Eden Fertility, Dream Beauty Life's Self-Built U.S. Fertility Clinic, Sets New Benchmark in American-Style Assisted Reproduction

On September 19, 2019, Eden Fertility, a self-built and independently operated hospital under HRC Fertility located in Newport Beach, California, held its grand opening ceremony. On that day, prominent figures including U.S. Congress members and the Mayor of Newport Beach gathered together, focusing their attention on a confident and determined young man—Deng Xuyang, the founder of HRC Fertility.

Left: Deng Xuyang, Founder of HRC Fertility; Right:Timothy McKinley, CEO of HRC FertilityTimothy（T.J.）Mcginley

Nine years ago, Deng Xuyang, then just 28 years old, gave up her position at the U.S. Department of Justice to return to China and accompany her mother for treatment of a lower back injury. The complex and cumbersome medical consultation processes, along with the severely excessive patient volumes at domestic hospitals, made Deng feel uncomfortable, while also sparking her idea to bring high-quality healthcare services to people in China.

Before founding HRC Fertility, Deng Xuyang assisted many cancer patients in China in seeking treatment in the United States. Despite the advanced medical technology available there, miracles of survival were not commonplace, and many critically ill patients remained uncured. This reality cast a shadow over Deng’s heart.

In 2011, Deng Xuyang had the privilege of meeting Mr. Roger Good, then President of HRC Fertility in the United States, which brought assisted reproductive technology into his focus. With a shared vision for healthcare and market dynamics, the two parties quickly established a collaboration. Welcoming new life is a joyful endeavor, and from that moment on, Deng Xuyang was determined to excel in this industry.

During his investigation, Deng Xuyang discovered severe information asymmetry in China’s cross-border assisted reproductive technology (ART) sector, with a proliferation of unscrupulous intermediaries charging exorbitant fees. “Profiteering under the banner of life is undoubtedly rubbing salt in patients’ wounds; this is by no means genuine medical care,” Deng remarked when recalling the scene.

In 2013, the China consultation office of HRC Fertility was officially established. Deng Xuyang successfully persuaded the HRC management team to make an unprecedented decision to implement a “zero upfront fee” policy for clients traveling to the United States. Leveraging its valuable service experience in the North American Chinese market, transparent pricing policies, and Deng Xuyang’s unique background with the Ministry of Justice, HRC Fertility rapidly captured market share within five years, establishing offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Shenzhen, and other cities. According to 2018 data, HRC Fertility exclusively held a 40% market share of the domestic market for assisted reproductive services involving travel to the United States, helping nearly 7,000 families realize their dreams of parenthood.

Mengmei’s outstanding market performance over the past few years has attracted the attention of many top domestic investors. In early 2019, Mengmei officially announced that it had secured nearly RMB 100 million in Series A financing, led by CDH Investments. On September 19, Eden Fertility, Mengmei’s self-built and self-operated advanced assisted reproductive technology center located in Newport Beach, California, USA, officially commenced operations.

It is reported that HRC Fertility’s Advanced Assisted Reproductive Technology Center, operating under the mission of “providing clients with the highest quality assisted reproductive medical services,” features a 2,100-square-meter VIP consultation area and a dedicated zone for LGBTQ+ patients at its Newport Beach hospital, ensuring maximum privacy for every client. The management team comprises professionals from renowned institutions in the U.S. assisted reproduction field, with up to 50 years of consulting and management experience. The embryology laboratory is overseen by Stanford University Professor Barry Behr, while the Chief Medical Officer is the legendary Dr. David B. Smotrich.

Dr. David Smaraj

Speaking of Dr. David Smotrich, he pioneered the first successful surrogacy case for same-sex couples in California, thereby promoting improvements to relevant state laws. With 25 years of practice, he has overseen more than 10,000 treatment cycles across 99 countries worldwide, including over 4,000 cycles for Chinese patients and serving more than 2,500 families. His medical philosophy of “personalized, dialectical treatment” aligns closely with the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine. “Healing the world” has always been his creed. “We mutually appreciate each other’s approach to patient care and service. I firmly believe that Dr. Smotrich’s addition will bring greater benefits to more patients,” said Deng Xuyang.

The launch of the new hospital signifies that HRC Fertility has officially become one of the few one-stop assisted reproductive technology service platforms in China that independently manages and operates a closed-loop system covering all stages—from initial consultation, video consultations, and visa processing to overseas medical care, overseas living services, and legal counsel. This development will lead to reduced medical costs and improved service efficiency. In particular, the base cost for egg freezing services will be lowered to $5,000.

“My original aspiration has been realized.” This is a phrase Deng Xuyang repeatedly mentions when speaking about the new hospital.

According to statistics, the number of infertility patients in China has exceeded 40 million. Due to factors such as social development, increased life stress, and a faster pace of life, the infertility rate has been rising year by year. Furthermore, with the official implementation of the “universal two-child” policy in 2016, the assisted reproductive technology market has entered a period of robust growth.

However, the Measures for the Administration of Human Assisted Reproductive Technology issued by the former Ministry of Health of China prohibits the commercialization of egg donation in any form, as well as the buying and selling of embryos, gametes, and zygotes. It also forbids medical institutions and personnel from implementing any form of third-party assisted reproductive technology, such as surrogacy. As a result, many individuals in need are unable to access third-party assisted reproductive services within China.

Meanwhile, in China, due to policy restrictions, there are only over 400 institutions authorized to provide assisted reproductive medical services. Most of these institutions, constrained by limited medical resources, suffer from inadequate SOP management in ovarian stimulation and embryo transfer procedures, suboptimal patient experiences, and relatively low success rates. Among these 400-plus institutions, the majority employ first- and second-generation IVF technologies, while only approximately 10% are qualified to perform third-generation IVF (PGS/PGD screening).

In the United States, more than 20 states permit the use of third-party assisted reproductive technologies (ART). The entire process of third-party ART is protected by U.S. law, and the country boasts the most advanced third-party ART technologies and medical teams. Furthermore, the U.S. predominantly employs third-generation in vitro fertilization (IVF) technology. Genetic screening techniques in the U.S. are highly mature, enabling sex selection and the elimination of embryos with genetic defects.

Driven by both legal and healthcare systems, an increasing number of Chinese clients are choosing to pursue assisted reproductive technologies in the United States.

Deng Xuyang believes that, in the future, domestic clients’ awareness of assisted reproductive technology (ART) will gradually increase, and industry information will become increasingly transparent. This year, HRC Fertility will visit 18 provinces and more than 30 cities across China to disseminate accurate and healthy reproductive knowledge to a broader population in need. In the coming years, the company will continue to strengthen its presence in the domestic market to meet the growing demand for overseas ART services among Chinese clients.

“Striving for perfection in every simple task and every service detail, and serving every person in need with dedication, is the creed of every HRC Fertility team member and the fundamental reason behind HRC Fertility’s achievements today,” said Deng Xuyang.

*All images in this article are provided by the companies.