Welcome

Jerome YaklicOn behalf of all my colleagues, welcome to the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology. We are excited about your interest in our department. As an academic Ob/Gyn department, we are committed to excellence in patient care, education, and research.

Our faculty are specialists and subspecialists across the spectrum of Obstetrics & Gynecology. They can provide comprehensive patient care and training in Ob/Gyn and its subspecialties, including Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Gynecologic Oncology, Pediatric/Adolescent Gynecology, Reproductive Endocrinology/Infertility, Urogynecology, and Minimal Invasive and Robotic Gynecologic Surgery. We strive to provide compassionate, patient-centered care that is evidence-based and utilizes both new and proven surgical techniques and technologies. We specialize in the care of low-risk and high-risk pregnant women during all stages of their pregnancy. We deliver approximately 5,500 babies per year. Our doctors, nurses, midwives, and staff provide care to women at more than 40 sites in Galveston, on the mainland Gulf Coast, and in communities spread across the eastern part of Texas from McAllen to Nacogdoches.

Our faculty's participation in clinical, basic, and translational science research provides our patients access to the most current and evidence-based diagnostics and treatments available. On average, the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology is involved with 70 or more research grants each year. Our active research program has ongoing collaborations among physicians and scientists in areas of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Behavioral Health. We have two research centers. One is devoted to Interdisciplinary Research for Women's Health and the other to Violence Prevention. Many of our discoveries impact not only the clinical care we provide but the standards of care performed by physicians across the country and around the world. We continue to be at the forefront of innovative breakthroughs in healthcare and be at the top of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding lists for Obstetrics & Gynecology departments. In addition to the NIH, our investigators receive funding from the Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), other states/federal agencies, and numerous industry and foundation partners.

UTMB's School of Medicine boasts the ninth largest medical enrollment in the country and graduates approximately 230 physicians per year. We are training the next generation of physician leaders in Medicine. We offer a brand new, state-of-the-art Medical Education Center with a 77-bed simulated hospital. As one of the original departments at UTMB, our department has provided over 100 years of training in our specialty and subspecialties. We are proud of our UTMB students, residents, and fellows who have gone on to care for populations around the world and to make significant contributions to the world's medical knowledge and innovation. Welcome again, and thank you for visiting our website. We hope you will enjoy learning more about our department and its faculty as you explore its pages.

NEWS

  • Ramkumar Menon on Fox News

    August 23, 2024, 10:51 AM by UTMB News

    Dr. Menon was recently interviewed about our new Organ-On-Chip Center grant, which was broadcast on FOX channel 26 on August 13.

  • Ramkumar Menon Receives 5 year award

    July 26, 2024, 14:08 PM by UTMB News

    Dr. Ramkumar Menon, professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Texas Medical Branch, was recently awarded a prestigious five (5) year award from the National Institutes of Health.

  • Surinder Sharma Receives NIH Prize

    July 26, 2024, 13:41 PM by UTMB News

    Dr. Surendra Sharma, a professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Texas Medical Branch, was recently awarded a prestigious prize from the National Institutes of Health

  • Ramkumar Menon Receives Prestigious NIH Prize

    June 13, 2024, 11:11 AM by UTMB News

    Dr. Ramkumar Menon, professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Texas Medical Branch, was recently awarded a prestigious prize of $50,000 from the National Institutes of Health.

  • 2024 CIRWH Spring Lecture Series

    February 22, 2022, 13:57 PM by UTMB

    On Behalf of Dr. Abbey Berenson and Dr. Ramkumar Menon, please join us for the upcoming lecture series on February 16, 2024 and April 15, 2024 and May 23rd, 2024.

  • Congratulations Dr. Lauren Richarson

    November 17, 2023, 11:45 AM by Richardson

    RO1 Project Titled Developing trimester-specific placenta organ on chips to model healthy and oxidative stress/inflammation-associated pathologies.

  • Congratulations to Dr. Lauren Richardson

    August 17, 2023, 16:24 PM by UTMB News

    Congratulations to Dr. Lauren Richardson on being selected as one of only 4 podium speakers at the annual meeting this year. There are 76 BIRCWH scholars in the US so this is a huge honor! Her research focuses on bridging the gap between bench-to-bedside research by merging advanced engineering and biology concepts. The goal is research is twofold: One, to utilize microfluidic devices to collect underutilized biological fluids for biomarker screening, and two, to develop novel organ-on-chip devices that physiologically recreate in utero organs and organ systems. These devices are primed to replace traditional research approaches, limit animal models for research, and speed up preclinical experiments to get the drugs to clinical trials at a much faster pace.

  • Congratulations to Dr. Menon and team

    November 11, 2022, 17:13 PM by UTMB News

    The team, led by Dr. Ramkumar Menon, professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, used these devices to successfully test drugs for conditions like preterm birth and pre-eclampsia during pregnancy. This breakthrough in preclinical research is expected to reduce the use of animal models for pregnancy drug trials, expediting clinical trials and the drug approval process. Animal models are often criticized as unreliable because they do not resemble human pregnancy.

  • 2022 Reasearch Day

    September 23, 2022, 11:41 AM by UTMB

    OB/Gyn Research day was held on August 18, 2022. Here are a few clips from the day's highlights

    Starting Photo of video of Research Day photos to follow
  • Congratulations again to Dr. Abbey Berenson.

    February 18, 2022, 09:55 AM by CPRIT

    CIRWH received a new research grant from CPRIT. The new award is for a study to examine the efficacy of using only two doses of the HPV vaccine in women 27-45 years of age. The award amount is approximately $2 million dollars. HPV is associated with cancer of the cervix, vulva, vagina, anus, oropharynx, and penis. Fortunately, a vaccine is available which has the potential to markedly reduce, or even eliminate, these cancers. The CDC recommends that it be administered at age 11-12 years although it may be given as young as 9. For those not vaccinated at a younger age, it was originally recommended up to age 26. This was recently extended to age 45. The CDC estimates that 80% of those eligible need to be completely vaccinated to reach herd immunity. However, this goal remains out-of-reach as vaccine completion rates are extremely low in the US, especially among adults.

    BioABerenson2
  • Congratulations to Dr. Gary Hankins for his ACOG Distinguished Service Award

    October 7, 2021, 09:12 AM by UTMB, ACOG and St. David Healthcare

    The Board of Directors for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has selected Dr. Gary Hankins to receive the ACOG Distinguished Service Award in recognition and appreciation of his outstanding contributions to the practice of obstetrics and gynecology and the promotion of women’s health.

  • A Closer Look at UTMB Women's Comprehensive Care Clinic

    September 23, 2021, 09:29 AM by UTMB Faculty Group Practice Newsletter

    Congratulations to Ricshonda Milburn, DNP, WHNP-BC, for being selected by the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health to receive the Inspiration in Practice Award.

  • Ricshonda Milburn Receives 'Inspiration in Practice' Award

    September 23, 2021, 09:18 AM by UTMB Faculty Group Practice Newsletter

    Congratulations to Ricshonda Milburn, DNP, WHNP-BC, for being selected by the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health to receive the Inspiration in Practice Award.

  • BOR August Editor's Choice Selection: Meet the Author

    September 2, 2021, 15:12 PM by Society for the Study of Reproduction

    Our first Editor’s Choice selection from the August issue of Biology of Reproduction is this paper: Microvesicles and exosomes released by amnion epithelial cells under oxidative stress cause inflammatory changes in uterine cells.

    013236
  • A viewing of the 'Pandemic Perspectives"

    March 10, 2021, 12:54 PM by Mary Urbani

    Please join the University of Texas Medical Branch’s Center for Violence Prevention and the TWELVE Project at 10 a.m. Saturday for a Facebook live viewing of the film “Pandemic Perspectives: A Year of COVID-19.” For questions about the upcoming film, call Shannon Guillot-Wright at 409-356-3781. For questions about the to-be-announced public art showing, call Will Wright at 806-236-0715.

  • Houston Mom Blog Explores Sleep Training and SIDS

    March 12, 2021, 16:07 PM by UTMB Newsroom

    Houston Moms Blog latest Health and Wellness with UTMB Health segment explores sleep: UTMB primary care provider and associate professor Dr. Priya Kalia covered all things sleep during this recent interview with Meagan Clanahan, co-owner of the Houston Moms Blog. During the discussion, Dr. Kalia discussed optimal sleep times, sleep training, SIDS and how to counter interruptions that come with things like Spring Break and time changes.

    053893
  • Jeff Temple's interview on, "Sexting: Is it really the problem?" on the Cybertraps

    February 10, 2021, 11:19 AM by Mary Urbani

    In 2011, Dr. Jeff Temple was sitting in a Dallas hotel room when he heard a news segment on sexting. “I was thinking”, says Temple, “I don't know if anyone's looked at this.” Temple was right. At the time, there was no empirical research on sexting. He curiously added four questions to a survey of 1000 teens on the risk and protective factors of dating violence. A year later, his research on sexting would reach over 600 million people. Tune into Dr. Jeff Temple's episode "Sexting: Is it really the problem?"

    cybertrap
  • Provost Lecture Series

    January 13, 2021, 09:24 AM by Mary Urbani

    Drs. Guillot-Wright and Patel will discuss the history of institutional racism and how to be an anti-racist. They will conclude with how we can promote social change at all levels of influence.

    provost lecture series Dismantling Structural Racisim
  • Free Gynecologic Exams at St. Vincent House

    December 17, 2020, 11:27 AM by UTMB OBGYN

    UTMB OB/GYN is excited and proud to provide free gynecologic care to the underserved community of Galveston! UTMB OB/GYN is excited and proud to provide free gynecologic care to the underserved community of Galveston! St. Vincent’s is our student run clinic on the island where students, residents and faculty are able to give free gynecologic and health care maintenance to our underserved, uninsured and indigent community.

  • Researchers Developing Drugs To Help Prevent Preterm Birth

    November 19, 2020, 14:45 PM by UTMB OBGYN

    Researchers at the University of Texas and Texas A&M University are working to produce an organ-on-a-chip model to help prevent preterm births. Ramkumar Menon, professor at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and Arum Han, professor and Presidential Impact Fellow in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and director of the NanoBio Systems Laboratory, also a member of the Tissue Chip Testing Center at Texas A&M, are leading the project. They received a $3.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) for their research.

    013236
  • Fellowship Match Day 2020

    October 21, 2020, 10:33 AM by UTMB OBGYN

    After the 2020 Fellowship Match Day, UTMB Obstetrics and Gynecology is happy to announce fellowship matches. We are also excited to welcome the new MFM fellows who will join us next summer!

  • Read Dr. Rodriguez new article

    November 19, 2020, 08:53 AM by Ana Rodriguez

    Did you get to read Dr. Rodriguez article about Factors Associated with Endometrial Cancer and Hyperplasia among middle aged and older Hispanics? Did you know that Hispanics were more likely to have endometrial hyperplasia symptoms than Whites? More obese Hispanics than Whites presented with endometrial hyperplasia or cancer? Endometrial cancer was positively associated with obesity, diabetes and nulliparity? Endometrial cancer negatively associated with hypothyroidism? For the entire article, click here.

    book
  • Mentoring Researchers Works

    April 10, 2019, 00:00 AM by UTMB Ob/Gyn

    Our OBGYN department has been very successful in mentoring MFM fellows and junior faculty, and in encouraging and promoting their research proposals.

  • A preventable malignancy

    February 4, 2020, 13:47 PM by Charlotte Huff

    Some parts of the world are on the path to largely eradicating cervical cancer, but the story is less rosy for other populations, including US Hispanics. Why, and what can be done about it?

Patient Care

VictoryLakesThe Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology offers a full range of services related to pregnancy and other areas of women's health, including fertility, child health, family planning, gynecologic surgery, and breast and cervical cancer screening. In 2012, the department completed a full renovation of the Labor & Delivery area, which now includes 35,000 square feet of state-of-the-art patient rooms, nurseries, operating rooms, nursing work areas, and offices. Our doctors, nurses, midwives, and staff provide care to women at more than 40 sites in Galveston, on the mainland Gulf Coast, and in communities spread across the eastern part of Texas from McAllen to Nacogdoches.

In addition to general obstetrics and gynecology, UTMB provides a number of specialty patient services:

  • Our Maternal and Fetal Medicine division is recognized nationally as a top provider for women with high-risk pregnancies and prenatal diagnoses.
  • The Pelvic Health & Continence Center provides specialty multidisciplinary care focused on diagnosing and treating pelvic floor disorders in both women and men.
  • The University Fertility Center houses an on-site operating suite, a state-of-the-art IVF laboratory, andrology and hormone labs, and facilities for in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer.
  • We offer access to subspecialists in the fields of Gynecologic Oncology, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Pediatric/Adolescent Gynecology, Reproductive Infertility Endocrinology, and Certified Nurse Midwifery.
  • Our Gynecology Division’s robotic surgery program has been recognized and certified as a Center of Excellence by the AAGL.

 

Research Overview

Our faculty’s participation in clinical, basic, and translational science research provides our patients access to the most current and effective evidence-based diagnostics and available treatment.  On average, the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology is involved with 70 or more research grants each year.

The department has earned spots in 2 current national collaborative research networks, the Obstetric-Fetal Pharmacology Research Center (OPRC) Network and the Multicenter Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network (MFMU). Our Maternal-Fetal Pharmacology and Bio-development Laboratories are perhaps unequaled in their range of specialties for investigating the interaction between therapeutic drugs and pregnancy. Of particular note, UTMB is home to three University Centers: The Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Women's Health, a university-wide organization funded by the National Institutes of Health to promote, stimulate, and support interdisciplinary research related to women’s health across the life span. The Obstetric-fetal Pharmacology Research Center funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) to support specialized research to improve the safety and efficacy of medication use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. The most recent addition is the Center for Violence Prevention, which was established to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals, couples, families, communities, and societies through the prevention of violence.

Education

UTMB’s School of Medicine boasts the ninth largest medical enrollment in the country and graduates approximately 230 physicians per year. Obstetrics & Gynecology is one of the original departments of the Medical Branch, providing over 100 years of specialty training. The department’s 4-year residency program offers training in obstetrics and gynecology via didactic teaching, simulation and surgical training, clinical experience, and research opportunities. Our graduates pass the American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology examinations and successfully match into subspecialty fellowship programs at a high rate. UTMB’s Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellowship program provides additional clinical training in high-risk obstetrics and clinical and basic science research, with the option of earning a PhD.

Our medical doctors and scientists extend their learning on a continual basis through participation in national and international professional organizations, collaboration with colleagues, and research. The department also holds grants to support 2 formal training programs for faculty, the Women’s Reproductive Health Research (WRHR) and Building Interdisciplinary Research in Women’s Health (BIRWCH) programs.