. Penzias is an Associate Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology at Harvard Medical School and the Director of the Fellowship Program in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School.

He is the recipient of numerous recognitions, including ten consecutive Boston Magazine Top Doctor awards.

Dr. Penzias earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania, his M.D. degree from the State University of New York - Downstate Medical Center, completed a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Beth Israel Hospital, Harvard Medical School in Boston - and a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology at Yale University.

A past president of the New England Fertility Society, Dr. Penzias has served as a member of the executive council for SART (The Society of Assisted Reproductive Technology) and currently serves on the Practice Committee and the Embryo Transfer Simulator Advisory Panel for the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. He is a member of the World Health Organization Infertility Global Guidelines and Research Group and a member of the scientific committee of the Updates in Infertility Treatments group under the auspices of the International Federation of Fertility Societies (IFFS). He is a former associate editor and current member of the Editorial Board of Fertility and Sterility and Emeritus Editorial Board of Reproductive Biomedicine Online. In 2021, Dr. Penzias joined the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) board of directors.

Dr. Penzias has worked as a clinician and research scientist in reproductive medicine for 30 years. His principal research interests focus on quality and improving treatment outcomes through evidence based medicine. He has published more than 100 research and clinical texts, including more than 50 original peer-reviewed papers, as well as multiple reviews, books and book chapters.

Having successfully guided his three older children through college, he and his wife Louise live with their 15-year-old daughter.

Awards

Castle Connolly Top Doctor | 2009-2025
Boston Magazine Top Doctor | 2009-2025

Interview

I'm constantly impressed by our team's dedication to our patients.

Alan Penzias, MD

MD Q&A

Why Did You Become a Fertility Expert?
I chose this profession because it's so incredibly fulfilling to help people create families. It's one of the best feelings in the world.

What About Boston IVF Makes You Proud?
Without hesitation, I'm most proud of the people with whom I work with each day. I'm constantly impressed by our team's dedication to our patients. We are all on the same page and share the same mission. It's really, really great.

What is Your Approach to Patient Care?
My general approach to infertility care is to encourage patients to stick with treatment. The success we now see is often related to staying in treatment. Reproductive technologies are so effective nowadays that I want my patients to know their chance for success is high!

Have Any Patients Truly Inspired You?
So many! My patients inspire me every day. It's what I love about being a doctor. The perseverance they display and their ability to keep a smile on their face, despite the emotional pain of not having yet succeeded, is heroic. To witness their joy, once they have experienced success, is such a privilege to be a part of.

How Do You Spend Your Free Time?
Aviation is a hobby of mine. I truly love to fly smaller airplanes - and being up in the sky makes me feel like I can accomplish just about anything!

Which Music Do You Enjoy Listening To?
Dave Matthews is one of my favorite bands!

How Would You Describe Your Personality?
My personality is outgoing and friendly. I also like to keep humor in what I do.

What's the Most Recent Book You've Read?
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind; excellent book!

Publications

Recent Selected Publications

1. Heyward QD, Vaughan DA, Dodge LE, Duvall D, Sakkas D, Sabbagh R, Korkidakis AK, Penzias AS. Reproductive outcomes following insemination in same-sex female couples, unpartnered female patients, and heterosexual couples. Fertil Steril. 2024 Aug 10. PMID: 39128673

2. Quaas AM, Penzias AS, Adashi EY. Embryonic aneuploidy - the true "last barrier in assisted reproductive technology"? F S Sci. 2024 Aug 08. PMID: 39127422

3. Sakkas D, Gulliford C, Ardestani G, Ocali O, Martins M, Talasila N, Shah JS, Penzias AS, Seidler EA, Sanchez T. Metabolic imaging of human embryos is predictive of ploidy status but is not associated with clinical pregnancy outcomes: a pilot trial. Hum Reprod. 2024 Mar 01; 39(3):516-525. PMID: 38195766

4. Adashi EY, Penzias AS, Gruppuso PA, Kulkarni AD, Zhang Y, Kissin DM, Gutman R. Iatrogenic and demographic determinants of the national plural birth increase. Fertil Steril. 2024 May; 121(5):756-764. PMID: 38246401; PMCID: PMC11060893

5. Fouks Y, Vaughan DA, Neuhausser W, Cohen Y, Penzias AS, Sakkas D. Intra-patient analysis of individual weight gain or loss between IVF cycles: cycle now and transfer later. Hum Reprod. 2024 Jan 05; 39(1):93-101. PMID: 38006233

6. Fouks Y, Sakkas D, Bortoletto PE, Penzias AS, Seidler EA, Vaughan DA. Utilization of Cryopreserved Oocytes in Patients With Poor Ovarian Response After Planned Oocyte Cryopreservation. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Jan 02; 7(1):e2349722. PMID: 38165675; PMCID: PMC10762568

7. Korkidakis A, DeSantis C, Kissin D, Hacker M, Koniares K, Yartel A, Adashi E, Penzias A, Collaborative for Assisted Reproductive Technology Epidemiologic Research. State insurance mandates and racial and ethnic inequities in assisted reproductive technology utilization. Fertil Steril. 2024 01; 121(1):54-62. PMID: 37775023; PMCID: PMC10951934

8. Sabbagh R, Mulligan S, Shah J, Korkidakis A, Penzias A, Vaughan D, Patrizio P, Sakkas D. From oocytes to a live birth: Are we improving the biological efficiency? Fertil Steril. 2023 12; 120(6):1210-1219. PMID: 37678730

9. Practice Committees of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the Genetic Counseling Pro. Clinical management of mosaic results from preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy of blastocysts: a committee opinion. Fertil Steril. 2023 11; 120(5):973-982. PMID: 37678731

10. Peipert BJ, Adashi EY, Penzias A, Jain T. Global in vitro fertilization utilization: How does the United States compare? F S Rep. 2023 Sep; 4(3):326-327. PMID: 37719106; PMCID: PMC10504530

11. Fouks Y, Neuhausser W, Ryley D, Penzias A, Sakkas D, Vaughan D. ART outcomes in lean compared to obese phenotypes of polycystic ovarian syndrome. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2023 Jun; 40(6):1437-1445. PMID: 37212942; PMCID: PMC10310676

12. Patel K, Vaughan DA, Rodday AM, Penzias A, Sakkas D. Compared with conventional insemination, intracytoplasmic sperm injection provides no benefit in cases of nonmale factor infertility as evidenced by comparable euploidy rate. Fertil Steril. 2023 08; 120(2):277-286. PMID: 37085098

13. Neuhausser WM, Fouks Y, Lee SW, Macharia A, Hyun I, Adashi EY, Penzias AS, Hacker MR, Sakkas D, Vaughan D. Acceptance of genetic editing and of whole genome sequencing of human embryos by patients with infertility before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Reprod Biomed Online. 2023 07; 47(1):157-163. PMID: 37127437; PMCID: PMC10330010

14. Wolfe EL, Vaughan D, Craig W, Amaral B, Penzias A, Sakkas D, Toth TL. Modified natural and optimized programmed frozen embryo transfers have equivalent live birth rates: an analysis of 6,682 cycles. Fertil Steril. 2023 07; 120(1):80-88. PMID: 36801457

15. Jain T, Penzias AS, Adashi EY. Recognition of and Compassion for Reproductive Failure: Let the Healing Begin. J Gen Intern Med. 2023 08; 38(10):2405-2406. PMID: 36797539; PMCID: PMC10406794

16. Quaas AM, Penzias AS, Adashi EY. The role of growth hormone in assisted reproduction. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022; 13:1055097. PMID: 36531455; PMCID: PMC9755199

17. Koniares KG, Penzias AS, Roosevelt J, Adashi EY. The Massachusetts Infertility Insurance Mandate: not nearly enough. F S Rep. 2022 Dec; 3(4):305-310. PMID: 36568920; PMCID: PMC9783137

18. Baker KM, Leung AQ, Shah JS, Korkidakis A, Sakkas D, Penzias A, Toth TL. Simulation-based training for embryo transfer for clinicians with differing levels of expertise: an application of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine Embryo Transfer Simulator. F S Rep. 2023 Mar; 4(1):29-35. PMID: 36959969; PMCID: PMC10028427

19. Fouks Y, Penzias A, Neuhausser W, Vaughan D, Sakkas D. A diagnosis of diminished ovarian reserve does not impact embryo aneuploidy or live birth rates compared to patients with normal ovarian reserve. Fertil Steril. 2022 09; 118(3):504-512. PMID: 35820943

20. Shah JS, Eliner Y, Vaughan DA, Wylie BJ, Korkidakis A, Leung AQ, Penzias AS, Sakkas D, Toth TL. The effect of interpregnancy interval on preterm birth and low birth weight in singleton pregnancies conceived without assistance or by infertility treatments. Fertil Steril. 2022 09; 118(3):550-559. PMID: 35697531

Dr. Penzias' Additional Resources

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Nov 04, 2013 | About Boston IVF & Your Care Team Press Releases

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Alan Penzias, MD

Alan Penzias, MD

Biography

Awards

Interview

Publications

Dr. Penzias' Additional Resources

Path 2 Parenthood Honors Alan Penzias, MD

Dr. Alan Penzias Feat. in Ovarian Tissue Transplant Article

Dr. Berger & Dr. Penzias are Boston Magazine 2015 Top Fertility Docs

7 Boston IVF Physicians Named as 2017 Top Docs!

8 Boston IVF Physicians Named Top Fertility Doctors in Boston!

Dr. Penzias Provides ASRM COVID-19 Task Force Update

Alan Penzias, MD Applauds New IVF Study

8 Boston IVF Fertility Specialists Receive 2021 Boston Top Doc Award

Dr. Penzias Appointed to ASRM Board of Directors

8 Boston IVF Fertility Specialists Receive Boston Top Doc Award

Boston IVF Shines with 20+ Studies at 2023 ASRM Scientific Congress