Dr. L. Michael Kettel

Expert Publications

• Operative laparoscopy versus laparotomy for the management of ectopic pregnancy: a prospective trial.
• Evaluation of a pen device for self-administration of recombinant human FSH in clomiphene citrate-resistant anovulatory women undergoing ovulation induction.
• Management of hirsutism.
• Interruption of endometrial maturation without hormonal changes by an antiprogesterone during the first half of luteal phase of the menstrual cycle: a contraceptive potential.
• Hematuria and clot retention after transvaginal oocyte aspiration: a case report.
• Endocrine responses to long-term administration of the antiprogesterone RU486 in patients with pelvic endometriosis.
• Estrogen hormone replacement to minimize cardiovascular risk.
• Follicular arrest during the midfollicular phase of the menstrual cycle: a gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist imposed follicular-follicular transition.
• Acceleration of luteinizing hormone pulse frequency in functional hypothalamic amenorrhea by dopaminergic blockade.
• Circulating levels of inhibin in pregnant women at term: simultaneous disappearance with oestradiol and progesterone after delivery.
• Accelerated dissolution of luteal-endometrial integrity by the administration of antagonists of gonadotropin-releasing hormone and progesterone to late-luteal phase women.
• Precision of progesterone measurements with the use of automated immunoassay analyzers and the impact on clinical decisions for in vitro fertilization.
• Dynamic changes in circulating inhibin levels during the luteal-follicular transition of the human menstrual cycle.
• Combination medical and surgical therapy for infertile patients with endometriosis.
• An anatomic evaluation of the sacrospinous ligament colpopexy.

Media Releases

Get to know Reproductive Endocrinologist and Infertility Specialist Dr. L. Michael Kettel, who serves patients in San Diego, California. 

Dr. Kettel is an experienced reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist with San Diego Fertility Center in San Diego, California. He joined the San Diego Fertility Center in 1996 after serving as the Director of Infertility Services and as a member of the academic faculty at the University of California, San Diego for more than 6 years.

San Diego Fertility Center is a world-class fertility center with locations in Southern California and New York City. With more than 70 years of collective reproductive clinic experience diagnosing and treating infertility, it is a leading nationwide provider of IVF and fertility care.

“Helping couples start their family is one of the greatest privileges and pleasures in reproductive medicine. I chose this field because of the joy and happiness that comes with success. I treat each couple individually to provide specialized treatment plans that apply specifically to their needs and desires. Our approach combines the intelligence and integrity to educate and provide realistic expectations for each situation. We always hope that each patient here at the San Diego Fertility Center holds on to their dreams.” as stated by the doctor.

After graduating with honors from the University of Arizona, Dr. Kettel went on to complete his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Utah. This was followed by a fellowship in reproductive endocrinology at the University of California, San Diego, where he has been serving as a Clinical Professor since 2003.

A Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, he is board-certified in reproductive endocrinology and infertility & obstetrics and gynecology by the American Board of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ABOG). The ABOG is a non-profit organization that provides board certification for practicing obstetricians and gynecologists in the United States and Canada.

Additionally, Dr. Kettel is certified as a High Complexity Laboratory Director with additional expertise in Human Embryology and Andrology. This unique certification places him among very few fertility doctors who have sought out this additional training and expertise. 

For the purpose of advancing his professional efforts, the doctor remains a member of numerous professional organizations, including the Society of Reproductive Surgeons, the Society of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, the Society of Assisted Reproductive Technology, the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, Alpha Omega Alpha, the American Medical Association, the California Medical Association Endocrine Society, the California Medical Association, the Pacific Coast Reproductive Society, the Pacific Coast Obstetrical and Gynecological Society, the San Diego County Medical Society, the San Diego Gynecological Society, the San Diego Reproductive Endocrine Society, the Southwest Obstetrical and Gynecological Society, and the Endocrine Society.

Reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI) is a surgical subspecialty of obstetrics and gynecology that trains physicians in reproductive medicine addressing hormonal functioning as it pertains to reproduction, as well as the issue of infertility. While most REI specialists primarily focus on the treatment of infertility, reproductive endocrinologists are trained to also evaluate and treat hormonal dysfunctions in females and males outside after the reproductive years.

Among his various achievements, Dr. Kettel has received many academic and teaching awards and has published over 100 scientific papers, articles, and book chapters on the treatment of endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and ovulatory disorders that lead to infertility.

Furthermore, he has been identified by his peers as a top infertility doctor and specialist. He is one of the “Best Doctors in America” (1996-2014) and one of the “Best Doctors in San Diego” according to the San Diego County Medical Society since 2001. Throughout the years, he has received over $1,000,000 in support for research grants and has been actively involved in clinical research trials exploring new and novel ways to enhance success in IVF, ovulation induction, and adhesion prevention. His recent interest lies in the area of preimplantation genetic diagnosis and novel new delivery systems for hormonal medication.

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