Students participating in the 2025 Shapiro Summer Research Program presented their work at the Annual Medical Student Research Forum on November 24, 2025. Students and their impressive presentations include:
Alyssa Solberg, mentored by Kara Hoppe, DO, PhD: Trends in Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy Highlight Persistent Racial and Rural-Urban Disparities: A Statewide Analysis
Bronwynn Ziemann, mentored by Bala Bhagavath, MD: Prevalence and Risk Factors for Cesarean Scar Defects
Brenen Skalitzky, mentored by Laura Cooney, MD: The Impact of Cesarean Scar Defects and Surgical Repair on Complications of Subsequent Pregnancies
Rachel Bayer, mentored by Manish Patankar, PhD: Exploring Oxidative Phosphorylation Inhibition and Mitochondrial Dynamics in Endometriosis Cell Lines
Anna Heintz, mentored by Bala Bhagavath, MD: Optimizing β-hCG Cutoffs to Predict Non-Viable Pregnancies in ART and Spontaneous Conceptions
Morgan Homme, mentored by Katie O’Brien, MD: Incidence of New Eating Disorders in Adolescents and Young Adults Using Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) Agonists
Elizabeth Tressler, mentored by Aleks Stanic-Kostic, MD, PhD: Longitudinal serum biomarkers through 10-days postpartum in patients with and without hypertensive disorders of pregnancy
Congratulations to everyone on their presentations and for completing the program!
**by Ob-Gyn Communications Intern Melis Baskaya
Members of the UW-Madison Department of Ob-Gyn Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s (ASRM) Scientific Congress & Expo, held from October 25-29, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. Their impressive presentations include:
Roundtable – Disordered Eating and PCOS: Best Practices for an Overlooked Complication – Laura Cooney, MD, MS
Oral Abstract Session – Benign Gynecological Disease – moderated by Bala Bhagavath, MD
Symposium – Paternal Age: Implications for Parents, Offspring and Society – Julianne Zweifel, PhD
Oral Abstract Session – Pre-Clinical & Basic Research – moderated by Aleks Stanic-Kostic, MD, PhD
Posters:
Predictors Of Disordered Eating In Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (Pcos) – Mattie Boehler-Tatman; Jacob P Christ; Laura Cooney; Heather Gibson Huddleston
Pelvic Infection After Egg Retrieval In Patients With Endometriosis – Christina M Dudley; Alexandra R Sabgir; Natalia Gontarczyk Uczkowski; Amy L Godecker; and Bala Bhagavath, MD
Congratulations to the presenters!
**by Ob-Gyn Communications Intern Melis Baskaya
The UW Department of Ob-Gyn's Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility fellowship was featured in media around the state in late April 2025. The fellowship, which was launched in 2024, is one of only about 52 in the country. It was created, in part, to help address a shortage of fertility care physicians in the United States.
Wisconsin media shared updates about the program, including interviews with Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Director Bala Bhagavath, MD, and REI fellow Jayapriya Jayakumaran, MD:
Reproductive endocrinology and fertility fellowship with UW Health expands access to care – WIFR
REI Care Fellowship at UW Health helps families get access to fertility care services – Channel 3000
UW Health: Reproductive endocrinology and infertility fellowship making impact in Wisconsin – WMTV
UW-Health announces new fellowship to help fertility care – WEAU
UW Program Focuses on Fertility – 715 Newsroom
UW Health is touting the impact of Wisconsin’s first reproductive endocrinology and infertility fellowship program, one of about 50 in the country. – Wisbusiness
The AAGL hosted the 53rd Global Congress on MIGS in New Orleans November 16-19, 2024. Members of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology participated in several aspects of the event!
Olga Fajardo, MD, assistant professor in the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, was a member of the event’s Program Committee.
Dobie Giles, MD, MS, MBA, professor in the Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, was a co-presenter of the AAGL Med Talk Strong Work: How a Work-Related Injury Made Me Whole.
Bala Bhagavath, MD, director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, moderated the Laparoscopy Video Session. He also co-authored Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes Following Intrauterine Adhesiolysis - A Systematic Review, which was presented during an oral session on Hysteroscopy.
Incredible work, all!
The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) hosted the 2024 Annual Scientific Congress October 19-23, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. Faculty and fellows in the UW Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology led courses and shared their research during the conference:
Bala Bhagavath, MD, director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, taught a half-day course in the ASRM Postgraduate Program. Bhagavath was on the faculty for the course “Inequity in Management of Uterine Fibroids Can Be Addressed by Innovations in Nonsurgical and Surgical Management.”
Bhagavath, who also served on the 2024 Scientific Congress Planning Committee as the Society of Reproductive Surgeons representative, presented on a Symposia panel on October 23 titled “Minimally Invasive Approaches to Management of Uterine Fibroids: Advantages and Limitations.”
Laura Bozzuto, MD, MS, assistant professor in the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, was lead author on “Trajectories In Antimullerian Hormone (AMH) Decline Across The Menopause Transition; Study Of Women’s Health Across The Nation (SWAN)”, which received the Scientific Congress Prize Paper honor during the conference!
Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Fellow Jayapriya Jayakumaran, MD, was lead author on the paper presented during the Benign Gynecological Disease – Endometriosis and Adenomyosis session: “Diagnosis Of Concurrent Endometriosis Along With Other Infertility Diagnoses, And Its Effect On Outcomes Of Single Euploid Blastocyst Transfer (SEBT): A Retrospective Study Of SARTCORS Data.”
Aleks Stanic-Kostic, MD, PhD, taught “Show Me the Data! Evidence-Based Evaluation and Management of Recurrent Pregnancy Loss”, a full-day course in the Postgraduate Program for the Early Pregnancy Loss Special Interest Group.
Incredible work, all!
Every summer, Shapiro Summer Research students collaborate with UW Department of Ob-Gyn faculty on research projects. On August 1, the 2024 Shapiro Summer Research students presented their projects during Ob-Gyn Grand Rounds.
Presenters, mentors, and projects were:
Michelle Lin, mentored by Kara Hoppe, DO, MS: The Effects of the Dobbs Decision on Sterilization Rates Based on Location Across Wisconsin
Madison Seifer, mentored by Laura Hanks, MD: Postoperative complications following gender-affirming hysterectomies
Srishi Gupta, mentored by Kara Hoppe, DO, MS: Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring in Young Adult Women With and Without a History of Hypertension in Pregnancy
Estelle Ndukwe, mentored by Abigail Cutler, MD, MPH: Referrals in Abortion Care
Alexandra Sabgir, mentored by Bala Bhagavath, MD: Pelvic Infection after Egg Retrieval in Patients with Endometriosis
Watch all the presentations here.
Bala Bhagavath, MD, director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, joined American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) leadership in Washington, D.C. on June 12 in support of the
Right to IVF Act.
Members of the organization, as well as families affected by IVF legislation, were at the Capitol on June 12 to share stories with legislators in advance of a scheduled vote on the act. You can read the ASRM’s statement on the outcome of the vote here.
Thank you for joining the advocacy efforts, Dr. Bhagavath!
Bala Bhagavath, MD, director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, spoke with WMTV-15 in a recent story about a local woman, Abby Wiley, and her battle with infertility. The interview took place during National Infertility Awareness Week in late April.
In “Wisconsin mom of three shares unique battle overcoming infertility,” Bhagavath explained what happens to a patient like Wiley, who had placenta accreta and how this leads to infertility.
Placenta accreta means the placenta has grown too deeply into the uterine wall and, “as a result, the placenta cannot separate and come off. It is stuck there. Of course, the uterus needs to expel that and contract to stop all the bleeding and if women cannot expel the placenta, they will continue to bleed, which is not healthy.”
Read the whole article here.
**by Ob-Gyn Communications Intern Paige Stevenson
Starting or growing a family is a deep desire for many people, but the path to parenthood is not always straightforward.
All are invited to a free, virtual community talk about navigating your fertility journey, presented by the UW Department of Ob-Gyn! Bring your questions about all aspects of fertility to a panel of experts at 6:30pm on April 10, 2023:
- Generations Fertility Care Director Dr. Bala Bhagavath will discuss physical and medical aspects of fertility care
- Clinical Psychologist Dr. Julianne Zweifel will talk about common mental and emotional concerns during fertility treatment
- Panelists at different points of their own fertility journeys will talk about their experiences with expanding their families
Register today for this free event and invite your friends!
Starting or growing a family is a deep desire for many people, but the path to parenthood is not always straightforward.
A panel of experts answered fertility questions during the well-attended virtual community talk "Navigating Your Fertility Journey" on April 10, 2023:
- Generations Fertility Care Director Dr. Bala Bhagavath discussed physical and medical aspects of fertility care
- Clinical Psychologist Dr. Julianne Zweifel talked about common mental and emotional concerns during fertility treatment
- Panelists at different points of their own fertility journeys shared their experiences with expanding their families
Watch the whole Community Talk now!
The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology’s Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) Fellowship received initial accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) on February 7, 2024! Bala Bhagavath, MD, professor and director of the Division of REI, will serve as the fellowship program director. This will be the first REI fellowship program in the state of Wisconsin and one of only about 40 in the country.
Preparing and applying for this fellowship took a tremendous effort from Bhagavath, Division of REI faculty, and the department’s education program, including Fellowship Program Manager Dylan Kittell. The Department of Ob-Gyn would not have been able to meet this crucial goal of expanding training opportunities and improving access to fertility care services without their tireless work over the last two years.
With this accreditation, the REI Fellowship is on track to welcome the first fellow: Jayapriya Jayakumaran, MD, will join us in August 2024. Jayakumaran earned her medical degree from Madras Medical College, followed by obstetrics and gynecology residency at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College Hospital and University of Central Florida-Orlando. The REI fellowship will recruit their second fellow in the summer of 2024.
The AAGL held the annual Global Congress on MIGS November 5-8, 2023, in Nashville. Members of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology brought research and contributed to the success of the event!
Olga Fajardo, MD, assistant professor in the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, co-authored two abstracts presented during oral sessions. Other authors on the abstracts are from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where Fajardo recently completed her Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery (MIGS) fellowship:
New instrumentation/Research Oral Session: Language-Based Disparities in Surgical Route of Hysterectomy for Benign Disease - T.I. González Peña, N.J. Jesse, Z. Zhao, L.F. Harvey, O. Fajardo
Hysteroscopy Oral Session: Surgical Treatment for Uterine Isthmoceles - V. Fox, O. Fajardo, E. Cook, T.L. Anderson, H. Curlin
Bala Bhagavath, MD, professor and director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, served on the conference’s Abstract and Video Review Committee.
Incredible work, all!
On November 9, 2023, Bala Bhagavath, MD, professor and director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, presented the Grand Round lecture “Reproductive Surgery: Past, Present, Future”.
In this lecture, Bhagavath described the history of reproductive surgeries and the various things they help fix. Advancements in reproductive surgeries was also discussed, with Bhagavath focusing on developments in tubal, uterine, cervical, and vaginal surgeries throughout time.
You can watch the whole lecture here.
**by Ob-Gyn Communications Intern Paige Stevenson
Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Director Bala Bhagavath, MD, and Associate Professor Aleks Stanic-Kostic, MD, PhD, led sessions at this year’s American Society for Reproductive Medicine Scientific Congress on October 14-18 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Bhagavath presented Cesarean Scar Isthmoceles: When and How to Diagnose and Treat Surgically.
Stanic-Kostic led a full day course focussed on Translating Bench Research to the Clinical Management of Recurrent Pregnancy Loss as well as a clinical session No Good Deed Goes Unpunished, or Why We Should Stick with Professional Guidelines.
The ASRM Congress in general aims to give top experts in the reproductive medicine field a chance to share their research and discover new information. Congratulations to both speakers and all of ASRM Congress’s presenters!
**by Paige Stevenson, Ob-Gyn Communications Intern
Congratulations to UW Ob-Gyn Professor and Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Director Bala Bhagavath, MD! He was accepted into the UW Health Physician Leadership Development Program’s 2024 cohort.
As part of the program, Bhagavath will participate in 10 live courses on topics including leadership, strategy and human resources. The curriculum includes leadership development within a culture of trust, project management, strategic thinking, planning and decision making, emotional intelligence, managing physician performance, resolving conflict, leading and managing strategic change, authentic leadership development, and building and leading effective teams.
Incredible work, Dr. Bhagavath!
During National Infertility Awareness Week in April, Bala Bhagavath, MD, professor and director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, joined the Let’s Get Local podcast to talk about efforts in Wisconsin to improve access to fertility care.
During the interview, Bhagavath contrasted his experience working in states with state-mandated infertility coverage compared to working in Wisconsin, average costs for fertility treatment without insurance coverage, and the work the Building Families Alliance is doing to make fertility care more manageable for people in Wisconsin.
Listen to the whole interview now – Dr. Bhagavath’s segment starts at 21:44.
In a recent article on Tone Madison, Bala Bhagavath, MD, professor and director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, weighted in about the impact of the Dobbs decision on infertility care.
In “Fertility care in Wisconsin faces worrisome unknowns in the wake of Dobbs”, Bhagavath discussed common questions and concerns he has heard from patients, and what the current legal landscape means for fertility care in Wisconsin:
““There were panicked calls from patients, regarding many things,” Bhagavath says. “‘My embryos are stored here in Wisconsin, so, what does it mean?’ ‘Am I allowed to transfer the embryos to a different state?’ There are patients calling who are concerned because their embryos were stored in a long-term storage facility. ‘When I want to transfer my embryos, would I still be able to do it? Or do I have to go to a different state to continue my management?’”
For now, Bhagavath says, “at least in Wisconsin, there is no immediate worry regarding infertility management and treatment of patients.” But that is not guaranteed going forward. A change in state law could throw the whole industry into flux.”
Read the whole article here!
Bala Bhagavath, MD, director of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, provided insight into common causes and treatments of infertility in a recent article in Brava Magazine.
In “When Fertility Is Fragile”, Bhagavath outlines criteria for infertility, discusses common treatment options, and shares information on how much some of the treatment options cost.
Read the whole article here!
Uterine fibroids are incredibly common – between 20 and 70 percent of people with uteruses will develop fibroids during their lifetimes. And while they’re often benign, they can still cause some troublesome symptoms.
Bala Bhagavath, MD joined the Women’s Healthcast to talk about common symptoms of uterine fibroids, the broad variety of treatment options, and whether all fibroids need to be treated. Bhagavath is the director of the UW Ob-Gyn Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility.h
Did you know the Women’s Healthcast is available on all your favorite podcast platforms? Whether you like to listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Podbean, or anywhere else, you can find us! (Just search Women’s Healthcast, and while you’re at it, may as well subscribe!)
UW Ob-Gyn Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Director Bala Bhagavath, MD, co-authored a study in the latest issue of the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology!
“Clinical and Patient Reported Outcomes of Pre- and Postsurgical Treatment of Symptomatic Uterine Leiomyomas: A 12-Month Follow-up Review of TRUST, a Surgical Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Laparoscopic Radiofrequency Ablation and Myomectomy” uses outcome data from a multicenter trial conducted at academic and non-academic hospitals, surgery centers, and fertility centers around the country. In comparing outcomes between two methods of surgery, the study found:
“The results from this 12-month follow-up study suggest that LAP-RFA is a safe, effective, uterine-sparing alternative to laparoscopic myomectomy in the treatment of ULs. These data points build on previously published studies showing that LAP-RFA has lower healthcare resource use overall, including lower postprocedure hospitalization rate and shorter length of stay. In clinical practice, LAP-RFA is a promising treatment approach to ULs for women.”
Read the whole study here!
In a recent article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a Wisconsin woman shares her experience with endometriosis and infertility. UW Ob-Gyn Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Director Bala Bhagavath, MD adds insight into the challenges of endometriosis and the importance of insurance coverage for fertility services in the article.
In “Summit woman shares her story of endometriosis, infertility”, published online for subscribers, Bhagavath describes the difficulties many people experience when trying to find a solution to endometriosis-related pain:
““The sad truth of endometriosis is that very often young girls who complain of pain or painful periods are told that everyone’s periods are painful; just live with it,” said Bala Bhagavath, UW Health fertility clinic’s medical director of Generations Fertility Care.
On average, it takes about 12 years and four doctors to get a diagnosis for endometriosis, which affects one in six women, said Bhagavath.”
Read the whole article here!
Uterine fibroids can have big effects on menstruation, fertility, pregnancy, even sleep and exercise. In a new article on HealthCentral, UW Ob-Gyn Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Director Bala Bhagavath, MD discussed how to recognize and manage uterine fibroids:
“Uterine fibroids aren’t cancerous—but that doesn’t mean they can’t affect your life profoundly, Dr. Bhagavath says. This is a condition that can interfere with all areas of your life, increasing the risk of pregnancy complications, making it hard to go to work, and even interfering with your relationships. That’s why it’s important to have frank and open conversations with your doctor about how your fibroids are affecting you.”
Read the rest of “How Uterine Fibroids Affect Your Health”!
Fertility treatments can be costly, and most states across the country do not require insurance plans to cover fertility care (take a look at this Kaiser Family Foundation issue brief on coverage and use of infertility services in the United States). A bill recently introduced in the Wisconsin State Legislature would require insurance companies to provide coverage for fertility services.
In “Infertile couples support Wisconsin bill to require fertility coverage”, recently published in the Wisconsin State Journal, UW Ob-Gyn Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Director Bala Bhagavath, MD discussed the negative effects fertility challenges can have on individuals and families, and the inequities in current access to fertility care:
““The impact of the disease can be devastating; studies on the psychosocial impact of infertility have placed it on par with a diagnosis of cancer,” said the letter, by Dr. Bala Bhagavath, medical director of Generations Fertility Care in Middleton, UW Health’s fertility clinic; and Dr. Laurel Rice, UW’s chair of obstetrics and gynecology.
Society needs children to support an aging population, but typically only infertile people who have higher incomes can afford to pay for treatments, Bhagavath said in an interview. “The more middle-income and definitely lower-income you are, the greater impact on you,” he said.”
Bhagavath serves on the steering committee for the Building Families Alliance Wisconsin, which supports the Building Families Act. Learn more about the bill, and read the rest of the Wisconsin State Journal article here.
Congratulations to UW Ob-Gyn Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Director Bala Bhagavath, MD, who was recently accepted as an active fellow of the American Gynecological and Obstetrical Society (AGOS)!
AGOS advances the health of women by providing dedicated leadership and promoting excellence in research, education and medical practice. In order to be considered as an AGOS fellow, candidates must be outstanding leaders in academic obstetrics and gynecology with good character, high ethical standing and recognized ability as a teacher, physician and scholar.
Amazing work, Dr. Bhagavath!
UW Ob-Gyn Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Director Bala Bhagavath, MD presented at the Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility fellows forum in Utah on November 19!
Bhagavath’s presentation on reproductive surgeries garnered a lot of excitement from the REI fellows and physicians in attendance, with more than half the fellows expressing an interest in developing their surgical skills.
Incredible work, Dr. Bhagavath!
UW Ob-Gyn Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Director Bala Bhagavath, MD answered common fibroid questions in the HealthCentral article “10 Things to Know About Uterine Fibroid Treatment.”
In the article, Bhagavath explains what fibroids are and what kinds of symptoms they can sometimes cause (including heavy bleeding and pelvic pressure) and how to bring fibroid-related issues up to your doctor. He also discusses several treatment paths, from low-intervention options like birth control and pain medication, to more intensive options like surgery.
Read the whole article here!
UW Ob-Gyn Division of Reproductive and Population Health Director Bala Bhagavath, MD discussed endometriosis in an article with Spectrum News.
In “Founded in Milwaukee, Endometriosis Awareness Month Shines Light on Women’s Health”, Bhagavath explains what endometriosis is, common symptoms, options for treatment and management, and why it can take a long time to arrive at an endometriosis diagnosis:
“…because pain can be a hard thing to measure, and these symptoms can also be linked with other conditions, Bhagavath said endometriosis doesn’t always get diagnosed right away. Confirming a case requires a laparoscopy or “putting a camera down the belly button.””
Read the whole article here!
Pick up a copy of the newly released Textbook of Assisted Reproduction, and you’ll find a familiar name on the cover. UW Ob-Gyn Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Director Bala Bhagavath, MD edited the book, which covers all aspects of assisted reproduction.
Take a look at the book here – congratulations, Dr. Bhagavath!
