Andrea J. Rapkin, MD

Andrea J. Rapkin, MD

Gynecology
Accepting new patients
Primary Location
Westwood OBGYN
200 Medical Plaza
Suite 430
Los Angeles, California 90095
Phone
Fax
310-794-7436

About

Dr. Rapkin received her undergraduate degree from Cornell University in 1975. She went on to study medicine at the University of New York in Buffalo where she received her M.D. in 1979. Dr. Rapkin completed a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at UCLA School of Medicine in 1983. She is Board Certified by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (of which she is also a fellow). After obtaining her M.D., she joined the faculty at UCLA and is a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

She also directs the UCLA Pelvic Pain Clinic. Dr. Rapkin has published extensively in the areas of premenstrual syndrome, chronic pelvic pain, vulvodynia  and women’s reproductive health, with numerous research articles and contributions to textbooks in the area of menstrual-cycle-related mood disorders and pelvic pain.

Dr. Rapkin was one of the first Obstetrician-Gynecologists to adapt the multidisciplinary pain management approach to the evaluation and treatment of women with pelvic and vulvar pain. Founded by Dr. Rapkin, the UCLA Chronic Pelvic Pain and Vulvodynia Program includes professionals from the areas of psychology, anesthesiology, and physical therapy and provides patient care, resident medical student education, and a fruitful environment for clinical research.

Languages

English

Education

Medical Board Certification

Obstetrics and Gynecology, American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 1985

Residency

Obstetrics & Gynecology, UCLA School of Medicine, 1983

Internship

Obstetrics & Gynecology, SUNY Health Science Center at Buffalo, 1980

Degree

MD, SUNY Buffalo School of Medicine & Biomed Sciences, 1979

Recognitions

    Voted Super DoctorsSuper doctors, Southern California, 2023
  • Award for Excellence in Education David Geffen School of Medicine 2008
  • Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics Excellence for Teaching Award 1998 and 2004

Locations

Hospital Affiliations

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center

Areas of Focus

Pelvic pain

Videos

Mind-Body Treatments for Vulvodynia | UCLA Obstetrics and Gynecology
Vulvodynia: Current Trends in Treatment & New Research

Research

Interests

  • Premenstrual Syndrome
  • Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
  • Menopause
  • Chronic Pelvic Pain
  • Vulvodynia

Publications

  1. Berkley KJ, Rapkin AJ, Papka RE. The Pains of Endometriosis. Science 2005; 308:1587-1589.
  2. Morgan ML, Cook IA, Rapkin AJ, Leuchter AF. Estrogen Augmentation in Perimenopausal Depression: A Pilot Study. J Clin Psychiatry 2005; 66(6):774-780.
  3. Yonkers KA, Brown C, Pearlstein TB, Foegh, M., Sampson-Landers C, Rapkin A. Efficacy of a New Low-Dose Oral Contraceptive with Drospirenone in Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. Obstet Gynecol 2005; 106(3):492-501.
  4. Rapkin AJ. New treatment approaches for premenstrual disorders. Am J Manag Care 2005; 11(16 Suppl):S480-491.
  5. Rapkin AR, Howe C. Chronic Pelvic Pain. Family Practice Recertification 2006; 28:59-67.
  6. Dunkin J, Rasgon N, Zeller M, Wagner-Steh K, David S, Altshuler L, Rapkin A. Estrogen replacement and cognition in postmenopausal women: Effect of years since menopause on response to treatment. Drug Development Research 2006; 66:150-159.
  7. Rapkin A, Tsao JCI, Turk N, Anderson M, Zelter LK. Relationship among self-rated Tanner staging, hormones, and psychosocial factors in healthy female adolescents. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol 2006; 19(3):181-187.
  8. Rapkin A, Mikacich JA. Premenstrual syndrome in adolescents: Diagnosis and treatment. Pediatr Endocrinol Rev 2006; 1(3 Suppl):132-137. Review.
  9. Rapkin A, Morgan M, Sogliano C, Biggio G, Concas A. Decreased neuroactive steroids induced by combined oral contraceptive pills are not associated with mood changes. Fertil Steril 2006; 85:1371-1378.
  10. Rapkin AJ, Biggio G, Concas A. Oral contraceptives and neuroactive steroids. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2006; 84(4):628-634. Review.
  11. Futterman LA, Rapkin AJ. Diagnosis of premenstrual disorders. J Reprod Med 2006; 51(4 Suppl):349-358. Review.
  12. Kroll R, Rapkin AJ. Treatment of premenstrual disorders. J Reprod Med 2006; 51(4 Suppl):359-370. Review.
  13. Winer SA, Rapkin AJ. Premenstrual disorders: Prevalence, etiology and impact. J Report Med 2006; 51(4 Suppl):339-347. Review.
  14. Morgan ML, Cook IA, Rapkin AJ, Leuchter AF. Neurophysiologic changes during estrogen augmentation in perimenopausal depression. Maturitas 2007; 56(1):54-60.
  15. Rapkin A. Vasomotor symptoms in menopause: Physiologic condition and central nervous system approaches to treatment. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2007; 196(2):97-106. Review.
  16. Chaban V, Christensen A, Wakamatsu M, McDonald M, Rapkin A, McDonald J, Micevych P. The same dorsal root ganglion neurons innervate uterus and colon in the rat. Neuroreport 2007; 18(3):209-212.
  17. Halbreich U, Backstrom T, Eriksson E, O'Brien S, Calil H, Ceskova E, Dennerstein L, Douki S, Freeman E, Genazzani A, Heuser I, Kadri N, Rapkin A, Steiner M, Wittchen H, Yonkers K. Clinical diagnostic criteria for premenstrual syndrome and guidelines for their quantification for research studies. Gynecol Endocrinol 2007; 23(3):123-130.
  18. Rasgon NL, Dunkin J. Fairbanks L., Altshuler LL, Troung C, Elman S, Wroolie TE, Brunhuber MV, Rapkin A. Estrogen and response to sertraline in post menopausal women with major depressive disorder: a pilot study. J Psychiatr Res 2007; 41(3-4): 338-343.
  19. Rapkin AJ and Winer SA. Drospirenone: A novel progestin. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2007; 8(7):989-999.
  20. Rapkin AJ, Michelle M, Winer SA. A Review of Ethinyl Estradiol/ Drospirenone for the Treatment of the emotional and Physical Symptoms of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. Women's Health 2007;3(4):395-408.
  21. Rapkin AJ, McDonald JS, Morgan M. Multilevel local anesthetic nerve blockade for the treatment of vulvar vestibulitis syndrome. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 2008;198(1):41-5.
  22. Rapkin AJ, Winer SA. The Pharmacologic Management of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2008; 9(3):429-445.
  23. Rapkin AJ, Sorger SN, Winer SA. Drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol. Drugs Today (Barc) 2008; 44(2):133-45.
  24. Jichang L, Micevych P, McDonald J, Rapkin A, Chaban V. Inflammation in the uterus induces pERK and Substance P immunoreactivity in DRG neurons innervating both uterus and colon in rats. J Neurosci Res 2008, in press.
  25. Morgan ML, Rapkin AJ, Biggio G, Serra M, Rasgon N. Neuroactive Steroids in depressed and asymptomatic postmenopausal women treated with estrogen and sertraline. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2008, submitted.
  26. Rapkin AJ, Mikacich JA. Premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder in adolescents. Current Opinion in Obstetrics and Gynecology 2008, submitted.

Recognitions

  • Award for Excellence in Education David Geffen School of Medicine 2008
  • Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics Excellence for Teaching Award 1998 and 2004

Links