The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists hosted the 2025 Congressional Leadership Conference in Washington, DC, March 9-11. This year’s conference theme was Ob-Gyns in Action: Turning Purpose into Policy, highlighting the ways ob-gyn experts can have a role in shaping health policy.
Many members of the UW Department of Ob-Gyn attended the conference to strengthen their advocacy skills and meet with Wisconsin legislators to discuss issues like rural obstetric care and policy impacts on Medicaid and Medicare.
Faculty:
- Amy Domeyer-Klenske, MD – Director, Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn
- Laura Hanks, MD – assistant professor, Division of ASOG
- Abigail Nelezen, MD – assistant professor, Division of ASOG
- Doug Laube, MD – emeritus faculty
Trainees:
- Taylor Badger, MD – PGY-1 resident
- Michelle DeMeo, MD – PGY-1 resident
- Jackie Powell, MD – Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellow
- Ben Pickus, MD - PGY-4 resident
- Margaret Williams, MD - PGY-4 resident
Medical Students:
- Laurie Lapp
- Kaitlyn Landry
Incredible work, all!
On February 12, 2025, the Wisconsin Senate Committee on Health held a public hearing on senate bills, including a bill about extending postpartum Medicaid coverage for postpartum people for one year after birth. Currently, Wisconsin is one of just two states that have not extended postpartum Medicaid coverage to one year.
Two members of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology are quoted in news stories about the hearing on postpartum Medicaid extension. Articles about postpartum Medicaid coverage from Wisconsin Public Radio, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and Wisconsin Examiner include insights from Amy Domeyer-Klenske, MD, director of the Division of Academic Specialists in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Jackie Powell, MD, fellow in the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine:
Bipartisan proposal to expand Medicaid coverage for new moms returns to Madison – Wisconsin Public Radio
““A change in health insurance coverage, whether that means being uninsured, underinsured or switching to a new plan with a new provider or out-of-pocket costs can result in missed appointments and lack of access to needed treatments,” said Amy Domeyer-Klenske, an OB-GYN at UW Health.”
Wisconsin lawmakers renew effort to extend Medicaid coverage for new moms at risk of postpartum complications – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“Amy Domeyer-Klenske, an OB-GYN in Madison who spoke on behalf of ACOG, recounted a patient who suffered worsening high blood pressure and a life-threatening blood clot after delivery and who required blood thinners and frequent adjustments to her medication that were necessary beyond two months postpartum.
"When we see women who lose their coverage who are newly requiring these medications, we worry as physicians about what will happen to them, their risk for things like heart disease, stroke and death in the upcoming year and beyond," she said. "We are failing to cover mothers like this across Wisconsin."”
Overwhelming support for Medicaid postpartum expansion in Senate Health Committee – Wisconsin Examiner
“Powell said that through her work she sometimes diagnoses a major medical condition, including heart failure, cancer and kidney failure, during pregnancy that “alters someone’s life course.”
“Many of these patients need life-saving surgery and intervention postpartum to save their lives. Oftentimes, we need to deliver patients very preterm so that they can receive this care that they need,” Powell said.”
In late January 2025, the Cap Times published an article about the state of postpartum Medicaid coverage and expansion in Wisconsin. Wisconsin is one of only two states in the U.S. that has not extended coverage for a full year after giving birth.
In “Moms on Medicaid would get a year of postpartum care under bill”, faculty in the Department of Ob-Gyn added important perspective about common postpartum health issues that can affect new parents beyond the current cutoff of Medicaid coverage.
Ryan McDonald, MD, professor in the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, shared data on postpartum mental health issues at a Healthy Women Community Talk that was referenced in the article.
Similarly, Jackie Adams, MD, MS, assistant professor in the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, was quoted from the same event speaking on pregnancy-related issues that can have lifelong health impacts, including high blood pressure in pregnancy and gestational diabetes.
Amy Domeyer-Klenske, MD, director of the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, talked about how Medicaid extension can impact the U.S.’s growing maternal mortality rate:
“This is an issue that impacts our communities, our patients, families and is widely recognized to be a possible solution to help combat the maternal mortality crisis,” Domeyer-Klenske said of the legislative proposal. “Maternal health is not and should not be a one-party issue. We all need to come together to find these solutions, to ensure that we have help for our patients and families.”
Read the whole article here.
Amy Domeyer-Klenske, MD, director of the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, co-authored a chapter in Leading Through Crisis, a newly-released book about leadership in graduate medical education.
Domeyer-Klenske co-authored the chapter "Leading During Times of Legal Uncertainty: Legislative Disruption to Residency Training" with Kathryn Dielentheis, MD, associate professor in the Medical College of Wisconsin Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Their chapter focuses on how to pivot educational experiences for residents following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, and strategies for supporting and engaging residents' desires for advocacy opportunities in the face of this legal uncertainty.
Learn more about the book here. Incredible work, Dr. Domeyer-Klenske!
Members of the UW Department of Ob-Gyn attended the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Districts I, V, and VI Annual District Meeting in Boston September 27-29, 2024. Read on for just a few of their wonderful accomplishments at the meeting!
Ob-Gyn resident Ben Pickus, MD, PGY-4, and Laura Hanks, MD, assistant professor in the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, presented the poster “Improving Access to Gender-Affirming Hysterectomy: A Quality Improvement Effort” during the conference.
Amy Domeyer-Klenske, MD, director of the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, spoke on the panel “Sharing your Voice through Op-Ed Writing”. During the conference, she also completed her multi-year term as chair of the ACOG Wisconsin Section.
Congratulations to all who attended and participated in the ACOG District VI Annual Meeting!
Amy Domeyer-Klenske, MD, associate professor and director of the Division of Academic Specialists in Obstetrics and Gynecology, co-authored a new article published in the American Journal of Perinatology. Co-authors include Laura Grogan, Erika Peterson, and Megan Flatley.
In “Impact of patient safety bundle and team-based training on obstetric hypertensive emergencies,” Domeyer-Klenske and co-authors aimed to increase the amount of obstetric patients with hypertension who received immediate care, in order to reduce pregnancy-related mortality rates.
“Implementation of a patient safety bundle led to a sustained 6 month improvement in the percentage of patients receiving appropriate treatment of obstetric hypertensive emergency within 60 minutes of the first severe hypertension measurement.”
You can find the article here.
**by Ob-Gyn Communications Intern Paige Stevenson
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists hosted the 2024 Congressional Leadership Conference in Washington, DC, March 3-5. Many members of the UW Department of Ob-Gyn attended the conference to strengthen their advocacy skills and meet with Wisconsin legislators to discuss issues like Medicare payment and improving maternal mortality. - Amy Domeyer-Klenske, MD – Division of ASOG Director and associate professor
- Laura Hanks, MD – assistant professor, Division of ASOG
- Carley Zeal, MD – assistant professor, Division of ASOG
- Katie O’Brien, MD – soon-to-be assistant professor, Division of ASOG
- Doug Laube, MD – emeritus faculty
- Jackie Powell, MD – Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellow
- Ben Pickus, MD - PGY-3 resident
- Margaret Williams, MD - PGY-3 resident
- Laurie Lapp
- Kaitlyn Landry
The Wisconsin Section of ACOG also won the State Legislative Advocacy Award during the conference. Congratulations, all!
Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn Director
Amy Domeyer-Klenske, MD, was selected to join the Wisconsin Governor’s
Task Force on the Healthcare Workforce. The task force met for the first time on Wednesday, March 13!
The task force will be charged with studying the workforce challenges facing the state’s healthcare system, including recruitment and retention, identifying ways to improve patient care and alleviate the burdens on the healthcare workforce, exploring educational and training pathways to grow a sustainable healthcare workforce, and creating an action plan with solutions related to workforce development, industry innovation, education, and training for consideration in the governor’s 2025-27 biennial budget.
Learn more about the Task Force on the Healthcare Workforce here. Amazing work, Dr. Domeyer!
UW Department of Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn Director Amy Domeyer-Klenske, MD, discussed health care barriers for postpartum people with public insurance in a new article from Wisconsin Watch.
“You have to do all of this paperwork and applications when you’re not getting enough sleep, you may be suffering from a postpartum mood disorder, you’re experiencing really huge bodily changes and health stressors and you’re newly a parent,” Domeyer-Klenske said. “It’s this high-risk time for parents that we’re asking them to reapply and re-qualify for insurance.”
Vice President Kamala Harris visited Wisconsin to launch the “Fight for Reproductive Freedoms” tour on January 22, 2024. Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn Director Amy Domeyer-Klenske, MD, attended the event to give remarks and introduce the vice president before her speech. Domeyer-Klenske talked about the uncertainties of providing ob-gyn care and the challenges of navigating the legal landscape following the Dobbs decision, as well as other barriers to reproductive health in Wisconsin:
“Obstetric patients in our rural areas face maternity care deserts where labor and delivery units are closing. And according to a research brief from the UW Collaborative for Reproductive Equity, about 1 in 10 pregnancy-capable Wisconsinites reported delays or trouble in getting birth control. These challenges could seem insurmountable in any other state, but we are Badgers. And in Wisconsin, we have the people, the passion and the expertise to make progress.”
On November 16, 2023, several members of the Department of Ob-Gyn participated in an outreach event with the University of Wisconsin–Madison AHANA-MAPS Pre-Health Society. The event focused on showcasing obstetrics and gynecology careers and career pathways with students interested in medical and health science careers.
During the event, department members led hands-on birthing simulations, guided students through case-based learning, and answered questions about their career paths during a panel discussion.
Special thanks to the Department of Ob-Gyn Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee and DEI leaders for planning this event:
- Katie Sampene, MD – DEI Committee Co-Chair and associate professor, Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn
- Beverly Hutcherson – Manager, Diversity and Inclusion, UW School of Medicine and Public Health
- Cheryl Casey’Grant – Outreach Specialist, Department of Ob-Gyn
- Jackie Askins – Communications Manager, Department of Ob-Gyn
Thanks to all the department members who shared their expertise with the students:
- Katie Sampene, MD (associate professor, Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn)
- Amy Domeyer-Klenske, MD (Director, Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn)
- Jennifer Karnowski, MD (assistant professor, Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn)
- Maggie Williams, MD (ob-gyn resident)
- Hannah Copp, CNM (Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn)
- Awa Sanneh, MD (ob-gyn resident)
- India Anderson-Carter, MD (ob-gyn resident)
- Laura Huffman, MD (assistant professor, Division of Gynecologic Oncology)
- Ellen Hartenbach, MD (Department Chair; Division of Gynecologic Oncology)
- Bala Bhagavath, MD (professor and Director, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility)
- Laura Jacques, MD (associate professor, Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn/Family Planning)
- Gabrielle Avery, MD (ob-gyn resident)
In July 2023, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved a birth control pill for over-the-counter use, meaning most consumers could buy it from a pharmacy without a prescription. The pill will likely be available sometime in 2024.
Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn Director Amy Domeyer-Klenske, MD, joined the Women’s Healthcast share information about the progestin-only birth control that’s approved for over-the-counter use. She discussed how the pill works, important safety considerations for people to know, and the remaining questions about how birth control without a prescription might affect availability and access for people in the U.S.
Listen to Over-the-Counter Birth Control now.
Did you know the Women’s Healthcast is available on all your favorite podcast platforms? Whether you like to listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean, or anywhere else, you can find us! (Just search Women’s Healthcast, and while you’re at it, may as well subscribe!)
In early July, the Wisconsin State Senate Committee on Health held a hearing on a bill that would allow pharmacists to prescribe some forms of birth control.
UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn Director Amy Domeyer-Klenske, MD, spoke with WISC-TV about what the change could mean for birth control access:
“"By breaking down these barriers for a medication, which is otherwise safe for a vast majority of the population, we can then help people have control over their reproductive lives and their reproductive futures," said Dr. Amy Domeyer-Klenske, the chair of the Wisconsin section of the American College of OBGYNs.”
See the whole article here.
In recognition of the one-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn Director Amy Domeyer-Klenske, MD wrote an essay for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists about the challenges of providing care in the year since Roe v. Wade was overturned.
In “Bearing Witness to a Moment in History”, Domeyer-Klenske wrote about navigating clinical uncertainty, increased media visibility, and concerns about the future of reproductive health care:
“One year has now passed since the Dobbs decision. It feels strange to recognize I’m part of a moment of history and feel obliged to bear witness to it. As educators, we struggle to teach students and residents about the care we need to provide now and to impart that this isn’t standard health care. I worry about what the next 10 years will look like. I worry about the sustainability of our workforce and the health of our patients. Medical care is unfortunately not black and white, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to patient care. We are challenged daily by restrictive laws that limit our patients’ access to needed health care and threaten the livelihood of our physician workforce.”
Read the whole essay here.
After a highly competitive search with many exceptional candidates, Amy Domeyer-Klenske, MD, has accepted our offer to join the UW Department of Ob-Gyn as the next Director of the Division of Academic Specialists in Obstetrics and Gynecology, with an anticipated start date of May 1, 2023. Please help welcome Dr. Domeyer-Klenske to the department!
Dr. Domeyer-Klenske went to the University of Iowa for her undergraduate degree. She stayed in Iowa for medical school, graduating from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, followed by ob-gyn residency at Maine Medical Center in Portland, ME. She joined the Medical College of Wisconsin Department of Ob-Gyn faculty in 2016, where she practices and teaches the full spectrum of ob-gyn care.
When she joined MCW, she also took on the role of Patient Safety and Quality Officer in the Department of Ob-Gyn. In that time, Dr. Domeyer-Klenske has been instrumental in transforming obstetrics care. She led the implementation of Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM) bundles at Froedtert Hospital focused on issues like obstetric hemorrhage and severe hypertension; this implementation included developing interdisciplinary simulation education for all staff in the birthing center.
Dr. Domeyer-Klenske has distinguished herself as a statewide leader in obstetrics and gynecology. She has been an active member of the Wisconsin Section of the American College of Ob-Gyn since 2020; she was named Chair of the Wisconsin section in September 2022. She has led statewide advocacy efforts for some of Wisconsin’s most pressing reproductive health issues, including expanding postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months and developing clinical guidelines for providing care after Dobbs v. Jackson. She was appointed to the Wisconsin Perinatal Quality Collaborative (WisPQC) steering committee in 2019, where she assists in efforts to improve perinatal care outcomes for women across the state of Wisconsin.
Her academic star is also on the rise, with no doubt she will continue this trajectory as part of our department: this year, she is working on a book chapter on advocacy, has an article in progress in Academic Medicine with requested revisions, as well as multiple submissions to the upcoming national ACOG meeting. One of her essays will also be published in a new MCW book Character and Caring: Medical Education Finds Our Way Out of the Pandemic.
Dr. Domeyer-Klenske has demonstrated a commitment to high-quality education for learners at all levels during her career in academic medicine. She is consistently well-reviewed by residents in the MCW Department of Ob-Gyn as an excellent role model who is committed to quality improvement. She is a committed mentor to MCW medical students, supporting them to presentations at regional and national meetings.
A native of Dubuque, IA, Dr. Domeyer-Klenske, her husband, and two young children are looking forward to being a little bit closer to family once they move to Madison. We look forward to welcoming her to our Badger family (though she may always be a bit of a Hawkeye at heart) this spring!
On a recent visit to Washington, D.C., UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn Director Amy Domeyer-Klenske, MD, met with staff from the White House Gender Policy Council to discuss challenges and experiences practicing in a post-Dobbs environment. Domeyer-Klenske is currently serving as the Chair of the Wisconsin Section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
During the visit, she participated in a press conference with some physician members of Congress: Dr. Ami Bera, Dr. Raul Ruiz and Dr. Kim Schrier. This press conference marked the one-year anniversary of the Politco leak and allowed physicians including Dr. Domeyer-Klenske, Dr. Kylie Cooper and Dr. Anita Mikkilineni to share their experiences of providing ob-gyn care in a post-Dobbs environment with a specific focus on how legislative interference impacts physician ability to provide medical care.
On June 1, UW Ob-Gyn Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn Director Amy Domeyer-Klenske, MD, joined the WUWM show Lake Effect to talk about legal challenges to mifepristone and how they could affect health care in Wisconsin.
In the interview, Domeyer-Klenske provided background about mifepristone and its uses, discussed the current landscape of abortion care in Wisconsin, and the possible impact of federal cases related to mifepristone on quality of care:
“I don’t think anyone would want their family member receiving cancer care or receiving blood pressure medication, no one would choose the second-best medication when they’re offered an option that’s better. So I think in terms of our provision of health care to pregnant individuals, I would hope that when taking that into consideration when we’re thinking about these decisions in the legislature, and the judiciary, and the FDA, I hope all of folks who are caring for pregnant individuals are having these decisions, are considering that.
Pregnant individuals, like anyone else, want the best level of care. And right now the data shows that mifepristone is the most effective for these treatments and we don’t want to go to a situation where we need to use the second best treatment.”
Listen to the whole interview on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or NPR.org.
