Dr. Kim L. Thornton is a reproductive endocrinologist at Boston IVF. Double board-certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology/Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility – she specializes in all aspects of infertility treatment and family building care.
In addition to her work at Boston IVF, Dr. Thornton is the Division Director of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology at Harvard Medical School.
In 2022, she was elected to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Board of Directors, where she brings wide-ranging knowledge and leadership in all facets of fertility care, scientific research, industry policymaking, and disparities in health care.
She continues to serve as a member of the ASRM Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion Task Force, which brings together a multidisciplinary team of experts in reproductive medicine to create actionable recommendations that decrease barriers preventing women of color from accessing reproductive care.
Dr. Thornton received her medical degree from Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, completed her residency in Obstetrics/Gynecology at Wayne State University School of Medicine, and her fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Yale School of Medicine.
Why Did You Become a Fertility Expert?
I truly enjoy the ability to make a difference in the lives of people who wish to build a family. While the theme of family building is common among the patients that I see, the journey of an individual or a couple is very different. There is a certain degree of satisfaction knowing that the care that I provide will make a positive impact on the lives of families. I love the impact that have been able to make in the lives of my patients, helping them achieve their dreams, seeing the children that are conceived, and the joy that patients feel when they are successful.
What is Your Approach to Patient Care?
The team approach to care, the passion our physicians, nurses, embryologists, psychologists and social workers and administrative staff have in delivering patient care is unparalleled in this industry. Our practice prides itself in being able to offer state of the art treatment to our patients, a task achieved only through the dedication of our physicians and scientists who work diligently to stay abreast of the advances in our field and bring the best technology to our practice to enhance the care our patients receive. It is certainly rewarding to work with a team where everyone goes above and beyond to help our patients.
For patients who struggle with treatment, my goal is to support them as best I can. I strive to ensure that patients are supported by my health care team and are aware of the complimentary services that are available. Most importantly, it is important to really listen to the stories and concerns that patients have and tailor and customize medical treatment to individual patients. In many instances going the extra mile to ensure that even if a patient is not as successful as I would have liked, that the experience of trying to conceive was a positive one.
Have Any Patients Truly Inspired You?
All of the patients I care for present for care with unique stories. That being said, I truly admire those patients who have unwavering resilience and are able to continue with care despite often serious medical conditions, unsuccessful cycles, family tragedies and other life circumstances as they pursue their goal of building a family.
Who is Your Inspiration?
I am inspired by my parents who encouraged me to work hard and pursue the dreams I had of becoming a physician
Where is The One Place You'd Like to Visit?
I am looking forward to traveling someday to South Africa.
How Do You Spend Your Free Time?
I love to cook, read, garden, travel and spend time with my daughter and friends
What Music Do You Enjoy Listening To?
I love jazz and Rhythm and Blues
How Would You Describe Your Personality?
Friendly, compassionate, realistic and candid
What’s The Most Recent Book You’ve Read?
While not the most recent, The Alchemist, by Paulo Coehlo is one of my favorite books and I re-read often. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates is another!
What Type of Outreach Work Do You Do?
I serve on the board of the Robert F Kennedy Children's Action Corps, a leader in child welfare and juvenile justice.
What Would Be Your "Desert Island" Food?
Fresh water, lobster, and chocolate
Publications
- A randomized clinical trial to determine optimal infertility treatment in older couples: the Forty and Over Treatment Trial (FORT-T) (2014)
- Race matters: a systematic review of racialethnic disparity in Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology reported outcomes (2012)
- Increased frequency of occult fragile X-associated primary ovarian insufficiency in infertile women with evidence of impaired ovarian function (2011)
- A randomized clinical trial to evaluate optimal treatment for unexplained infertility: the fast track and standard treatment (FASTT) trial (2010)
- Assessment of day-3 morphology and euploidy for individual chromosomes in embryos that develop to the blastocyst stage (2009)
- Impact of subgroup analysis on estimates of infertility (2006)
