Zaher Merhi

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Zaher Merhi is an American physician and researcher specializing in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. He is board-certified in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Clinical Embryology. Merhi has held academic and clinical appointments at institutions including the NYU School of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, and the University of Vermont. He is known for his research into ovarian rejuvenation techniques, including intraovarian platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, and has published extensively in peer-reviewed medical journals. Merhi is also the founder and medical director of Rejuvenating Fertility Center (RFC), a private fertility clinic offering telemedicine and at-home IVF protocols, and RFC Bahamas that offers stem cell therapy and mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT).

Career

Merhi has held a number of academic and clinical positions in reproductive medicine. He previously served as an Assistant Professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the University of Vermont. He was also a Research Assistant Professor at the NYU School of Medicine and later became an Associate Professor at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, where he directed the ACGME-accredited Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) Fellowship program from 2020 to 2021. From 2014 to 2020, Merhi was Director of Research and Development in IVF Technologies at New Hope Fertility Center in New York City. He currently serves as the founder and medical director of RFC, a private clinic focused on fertility preservation and non-traditional assisted reproduction approaches that still remain unpopular. Merhi has also served as an oral board examiner in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility for the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG). In addition to academic and clinical roles, Merhi chaired the Physician-Scientists Special Interest Group at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) from 2019 to 2020.

Research and Contributions

Merhi has published over 100 peer-reviewed research articles in the fields of reproductive endocrinology, infertility, and embryology. His work has focused on ovarian aging, diminished ovarian reserve, and novel less invasive fertility treatments such as less invasive and cheaper alternatives to IVF. He is known for pioneering the use of intraovarian platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections as a potential approach to ovarian rejuvenation. His studies have investigated the possible effects of PRP on follicular activation, hormonal levels, and embryo quality in women with low ovarian reserve. Although this application remains under investigation, his work has contributed to growing interest in PRP as an experimental fertility therapy. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Merhi and colleagues developed a protocol for portable IVF incubators designed for two-way transport of gametes and embryos between patient homes and laboratories. A case study published in 2024 described a successful live birth resulting from this method. Earlier in his career, Merhi was part of a team involved in the first documented case of spindle transfer mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT), a form of assisted reproduction involving three genetic parents. The controversial procedure, performed to prevent mitochondrial disease, resulted in a live birth reported in 2016. His additional research has explored Artificial Intelligence (AI), the roles of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in reproductive aging, the potential impact of vitamin D on polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the clinical applications of stem cell-based treatments, and the controversial gender selction for family balancing.

Racial Disparities in Fertility Treatment During the COVID-19 Pandemic Dr. Merhi co-authored a study, published in the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, investigating how the COVID‑19 pandemic affected fertility decision-making among Black and non-Black women. The cross-sectional survey, conducted in a university-affiliated fertility clinic during 2021, found that Black women were less likely to get vaccinated, less satisfied with healthcare system responses, and more hesitant to attend in-person fertility appointments compared to non‑Black women. Financial instability was cited as the primary reason for postponing or canceling treatment among Black participants. This work received attention in an educational Healio article, titled “Pandemic contributes to disparities for Black women seeking fertility treatment,” highlighting the impact of the pandemic on reproductive equity and underscoring access hurdles faced by patients of color.

Honors and Recognition

Merhi has received several awards and appointments from professional societies in reproductive medicine. He was honored with the Star Award from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) for five consecutive years (2020–2024), recognizing his consistent contributions to scientific abstracts presented at ASRM’s annual congresses. In 2019–2020, he was a recipient of the Bayer Discovery/Innovation Grant awarded by the Society for Reproductive Investigation (SRI), and in 2024, he served as an abstract reviewer for the SRI annual meeting. He also received the Ferring Research Grant Award from the New England Fertility Society in 2010. Merhi has served in leadership roles at national academic societies, including chairing the Physician-Scientists Special Interest Group of ASRM from 2019 to 2020. In 2023, he was appointed as an oral board examiner in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility for the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG). He serves on the editorial boards of several peer-reviewed journals, including Nutrients, Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, and The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, where he has also been recognized as a contributing reviewer.

Media Coverage and Public Engagement

Merhi’s work has been cited in national and international media discussing advances in fertility treatment and later-age pregnancies. In 2017, CNN and other outlets published a report referencing his involvement in the birth of a child from a decades-old frozen embryo, one of the longest-frozen human embryos to result in a live birth at that time. In 2018, Hollywood Life quoted Merhi in an article on later-age celebrity pregnancies, including Rachel Weisz’s pregnancy at age 48, with Merhi providing expert commentary on fertility trends in older women. In 2019, The New York Post featured Merhi’s use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for ovarian rejuvenation, with the article discussing whether such treatments represented meaningful innovation or experimental therapies without established outcomes. Merhi has also appeared in broadcast interviews, including a segment on NBC San Diego addressing the potential reproductive impacts of environmental chemicals and fertility challenges. In 2024, The New York Times mentioned Merhi’s involvement in helping patients relocate embryos out of Alabama in response to legislative uncertainty surrounding assisted reproduction. In a 2021 Business Insider article, Dr. Zaher Merhi, a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist, stated that “there is no biologically plausible mechanism by which current vaccines would cause any impact on women's fertility,” reaffirming that COVID‑19 vaccination does not affect fertility. In a January 2021 interview with NY1, Dr. Zaher Merhi noted that although COVID-19 vaccines do not contain live virus and were likely safe for pregnant or breastfeeding women, he emphasized that further data was needed to establish definitive safety guidelines for this population. In an April 2020 NBC New York news segment, Dr. Merhi reported that approximately 70 percent of fertility treatments at his clinic were deferred due to COVID‑19 restrictions, emphasizing that patient care decisions were made individually and some treatments continued despite the shutdowns. In a 2019 New York Post article examining at-home fertility kits, Dr. Zaher Merhi described such kits as potentially “the Uber of IVF,” while also noting that some reproductive medicine specialists remain cautious about their efficacy and reliability. In a 2019 local news segment on KJRH, Dr. Zaher Merhi attributed rising egg-freezing rates among millennials to its now non‑experimental status, noting that “as women get older—and especially when she hits 35 years old … the quality and quantity of eggs starts to decline,” and discussed the associated costs of the procedure. He has also participated in public events, podcast with Hilaria Baldwin and Daphne Oz and professional panels, including the Endometriosis Foundation of America’s International Patient Conference in 2021.

External links

• Zaher Merhi publications on PubMed Zaher Merhi publications on PubMed • Zaher Merhi profile at Rejuvenating Fertility Center Zaher Merhi profile at RFC

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