By DELIA ALVAREZ-APOLLO, Apollo Global Consulting
Equestrian athletes know exactly what it takes to get a horse ready for the show ring. We can all relate to the time, endless effort, and un-waiving commitment that our sport requires. As athletes, we work very hard to be physically fit enough to be effective, especially at the upper levels of our sport. For some riders and athletes who are at the height of their careers, interrupting the momentum to start a family is just not an option. After all, the professional goals and business commitments of equestrians and other athletes are the utmost priority for continued success.
As equestrians, we always know who we can reach out to if we need something for our horses, but in our personal lives, and when it comes to having a family, where do you go when things are not coming to fruition? What exactly are the options that are available? It is certainly a topic that is rarely spoken about or publicized due to the personal nature of the topic. Yet the idea of an alternative means to start a family invokes curiosity and raises many questions.
We were able to have a candid discussion with the University of California Irvine Fertility specialist, Dr. Mark Denker, founder of the Palm Beach Fertility Center.
Dr. Denker prides himself on the development of programs that empower professional athletes to continue their sport and build their families at the same. He has helped many families have children who were unable to due to the demands of their profession or other physical or medical limitations.
The Palm Beach Fertility Center established the concept that fertility treatments should be both individualized and affordable. Dr. Denker understands that revealing details about such a private personal challenge can be intimidating and uncomfortable.
The privately owned practice offers the ability to stay open after hours or provide special access to the office for high-profile clients. With over 30 years of experience, the Palm Beach Fertility Center ensures every patient has the opportunity to be heard and given the best care with customized treatment plans.
“There are so many obstacles that can prevent a couple, or single person from being able to move forward with their dream of having a family,” says Dr. Denker. “The first step for each patient is to find out which option is best suited based on their individual needs. This happens through an initial consultation.”
Dr. Denker’s fertility center is equipped with an in-house state-of-the-art laboratory, surgical suite, and embryology laboratory, making the process centralized in this one location. It also has an accredited Gestational Surrogacy Program. Many of us have heard the term “surrogate,” but most of us have no concept of the meaning, let alone the internal workings of the arrangement, as it is rarely discussed.
A surrogate is a gestational carrier or a woman who carries and delivers a child for a couple or individual. What exactly is the process? Can a surrogate end up keeping the child?
Typically, a liaison helps coordinate the entire process from start to finish with the help of an accredited surrogacy agency. The liaison is the gateway for all communication and helps with the process from start to finish. Surrogacy agencies provide options and contract specialized reproductive attorneys to create provisions that are framed for the client’s protection.
Dr. Denker mentioned that in his 30 years of practice there has never been any instance of a problem with a surrogate.
The state of Florida, in which Dr. Denker practices, has well-established laws enforced through the legal process that prevent any kind of issue through pregnancy or after a baby is born. It’s standard in the surrogacy process that all women are thoroughly screened, must be able to carry a baby to term, and receive an extensive series of physical, psychological, and infectious disease screenings.
The surrogate agency also ensures that they match both parties adequately and make sure their requests are met. For example, if the patient wants to speak to the surrogate every day and make sure that they are eating a certain diet, that can be arranged along with any other specific requests that the client may require.
An alternative option is IVF. What exactly is IVF? In vitro fertilization is an assisted reproductive technology that involves the fertilization of an egg by sperm outside of the body, in a laboratory. The fertilized egg, called an embryo, is then transferred to the uterus to establish pregnancy.
On February 18, 2025, the presidential administration signed an executive order expanding access to IVF. This executive order will help reduce the overall cost and help expand access to treatment. “As many as one in seven couples trying to have a baby are unable to conceive, and many face significant financial hurdles to accessing IVF,” reported the White House.
An alternative option for parent hopefuls, in addition to IVF, is egg donation. Dr. Denkers has an FDA-accredited Egg Donation Program, which allows for an FDA tissue bank license. In the egg donation process, Dr. Denkers transplants tissue to help each family reach their goal of having a child.
Dr. Denkers’ expertise, state-of-the-art technology, concierge care, and focus on results make The Palm Beach Fertility Center the premier Fertility Center in Palm Beach.
For more information or to schedule a consultation, visit the website here or call 1-888-819-5177.
