UCLA Obstetrics and Gynecology provides cutting edge diagnosis and treatments, and supports a staff of renowned physicians, surgeons and researchers. Demonstrating continued excellence in the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UCLA OB/GYN along with its varied Centers of Excellence, is often the subject of stories in newspapers, magazines, and journals. The Department also frequently issues news releases to keep the community informed on the latest developments in Obstetrics and Gynecology, the treatments available at UCLA, and various milestones within the Department. We include here a collection of recent stories, and an archive of older articles, for your further information.
January 3, 2020
Marijuana and pregnancy
Leena Nathan, MD, obstetrician-gynecologist at UCLA Health in Westlake Village, commented in a STAT News article on marijuana and pregnancy.
December 13, 2019
Understanding what causes miscarriages
Insider interviewed Alexander Chiang, MD, chief of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica and assistant clinical professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, on what causes miscarriages.
December 13, 2019
OB/GYN discusses miscarriage
Business Insider interviewed Leena Nathan, MD, obstetrician-gynecologist at UCLA Health in Westlake Village, for a question-and-answer article about reducing the risk of miscarriage.
October 11, 2019
Kathleen Brennan, MD, Health Sciences Associate Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UCLA, was quoted in The New York Post and the India Times Post about why women who are exploring a surrogacy option may choose to use a gestational carrier.
October 10, 2019
Dr. Amy Rosenman Receives PFD Research Foundation Award. The PFD Research Foundation, the official research foundation of The American Urogynecologic Society, recently recognized Dr. Amy Rosenman, Health Sciences Clinical Professor of UCLA Obstetrics and Gynecology, with the 2019 Donor of the Year Award. This annual award is given to an individual in recognition of commitment to the Foundation’s mission of transforming the lives of women through the support of innovative and effective research that advances the prevention, treatment, and cure of female pelvic floor disorders. Dr. Rosenman was the first president of the PFRF and served 8 years until it was on solid ground. It has granted over $1.5 million in funds and saved over $1 million in an endowment.
October 4, 2019
Local coverage of nurse midwives program. The Santa Monica Observer and the Santa Monica Daily Press published articles on the UCLA Nurse-Midwives program, which recently expanded its services to include well-woman exams and screenings. The program, based at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, already provides prenatal, labor and delivery, and postpartum care for pregnant women. Nurse-midwife Eyelle Sacher commented in the article.
September 13, 2019
Leena Nathan, MD, an assistant clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at UCLA Health Westlake Village, commented in a Reuters article on high blood pressure during pregnancy, a SELF.com article on what gynecologists want their patients to know, and a STAT article on pregnant women who refuse ultrasounds.
September 13, 2019
Shadman Habibi, director of the UCLA Nurse-Midwives Program at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, commented in a STAT article on pregnant women who decline ultrasound exams.
September 09, 2019
Amy Stoddard, MD, Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor of UCLA Obstetrics and Gynecology, was interviewed for a CBS News story on a new study that finds a dramatic increase in high blood pressure among American women during pregnancy, and notes that age is a factor in the rising rate of hypertension during pregnancy. Watch CBS News >
September 6, 2019
Leena Nathan, MD, an assistant clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at UCLA Health Westlake Village, commented in a Bustle.com article on what happens when women stop using birth control. Dr. Nathan also commented in a second Bustle.com story on anger and PMS.
August 23, 2019
Shadman Habibi, director of the UCLA Nurse-Midwives Program at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, was quoted in a Los Angeles Times story about expectant parents hiring photographers to capture childbirth images.
July 26, 2019
Leena Nathan, MD, an assistant clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at UCLA Health, commented in a Health.com story about the use of menstrual cups as an ecological alternative to pads or tampons.
June 25, 2019
Tina Nguyen, MD, an assistant clinical professor of obstetrics-gynecology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, commented in a Reuters story about a study linking migraines in pregnancy to complications for mothers and newborns. The article was syndicated by 40 other outlets, including Canada's National Post, the U.K.'s Daily Mail and Channel News Asia.
June 24, 2019
Researcher Minute: Dr. Karlan
Dr. Beth Karlan, professor of OBGYN and the newly appointed director of cancer population genetics at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, is hopeful that her research will not only help women get diagnosed with ovarian cancer at an earlier stage, but also identify the women who are most at-risk so they can intervene before the cancer even develops. Story on UCLA Newsroom >
June 14, 2019
Obstetrician weighs in on new app
Dr. Leena Nathan, an assistant clinical professor and obstetrician-gynecologist at UCLA Health-Westlake Village, was featured in an article published in USA Today about a new Apple Health app that predicts women's menstrual cycle.
June 1, 2019
Ending the Fear of Cancer
Dr. Beth Karlan, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology and director of cancer populations at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, has an article featured in Tower Magazine. Read the full story >
Additional coverage: MedicalXpress, Health News Digest and The Medical News ran a Q&A with Beth Karlan, MD, PhD, director of cancer population genetics at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, discussing the role of genetics in early detection of cancer.
June 1, 2019
Dr. Krakow participates in the second annual UCLA Bioscience Innovation Day
Deborah Krakow, MD, Professor and Chair of UCLA OBGYN, was actively engaged in the second annual UCLA Bioscience Innovation Day held in May. Dr. Krakow was seated on the "UCLA Undiagnosed Diseases Network & Rare Disease" panel. This event promoted awareness of the growing bioscience entrepreneurial ecosystem at UCLA and in the greater Los Angeles region, and fostered partnerships with companies, investors and entrepreneurs.
May 24, 2019
Dr. Beth Karlan, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology and director of cancer populations at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, was quoted in a Washington Post article about new tests and treatments emerging for ovarian cancer. The Chicago Tribune, The Palm Beach Post and 40 other outlets syndicated the story.
May 17, 2019
Dr. Leena Nathan, an assistant clinical professor and obstetrician-gynecologist at UCLA Health-Westlake Village, commented in a SheKnows.com article about how summer weather affects vaginal health.
May 15, 2019
Dr. Beth Karlan, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology and director of cancer populations at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, has been inducted into the 2019 class of Giants of Cancer Care in gynecologic malignancies by OncLive for her contributions to cancer research and clinical practice. Story on JCCC newsroom >
May 03, 2019
Dr. Krakow Honored
Deborah Krakow, MD, chair of obstetrics/gynecology and a professor of human genetics and orthopaedic surgery, was inducted to the Association of American Physicians at the April joint meeting with the American Society for Clinical Investigation.
Story on UCLA Newsroom >
May 03, 2019
Information for patients after an ovarian cancer diagnosis
Joshua Cohen, MD, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology and member of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, was interviewed by Prevention.com about key information patients should know to get the best treatment and support. The article also ran in Yahoo! News.
March 21, 2019
Deborah Krakow, MD, was quoted on Univision.com about a rare birth abnormality called Fetus in fetu. Dr. Krakow is chair of obstetrics-gynecology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, and also a professor of orthopedic surgery and of human genetics.
March 15, 2019
Behind the Rise in Uterine Cancer Cases
Dr. Beth Karlan, professor of obstetrics and gynecology and director of cancer population genetics at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, was interviewed by Health.com for a story about the rise in cases of uterine cancer and what women should know about the disease. The article was republished by MSN.com.
March 15, 2019
Sexually Transmitted Infections Are on the Rise. Here's What You Need to Know to Protect Yourself
Shadman Habibi, CNM, MSN, director of the UCLA Nurse-Midwives Program at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, commented in a Today.com article on doulas and midwives.
March 14, 2019
Devices Aim to Help Manage Overactive Bladder
Everyday Health interviewed Victor Nitti, MD, division chief of pelvic medicine at UCLA Health, for a story about technologies aimed at helping people with overactive bladder.
February 14, 2019
Sexually Transmitted Infections Are on the Rise. Here's What You Need to Know to Protect Yourself
Dr. Leena Nathan, Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, explains which infections sexually active people are more likely to be exposed to and to contract. UCLA Newsroom >
February 08, 2019
Dr. Aparna Sridhar, a clinical assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, commented in the New York Times about a rise in patients requesting an intrauterine device, or IUD, for long-term birth control following the election of Donald Trump. Dr. Sridhar's comments were picked up by more than 10 other publications, including Cosmopolitan, Elite Daily, Business Insider and Kaiser Health News.
January 25, 2019
Dr. Leena Nathan, an assistant clinical professor and obstetrician-gynecologist at UCLA Health-Westlake Village, was quoted in a Reuters Health article on a study that found low-income women could not afford menstrual hygiene products such as tampons or pads.
January 04, 2019
Dr. Leena Nathan, an assistant clinical professor and obstetrician-gynecologist at UCLA Health-Westlake Village, was quoted in a Today.com story about pregnancy complications that could lead to chronic health problems. Her quote was also cited in USA Today.
December 17, 2018
How your BRCA status may impact your ovarian cancer treatment
SELF.com interviewed Dr. Sanaz Memarzadeh, professor of obstetrics and gynecology and member of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, about how the BRCA gene is associated with more than just breast cancer. The article also ran in Yahoo! News.
December 17, 2018
Dr. Zain Al-Safi, assistant clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology, was quoted in Well and Good on an article about fertility trackers.
November 09, 2018
Dr. Deborah Krakow, chair of the UCLA Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, delivered an address to the National Academy of Sciences Symposium on the 2018 NAS Report on Sexual Harassment of Women:
Climate, Culture & Consequences in Academic Sciences, Engineering and Medicine >
November 06, 2018
Dr. Christopher Tarnay, chief of female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery at UCLA Health, and a team of UCLA doctors, nurses and medical students, have been traveling to Mbarara Hospital annually for two-week surgical trips to treat up to 50 women each time. Story on newsroom.ucla.edu > Additional coverage: myscience.org >
November 02, 2018
Shadman Habibi, CNM, MSN, director of the UCLA Nurse-Midwives Program at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, commented in a Today.com article on why and how women become midwives
October 30, 2018
Dr. Leena Nathan, an assistant clinical professor and obstetrician-gynecologist at UCLA Health-Westlake Village, was quoted in Reuters about a study that found women who become pregnant shortly after the birth of another child may face higher health risks for themselves and the new baby.
October 05, 2018
Dr. Leena Nathan, an assistant clinical professor and obstetrician-gynecologist at UCLA Health Westlake Village, commented in a KCRW-FM segment on women who smoke marijuana during pregnancy.
September 21, 2018
Dr. Molly Quinn, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, was quoted by NPR about research suggesting that children conceived through certain infertility treatments may be at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease. The websites of Southern California Public Radio, Oregon Public Broadcasting, New England Public Radio, and 22 others ran the article.
September 14, 2018
Dr. Aparna Sridhar, a clinical assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, was interviewed by LAist for a story on what age women should begin visiting a gynecologist, and what to expect during the visit.
September 07, 2018
Dr. Senaz Memarzadeh, a professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology and a member of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, commented to Women's Health about how abdominal bloating may be a sign of an ovarian cancer.
August 31, 2018
Shadman Habibi, director of the UCLA Nurse-Midwives Program at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, was quoted in Today.com about a slight increase in home births during the past decade.
August 24, 2018
Dr. Leena Nathan, an assistant clinical professor and obstetrician-gynecologist at UCLA Health-Westlake Village, commented to Everyday Health about a new treatment for endometriosis.
August 24, 2018
Dr. Aparna Sridhar, a clinical assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, was quoted by Self.com about women who experience spotting while using birth control.
August 24, 2018
Dr. Sanaz Memarzadeh, a professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, director of the G.O. Discovery Laboratory at UCLA and a member of both the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and the UCLA Eli & Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine & Stem Cell Research, was featured in News-Medical.net, Health News Digest, Medicine News Line, MDLinx and Medical Newser for Dr. Memarzadeh's expertise on ovarian cancer.
August 10, 2018
Dr. Aparna Sridhar, a clinical assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, was quoted in a Women's Health article about what is the 'right' age for a woman to get pregnant. The article was syndicated in Cosmopolitan U.K.,Yahoo Style U.K., and MSN.com. Sridhar also commented in an InStyle article on the most common questions that women ask their gynecologists. The story was syndicated in Family Circle and Shape.
July 20, 2018
Dr. Deborah Krakow, chair of obstetrics/gynecology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and an othopaedic surgeon at the UCLA Orthopaedic Center in Santa Monica, commented in onclive.com about patient populations who should undergo genetic testing for ovarian cancer.
July 13, 2018
Dr. Leena Nathan, an assistant clinical professor and obstetrician-gynecologist at UCLA Health-Westlake Village, commented in LiveScience on whether wet bathing suits can cause yeast infections. The article also ran in Express.co.uk and in Spanish in E!Confidential.com
July 13, 2018
Dr. Sanaz Memarzadeh, a professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and director of the G.O. Discovery Laboratory at UCLA, addressed new cancer therapies for gynecologic cancers on OncLive and detailed the early developments of antibody-directed therapies and restoring p53 function in the treatment of patients with ovarian cancer. Memarzadeh is also a member of the UCLA Eli & Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine & Stem Cell Research.
June 27, 2018
Serena Williams says she had a period while pregnant - but is that possible? Gynecologists explain why you CAN bleed after conceiving
Dr. Aparna Sridhar, a clinical assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, was quoted in the Daily Mail about potential causes for bleeding during the early stages of pregnancy.
June 27, 2018
San Francisco-based startup offers at-home hormone tests for fertility
Dr. Aldo Palmieri, director of OB-GYN at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, commented in a CBS This Morning segment on a new at-home fertility kit. The story appeared on CBS.com, KCBS-AM Radio and KRLD-AM Radio, Dallas, Texas.
June 25, 2018
Pregnant women are eating this salad because they claim it induces labor
Dr. Leena Nathan, assistant clinical professor of OB-GYN at UCLA Health Westlake Village, commented in a Circa.com segment about a restaurant that claims an ingredient in its salad dressing can help induce labor. The segment has received more than 100k views in less than a week.
June 15, 2018
Minimally invasive surgery for early-stage ovarian cancer
Dr. Joshua Cohen, a gynecologic oncologist at UCLA Health-Westlake Village and a member of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, was featured in an OncLive video discussing surgery for patients with early-stage ovarian cancer.
May 25, 2018
Dr. Daniel Dumesic, a professor of obstetrics/gynecology and chief of reproductive endocrinology and infertility, was quoted in Women's Health on how women with polycystic ovary syndrome can lose weight.
May 18, 2018
Dr. Rashmi Rao, an assistant clinical professor of obstetrics/gynecology, was quoted in an NBC News.com article about high rates of women who die after childbirth in the U.S. and what hospitals are doing to address the problem.
May 11, 2018
Dr. Leena Nathan, an assistant clinical professor and an obstetrician-gynecologist at UCLA Health-Westlake Village, commented in a Huffington Post article on a new study finding that 70 percent of Colorado dispensaries endorsed cannabis products to help pregnant women with nausea in the first trimester.
May 04, 2018
The "Trump effect" on long-acting reversible contraception
MedPage Today and MDEdge reported on research by Dr. Aparna Sridhar, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, about birth control rates on campus. The study found that the number of students requesting intra-uterine devices at a university health center more than doubled, compared to the previous year, after the 2016 presidential election. Presented at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' annual meeting, the findings suggest that women were concerned about changes in insurance coverage of contraception under the new administration.
April 13, 2018
Treating pain during menstrual cycles
Dr. Aparna Sridhar, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, was interviewed by Daily Mail UK for an article about how women can manage pain during their menstrual cycle using a combination of medications and natural methods. The story was syndicated in the U.K. Mail on Sunday, The Scottish Sun and The Irish Sun.
April 13, 2018
Dr. Leena Nathan, an assistant clinical professor and obstetrician-gynecologist at UCLA Health-Westlake Village, commented in an Everyday Health article with tips to relieve endometriosis pain. She also commented in a separate Everyday Health story about using birth control pills to treat endometriosis.
March 30, 2018
New clue to why some newborns are severaly underweight
Dr. Carla Janzen, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and Dr. Sherin Devaskar, the Mattel Executive Endowed Chair in Pediatrics at UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital and executive director of the UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute, led a UCLA study finding that a cellular protein called humanin appears at significantly higher levels in the placentas of mothers whose newborns are 5 ½ pounds or less than in the placentas of women whose babies are at normal weight. The research findings were covered by MedicalXpress and News-Medical.net.
March 23, 2018
Postpartum Bill for Postpartum Depression
Dr. Leena Nathan, an assistant clinical professor and obstetrician-gynecologist at UCLA Health-Westlake Village, was interviewed on KFI 640AM about a proposed bill that would help women be screened for post-partum depression. KFI-AM.
Feb 07, 2018
411 About HPV | Cancer Vaccine For STD/STI Ignored By Many
Dr. Joshua Cohen, an assistant professor and gynecologic oncologist at UCLA Health-Westlake Village, commented in VC Reporter article on the HPV vaccine and its role in preventing HPV infections from becoming cancerous later in life.
Feb 02, 2018
How To Treat Endometriosis
Everyday Health interviewed Dr. Leena Nathan on treatments for pain associated with endometriosis, a chronic condition with no cure. Nathan is an assistant clinical professor and obstetrician-gynecologist at UCLA Health-Westlake Village.
Jan 31, 2018
Endometriosis Symptoms and Diagnosis
Dr. Leena Nathan, assistant clinical professor and obstetrician-gynecologist at UCLA Health-Westlake Village, commented in an Everyday Health article about the symptoms of endometriosis.
Jan 26, 2018
In Contraceptive Tech, the App's Guess is as Good as Yours
Dr. Aparna Sridhar, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, commented in a Wired story about a contraceptive app that resulted in pregnancies.
Jan 23, 2018
Doctor Develops Video Game to Teach Teens About Sexual Health
Aparna Sridhar, MD, MPH, UCLA OB/GYN, partnered with Elena Bertozzi, PhD, associate professor of game development and design at Quinnipiac University, to create a video game that provides information about sexual reproduction and family planning.
View Article (PDF) >
Dec 12, 2017
New Approach Detects Early Complications in Pregnancy
A UCLA study using MRI to non-invasively assess placental health and predict potential complications during pregnancy was covered by Dot Med News, Health Imaging and Romper. Published in the Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, the research was led by Kyung Sung, assistant professor of radiology; Dr. Carla Janzen, associate professor of obstetrics-gynecology; and Dr. Sherin Devaskar, physician-in-chief at UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital; all of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
Nov 15, 2017
The New Prospective Parenthood: When Does More Info Become Too Much?
Dr. Leena Nathan, assistant clinical professor and obstetrician-gynecologist at UCLA Health-Westlake Village, commented in a Leaps Mag story about the ethical questions that can arise from prenatal testing.
Nov 15, 2017
How To Choose Between Natural Birth Vs Epidural
Dr. Amy Stoddard, obstetrician and gynecologist at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica and assistant clinical professor, commented in an article on The Bump.com about choosing between natural childbirth and epidurals.
Nov 15, 2017
Give Your Baby Formula
Dr. Leena Nathan, assistant clinical professor and obstetrician-gynecologist at UCLA Health-Westlake Village, commented in a Cosmopolitan.com article about giving babies formula when the mother is unable to feed the baby with breast milk. The article was syndicated by Yahoo! Lifestyle and Country Living.
Nov 10, 2017
ADHD Drugs During Pregnancy
Dr. Tina Nguyen, assistant professor of maternal-fetal medicine in obstetrics and gynecology, commented in Medscape about the use of ADHD drugs during pregnancy.
Sep 11,
