Academic Specialists In Obstetrics and Gynecology

In the News: Cutler shares insight in post-Roe reporting

Since the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization on June 24, overturning the constitutionally protected right to abortion, UW Ob-Gyn Assistant Professor Abigail Cutler, MD, of the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, has spoken with many news outlets to discuss what that decision could mean for the futu... more

Jacques discusses challenges in medical education with Wisconsin State Journal

When the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization and overturned the constitutional right to an abortion, clinics in Wisconsin stopped offering abortion services. That raises questions about ob-gyn resident education in the state.In “Medical residents struggle to receive training after Planned Parenthood halts abortion s... more

Green, Cutler, Jacques discuss Wisconsin’s post-Roe future with Wisconsin Watch

Three UW Ob-Gyn faculty joined Wisconsin Watch in an audio interview on July 18 to discuss the current landscape of reproductive health care in Wisconsin after the United States Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. Wisconsin Watch hosted the conversation on Twitter, which you can listen to here. Assistant Professor Abby Cutler, MD, of the Division of Academic ... more

Cutler and Higgins discuss possible impacts of Roe decision on physician training

A recent article in the Wisconsin Examiner investigated potential difficulties for physician training programs after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.“Medical training programs teach abortion procedures. What happens if abortion is outlawed?” outlines the national standards for training set by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), whi... more

Brown, Williams published in AJOG

Heidi Brown, MD, MAS, interim Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery Director, and Makeba Williams, MD published a new article in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Williams presented the research in this article at the annual Society of Academic Specialists in General Obstetrics and Gynecology conference in May, where it earned the fir... more

Congratulations to winners of UW Ob-Gyn 2022 department awards!

On June 23, 2022, the UW Department of Ob-Gyn held its annual awards ceremony, recognizing educational, research and administrative accomplishments throughout the year.The ceremony started by acknowledging a few momentous departures. Many people retired from the department this academic year, including:Carol Carr, CNM (Midwife in the ASOG Division)Janet Short (Medical Studen... more

Wisconsin Watch interviews UW Ob-Gyn faculty on abortion laws

Wisconsin Watch, a nonprofit news organization, recently published two articles about the complex future of abortion in Wisconsin and physician opinions on why abortion is a necessary part of health care. UW Ob-Gyn faculty shared their expertise in both articles.“Wisconsin faces a ‘tangled series’ of abortion laws dating back to 1849 as it heads into a possible post-Roe futu... more

2022 Department Research Day

On May 26, 2022, the UW Department of Ob-Gyn hosted Department Research Day, which included many research presentations from across the Department.Jeffrey Peipert, MD, chair of the Indiana University School of Medicine’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, kicked off Department Research Day with the keynote presentation “The Contraceptive CHOICE Project to Path4You: Les... more

UW Ob-Gyn research and presentations at 2022 ACOG Annual Meeting

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists held the Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting in San Diego May 6-8, 2022. Faculty, fellows and residents in the UW Department of Ob-Gyn brought many exciting presentations and projects to the conference. Read more about some of their awesome accomplishments:Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn Director Makeba Wi... more

Williams earns 1st place oral abstract award at SASGOG conference

UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn Director Makeba Williams, MD presented “BP Connect: Referring Gynecology Patients with Elevated Blood Pressure to Primary Care Follow-up” during the Society of Academic Specialists in General Obstetrics and Gynecology Annual Meeting in San Diego on May 5, 2022.Williams’ presentation earned the First Place Oral Presentation... more

Lick and BME students earn SMPH/BME Tech Collaborative Innovation Award

Our congratulations to Jay Lick, DO, and UW-Madison biomedical engineering students Elizabeth Wacker, Nesya Graupe, Sakina Tariq, Lauren Hicks, Annika Rossebo, and UWSMPH medical student Ansley Hartney, who earned the Biomedical Engineering and UW SMPH Tech Collaborative Innovation Award!The team earned the award for their project “Elevator for the Impacted Fetal Head During... more

Faculty Development Funding Feature: Katie Sampene, MD

Each fiscal year, the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Development Committee makes available a total of $10,000 for professional development. Faculty may submit applications at any time (until funds are exhausted for the current fiscal year).Read more about Dr. Katie Sampene’s experience with the Faculty Development Funding Program, and learn how you can apply... more

UW Ob-Gyn prepares posters, presentations for SASGOG Annual Meeting

The Society of Academic Specialists in General Obstetrics and Gynecology Annual Meeting, coming up in May 2022, will include exciting presentations and posters from faculty and residents in the UW Department of Ob-Gyn! Some of the great work that will be featured at the conference:Presentation:UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn Director Makeba Williams, MD,... more

Presentations, posters, and more at the 2022 CREOG/APGO Annual Meeting!

UW Ob-Gyn faculty, residents, and affiliated medical students with interest and expertise in medical education showcased their work at the CREOG/APGO Annual Meeting​! The conference, which was organized around the theme “Together Again, Together Forever: Med Ed Family Reunion”, took place in Orlando, Florida March 9-12. Some of the exciting highlights from our department:Rya... more

Faculty Development Feature: McDonald graduates from APGO Academic Scholars and Leaders program

Ryan McDonald, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, graduated from the American Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics Academic Scholars and Leaders Program during the 2022 APGO/CREOG annual meeting! McDonald used funding from the UW Ob-Gyn Faculty Development Committee’s Faculty Development Funding Program to support his experience in the APGO p... more

Peebles highlighted by WISC-TV, UW Health and SMPH

Jackie Peebles, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, was featured in stories and social media posts from WISC-TV Madison, the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, and UW Health during Black History Month.In “UW Health working to improve healthcare equity”, an article on WISC-TV’s website, Peebles discussed her work with the UW SMPH Building Eq... more

Sharp gives keynote speech at 3rd annual Butterfly Ball

On Saturday, February 26, Kristen Sharp, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn gave the keynote address at the 3rd annual Butterfly Ball, an event that raises awareness and provides hope and healing to families that have experienced pregnancy or infant loss.Hosted by the Alana Rose Foundation, the event included a virtual program, silent auction, an... more

Gaston published in Journal of Ob-Gyn Hospital Medicine

Luther Gaston, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, is senior author on a new article in the most recent issue of the Journal of Ob-Gyn Hospital Medicine!“Prediction of Vaginal Delivery Using Intrapartum Transperineal Ultrasound”, co-authored by Jackie Adams, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine as well as UW Ob-Gyn residency a... more

Wagar published in Journal of Ob-Gyn Hospital Medicine

A new article in the latest issue of the Journal of Ob-Gyn Hospital Medicine looks at rates of removal of fallopian tubes during postpartum sterilization procedures.“Trends in Postpartum Opportunistic Salpingectomy During Vaginal Delivery Admissions”, by UW Ob-Gyn resident Matt Wagar, MD, PGY-4 and co-authors Amy Godecker, PhD, Maria Landeros, Lisa Barroilhet, MD MS, and Mak... more

Heisler published in Journal of Surgical Education

What can professional introductions before Grand Rounds lectures tell us about hierarchical, gender, or descriptive bias? A new article in the Journal of Surgical Education aims to find out.“Professional Address during Obstetrics and Gynecology Grand Rounds Introductions: Setting the Stage, Setting the Standard”, by Christine Heisler, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of FPMRS, ... more

Williams’ research earns DFMCH Small Grant

UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn Director Makeba Williams, MD, is a co-investigator on a study that recently earned a UW SMPH Department of Family Medicine and Community Health Small Grant!Williams is co-PI on “African American Women’s Experiences of Menopause: A Focus Group Study” with WREN Medical Director Sarina Schrager, MS, MS, WREN Associate Directo... more

Williams to present special lecture at ACOG Clinical and Scientific Meeting

UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn Director Makeba Williams, MD will present a special endowed lecture at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting this May! Williams will present the Morton and Diane Stenchever Lecture “The Women’s Health Initiative: Controversy, Confusion, Consensus” at the opening of t... more

Women’s Healthcast: “Know Your STIs: Syphilis”, featuring Ryan Luellwitz, DO

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, rates of the sexually transmitted infection syphilis have been climbing across the country. In Wisconsin in particular, the state’s Department of Health Services recently recommended pregnant people be screened twice during pregnancy for syphilis, which can have significant affects on fetal health and development.On this epi... more

Women’s Healthcast: Understanding Your Breast Health, with Laura Bozzuto

About one in eight U.S. women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we’re replaying this interview with Laura Bozzuto, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn. Bozzuto is double certified in ob-gyn and breast cancer surgery.In the episode, Bozzuto talks about breast cancer symptoms, the latest in... more

Kwitek and Sergeant nominated for UW Health APP Excellence Awards

During National Advanced Practice Provider Week in October, UW Health recognized outstanding clinicians across the institution with the APP Excellence Awards. Two incredible APPs from the UW Department of Ob-Gyn were nominated for awards – please help us congratulate them!Laura Kwitek, DNP, of the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, was nominated for a Leadership Awa... more

Higgins and Jacques publish in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

A recent article published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health by UW Collaborative for Reproductive Equity Director Jenny Higgins, PhD, MPH, Laura Jacques, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, and co-authors, used anonymized data from an online forum to examine how cost-related barriers affect peoples’ ability ... more

Welcome Ryan Luellwitz, DO!

Please help us welcome Ryan Luellwitz, DO, to the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn! Luellwitz comes to us from SSM Health, where his work with our UW Ob-Gyn residents earned him the St. Mary’s Adjunct Faculty Educator Award in 2021. Luellwitz earned his DO from Midwestern University, Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, followed by osteopathic intern... more

Welcome Cholene Espinoza, MD!

The UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn is pleased to welcome Cholene Espinoza, MD to our faculty as of October 1, 2021!Espinoza earned an MD from the St. George’s University School of Medicine, followed by an obstetrics and gynecology residency at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Espinoza recently completed a surgical critical care fellowship at ... more

Brown, Williams featured at national conference on dissemination and implementation in health

Two faculty from the UW Department of Ob-Gyn were featured at the 14th Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation in Health (D&I), co-hosted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and AcademyHealth. Congratulations to UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists Director Makeba Williams, MD and Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive... more

Williams talks about hormones and menopause on Well Wisconsin Radio

UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn Director Makeba Williams, MD appeared on a recent episode of Well Wisconsin Radio to address some myths about hormones.During the interview, Williams discussed the primary hormones active in women’s bodies, why hormone testing is rarely recommended, how to recognize common signs and symptoms of menopause, and more.Listen t... more

Jennings promoted to Clinical Associate Professor

Please join us in congratulating Ashley Jennings, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn! The UW SMPH Clinician Teacher Track Appointments and Promotions Committee voted overwhelmingly to approve Jennings’ promotion to Clinical Associate Professor.The promotion will be effective July 1, 2022. Congratulations on this well-deserved honor, Dr. Jennings! more

Jacques publishes in AJOG

A new article in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology analyzed posts on Reddit to help better document peoples’ decision-making processes regarding abortion modality. “Medication or surgical abortion? An exploratory study of patient decision making on a popular social media platform”, by Laura Jacques, MD and other researchers from the UW Collaborative for Repr... more

Brown, Williams edit book on older women’s health

What happens when two world-class experts on menopause and pelvic floor disorders work together? They literally write the book on older women’s health concerns. Heidi Brown, MD, MAS, of our Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, and Makeba Williams, MD, Director of our Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, edited the book “Challenges in Older W... more

Congratulations to winners of 2021 UW Ob-Gyn department awards!

On June 24, 2021, the UW Department of Ob-Gyn held its annual awards ceremony, recognizing educational, research and administrative accomplishments throughout the year. The ceremony started by acknowledging a few momentous departures: Klaus Diem, MD is retiring after many years of service in the department. Diem is a past director of the Division of Gynecology, and served a... more

McDonald published in Neurotoxicology and Teratology

Ryan McDonald, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, co-authored a recent publication in Neurotoxicology and Teratology! “A socioecological framework for engaging substance-using pregnant persons in longitudinal research: Multi-stakeholder perspectives” sought feedback from community stakeholders, including people with lived experience of subst... more

Farewell to nurse midwives Kiley Hewett and Carol Carr

The UW Ob-Gyn certified nurse midwife team has announced two upcoming departures. Please join us in thanking these wonderful nurse midwives for the exceptional care they provided during their time with our department! Kiley Hewett will join a practice in Bend, Oregon this August to be closer to extended family. She has been a wonderful member of our team for the past two an... more

Grand Rounds: Sampene presents “Leveraging Quality Improvement to Promote Health Equity”

Katie Sampene, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, presented the Grand Rounds lecture “Leveraging Quality Improvement to Promote Health Equity” to the department on May 27, 2021. In the lecture, Sampene described the principles of health equity and how they relate to medical practice, walked through the basic process of quality improvement, and ... more

Women’s Healthcast: Yemane discusses transgender health care in ob-gyn settings

Ruth Yemane, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, is one of our department’s leading experts in gender affirming surgery and gynecologic care for transgender people. On this episode, Yemane shares recommendations for safe, trust-filled patient-provider relationships, and what surgical, clinical and preventive health care can look like for trans a... more

Williams promoted to Associate Professor (CHS)

We are thrilled to announce that UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn Director Makeba Williams, MD has been promoted to Associate Professor (CHS)! The UW the School of Medicine and Public Health CHS Faculty Appointments and Promotions Committee unanimously endorsed her promotion, which will be effective July 1, 2021. Williams joined the UW Department of Ob-G... more

McDonald published in Neurotoxicology and Teratology

Congratulations to Ryan McDonald, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, who recently co-authored an article published in Neurotoxicology and Teratology! The paper “Recruitment and retention of pregnant women in prospective birth cohort studies: A scoping review and content analysis of the literature” sought to review the literature for best practi... more

Jennings shares insights on HPV and Pap testing with Insider

In a new article from Insider, Ashley Jennings, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, helps answer some common questions about Pap and HPV testing. Jennings helps explain what people can expect during the test, what happens to samples after they’re collected, and when to expect results from the tests. The article also includes updated guidelines o... more

Women’s Healthcast: Emergency Contraception, featuring Molly Lepic

Discussions around emergency contraception often include some myths and misunderstandings. Even the nickname of the morning-after pill gives us an inaccurate sense of emergency contraception’s effective timeframe. Molly Lepic, DO, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, joined the Women’s Healthcast to help clear up some common questions about emergenc... more

Women’s Healthcast: Jacques talks Vulvar Health, Care and Cleaning

On the latest episode of the UW Ob-Gyn podcast, Laura Jacques, MD, of the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, discussed vulvar health, care and cleaning. She talked about how to care for vulvas and vaginas, what products are safe to use, how vulvar health can change with age, and more. Listen to Vulvar Health, Care and Cleaning now! Did you know the Women’s Healthca... more

Racine published in Wisconsin Medical Journal

A new study published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal by UW Ob-Gyn maternal-fetal medicine fellow Jenna Racine, MD sought to survey birthing centers in Wisconsin to better understand barriers to disclosing their level of maternal care. The article was co-authored by UW-Madison Prevention Research Center Deputy Director Kate Gillespie, DNP, Cynthie Wautlet, MD, of the UW Ob-... more

Wagar published in Green Journal

In a new publication in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology, UW Ob-Gyn resident Matt Wagar, MD, PGY-3 compared operative outcomes of postpartum tubal ligation and bilateral salpingectomy. Co-authors on the article include UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists Director Makeba Williams, MD, and Amy Godecker, PhD. The retrospective study “Postpartum Salpingectomy Compar... more

UW Ob-Gyn brings research, developments to 2021 SMFM Conference

Faculty, residents, fellows, researchers and more brought numerous posters and presentations to the virtual 2021 Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Annual Meeting at the end of January! Learn more about the wealth of research shared by our colleagues at the conference: PRESENTATION: Racial disparities in post-operative pain experience and treatment following cesarean birt... more

Antony’s OBLido study published in AJOG MFM

A study by Katie Antony, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, was published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology – Maternal-Fetal Medicine! Jackie Adams, MD, of the MFM Division, and Laura Jacques, MD, of the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, co-authored the study. “Lidocaine patches for postcesarean pain control in obese women... more

Williams talks vaginal atrophy prevention with Health Central

UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn Director Makeba Williams, MD spoke with Health Central for an article on preventing and lessening vaginal atrophy with menopause. In the article, Williams shares tips like talking about atrophy with health care providers (and bringing it up with patients) before it becomes a concern, being thoughtful about garment choice,... more

Gaston, Hoppe, Spencer earn UW Health Excellence Awards

Three faculty from the UW Department of Ob-Gyn were honored at the UW Health Physician Excellence Awards ceremony on December 7, 2020. The virtual ceremony recognized recipients of 17 excellence awards across the health system. Recipients in our department: Luther Gaston, MD, of the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, received the UW Health Physician Excellence Risi... more

Higgins, Schmuhl, Wautlet, Rice publish in American Journal of Public Health

Findings from a UW Collaborative for Reproductive Equity study on how doctors view access to abortion has been published in the December issue of the American Journal of Public Health. In the research-based editorial “The Importance of Physician Concern and Expertise in Increasing Abortion Health Care Access in Local Contexts”, Jenny Higgins, PhD, Nicholas Schmuhl, PhD, Cynt... more

Sampene promoted to Clinical Associate Professor

Our sincere congratulations to Katherine Sampene, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn! The SMPH Clinician Teacher Track Appointments and Promotions Committee endorsed Sampene’s promotion to the rank of Clinical Associate Professor, effective July 2021. Congratulations on this well-deserved honor!

Wautlet matches into UC Denver MFM fellowship!

We’re so proud to announce that Cynthie Wautlet, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, matched into the University of Colorado Denver Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellowship! We’re also rather sad that she’ll be leaving Madison for Colorado next summer. Wautlet’s extensive experience as an excellent physician will make her an asset to the University of... more

Gaston earns UW Health Rising Star Clinical Educator award!

Luther Gaston, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, earned the UW Health Physician Excellence Rising Star – Clinical Educator Award! Huge congratulations on this incredible achievement, Dr. Gaston! The Physician Excellence Clinical Educator award recognizes outstanding educators, with significant emphasis on teaching residents and medical student... more

Jacques publishes in Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey

In a new publication in Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey, Laura Jacques, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn reviews available evidence to compile best practices for diagnosis and treatment of genital lichen planus. “Diagnosis and Management of Vulvovaginal Lichen Planus” provides guidance for health care professionals to differentiate betwee... more

Bozzuto publishes executive summary of Early-Onset Breast Cancer Evidence Review Conference, commentary

In 2018, Laura Bozzuto, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, was invited to join the ACOG Breast Cancer Evidence Review Panel to review the current evidence on how best to educate women’s healthcare providers about early onset breast cancer, publish a literature review, and serve as content experts in the development of scripts for provider educat... more

Williams shares important mammogram info with InStyle

UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn Director Makeba Williams, MD spoke with InStyle about important breast health updates in September.In “Everything You Need to Know Before Your First Mammogram”, Williams helps demystify recommendations for when people should start seeking mammograms (and why opinions differ between some professional organizations), how to ... more

Welcome Camille Ladanyi, MD

Camille Ladanyi, MD, has joined the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn as a minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon. Her clinical interests include endometriosis, chronic pelvic pain, uterine fibroids, and complex pelvic conditions.Ladanyi attended medical school at the University of Colorado, completed her ob-gyn residency in Portland, ME at the Maine Medic... more

Jacques published in journal Contraception

Laura Jacques, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, published an article in a recent edition of the journal Contraception!In “Complication rates of dilation and evacuation and labor induction in second-trimester abortion for fetal indications: A retrospective cohort study”, Jacques compared complication rates of dilation and evacuation (D&E) to mi... more

Williams, Brown are collaborators on UW ICTR D&I Research pilot award

Huge congratulations to UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn Director Makeba Williams, MD, and Heidi Brown, MD, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery! Williams and Brown will be collaborators on a new Dissemination and Implementation Research pilot award from the UW-Madison Institute for Clinical and Translational Rese... more

Carr reaches 30 years of service!

We would like to extend our sincere congratulations and deep gratitude to Carol Carr, CNM, of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn! Carr recently passed an important career milestone – 30 years of sharing expertise and caring for patients as a certified nurse midwife with UW Health!ASOG Division Director Makeba Williams, MD, has this to say of Carr: “She ... more