Karen Wheeler, MD

Growing up in Lancaster, Pa., Dr. Wheeler, FACOG, always followed her heart. Though neither of her parents pursued post-secondary education, Dr. Wheeler knew from an early age she both enjoyed – and excelled at – science, and was university bound.

And she was right. In 2007, she graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in Cambridge, Mass., with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry. Next was the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pittsburgh, Pa., where she earned her medical degree.

In 2012, she landed at Abington Memorial Hospital, met Maria, completed her OB/GYN residency, and decided her passion lay in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI).

In 2019, Dr. Wheeler completed her REI training, or fellowship, at Wayne State University and the Detroit Medical Center, in Detroit, where she published pivotal research on endometrial changes in early pregnancy.

Her research, which looked at immune cells called macrophages, found that women with preeclampsia exhibit more reactive, rather than tolerant, macrophages in early pregnancy than women without preeclampsia. While the scientific jury is still out on what causes these cells to turn reactive, and what can be done to prevent or mitigate this process, Dr. Wheeler’s discovery added an important piece of information to doctors’ understanding of preeclampsia, a little understood pregnancy condition. The work also earned Dr. Wheeler a Society for Reproductive Investigation (SRI) President’s Presenter Award.

In August 2019, just a few weeks after graduating from fellowship, Dr. Wheeler joined Reproductive Medicine Associates of Michigan in Troy, Mich., where she has been a practicing fertility doctor since. The next year, she joined the faculty of Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine in Rochester, Mich., as an assistant professor, teaching residents obstetrics, gynecology and infertility.

All the while, Dr. Wheeler was busy building a thriving practice for herself at RMA Michigan and was voted as a Detroit ‘Top Doc’ by fellow doctors in 2020 and 2021.

After two whirlwind, passionate and inspiring years at RMA Michigan, Dr. Wheeler felt her intuition prodding her once again – it might be time to move on, it told her, and this time closer to home.

Having a deep longing to return to family roots in Pennsylvania and join a practice where she could be involved in day-to-day clinical operations and decision-making, Dr. Wheeler set her eyes on Everleap Fertility in Philadelphia, which she heard had just begun a teaching relationship with Abington Memorial Hospital, where she had fond memories of residency.

Several months later, she was invited to join the practice as a new fertility doctor.

There is one more thing Dr. Wheeler, a seasoned runner who has run seven marathons, including the Philly marathon, is looking forward to.

“I can’t wait to explore Philly’s running paths with my five-year-old Golden Retriever Clara,” she said. “Running is my stress relief, my meditation, and my time to think about how much I love doing the work I do.”

Dr. Wheeler’s professional expertise covers the full range of reproductive endocrinology and infertility care, including comprehensive diagnostic evaluation, Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), third-party reproduction, and fertility preservation (egg freezing).

She also specializes in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and endometrial implantation issues, including recurrent pregnancy loss, and is an expert at minimally invasive reproductive surgery including advanced hysteroscopy and laparoscopy.

Dr. Wheeler is an active member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and the Pacific Coast Reproductive Society (PCRS).

Accomplishments and awards

• Voted ‘Top Doctor’ by Hour Detroit Magazine, 2020, 2021
• Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, Rochester, Mich.
• Recipient of the Society for Reproductive Investigation (SRI)-Pfizer President’s Award for endometrial macrophage research, 2017
• Member, American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM)
• Member, Pacific Coast Reproductive Society (PCRS)
• Chief Resident, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Abington Memorial Hospital, 2015-2016
• Recipient, Rebecca Hogue Award, Abington Memorial Hospital, 2015, 2016
• Recipient, Frobese Scholar, Abington Memorial Hospital, 2015
• Recipient, David Gray M.D. Award of Excellence, Abington Memorial Hospital, 2015
• Recipient, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Fellowship, 2010-2011
• Author of numerous published peer reviewed research articles