Best Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialists in La Jolla, CA

Maryam Tarsa, MD, is a board-certified perinatologist who specializes in caring for women with high-risk pregnancies. Perinatologists, also known as maternal-fetal medicine specialists, care for pregnant women who have an increased chance that they or their babies will have health concerns. Dr. Tarsa’s expertise includes fetal imaging and treating pregnant women with autoimmune disorders, infectious diseases and transplants. She also cares for women having twins or higher-order multiples. Dr. Tarsa finds obstetrics an exciting and rewarding profession. She considers it an honor to provide care for women during their pregnancy and to be part of the miracle of childbirth. As a professor in the Department of Reproductive Medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine, Dr. Tarsa instructs medical students, residents and fellows. She has published numerous book chapters and co-authored many abstracts and journal articles. Her work has appeared in British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine and Journal of Clinical Anesthesia. Dr. Tarsa completed her fellowship and residency at UC San Diego School of Medicine. She earned her medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. Dr. Tarsa is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology and maternal and fetal medicine. She is a member of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine and the American Medical Association.

Leah Lamale-Smith, MD, is a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist who specializes in high-risk pregnancies. As a provider of maternal-fetal medicine, she cares for pregnant women who have an increased chance that they or their babies will have health concerns. Dr. Lamale-Smith’s expertise is in performing invasive fetal procedures for prenatal screening and diagnosis, including chorionic villus sampling (CVS), amniocentesis, and fetal blood sampling and intrauterine transfusion. She is also experienced in caring for women with higher-order multiples, women with complex medical conditions such as autoimmune disorders and cardiac disease, and critically ill women who require intensive care during their pregnancy or postpartum period. As a perinatologist at an academic medical center, Dr. Lamale-Smith is active in educating medical students, residents and fellows at UC San Diego School of Medicine. Her research interests include preeclampsia and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and ultrasound in pregnancy. Dr. Lamale-Smith has published numerous abstracts and peer-reviewed articles, and her work has appeared in Obstetrics & Gynecology and The Journal of Reproductive Medicine, among others. She completed a fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine at University of Colorado School of Medicine and a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. Lamale-Smith earned her medical degree from University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. She is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology. Dr. Lamale-Smith is a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and member of numerous professional societies, including the American Medical Association, the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine, the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine. Outside of work, Dr. Lamale-Smith enjoys spending time with her family and two dogs. She enjoys camping and the outdoors, and stays active through hiking and soccer.

Douglas Andrew Woelkers, MD, is a board-certified perinatologist who specializes in caring for women with high-risk pregnancies. Perinatologists, also known as maternal-fetal medicine specialists, care for pregnant women who have an increased chance that they or their babies will have health concerns. Dr. Woelkers’ expertise includes preeclampsia, thrombophilia and placental insufficiency. As an associate professor in the Department of Reproductive Medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine, Dr. Woelkers instructs medical students, residents and fellows. Dr. Woelkers has co-authored numerous abstracts and articles, and his work has appeared in The Journal of Pediatrics and the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, among others. He completed a fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine at Magee-Women’s Hospital, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at UC San Diego School of Medicine. Dr. Woelkers earned his medical degree from Stanford University. He is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology and maternal and fetal medicine. Dr. Woelkers is a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, member of the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine and past president of the North American Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy. He also serves as a scientific adviser for the Preeclampsia Foundation. Dr. Woelkers and his wife, Cathy, have two children.

Andrew D. Hull, BMBS, is a board-certified perinatologist who specializes in caring for women with high-risk pregnancies. Perinatologists, also known as maternal-fetal medicine specialists, care for pregnant women who have an increased chance that they or their babies will have health concerns. Dr. Hull’s expertise includes caring for pregnant women with chronic medical problems, including HIV; pregnancies complicated by fetal disorders such as isoimmunization and complex birth defects; and placental disorders such as placenta accreta.As a professor in the Department of Reproductive Medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine, Dr. Hull instructs medical students, residents and fellows. He is the director of the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship program and also serves as a consultant for the UC San Diego Mother-Child-Adolescent HIV Program.Dr. Hull is widely published, having authored more than 70 peer reviewed journal articles and numerous book chapters and abstracts. His work has appeared in Obstetrics & Gynecology, the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, and Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology, among others. Dr. Hull is a frequent reviewer for numerous medical journals, including the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology, Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, and many others.A frequent speaker at national medical conferences, Dr. Hull covers a wide range of maternal-fetal care topics, including noninvasive prenatal test (NIPT), HIV and reproductive health, placenta accreta and prenatal and intrapartum neuroprotection. He completed his fellowship at UC San Diego School of Medicine and his residency at Loma Linda University School of Medicine. Dr. Hull earned his medical degree from Nottingham University Medical School in England. He is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology and maternal and fetal medicine. Dr. Hull is a fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians and the American Gynecological & Obstetrical Society.Dr. Hull is a member of many medical societies, including the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Perinatal Research Society, the International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease, the American College of Medical Genetics, and more.He is consistently elected as a top physician in the annual surveys for Best Doctors in America® and Castle Connolly’s America's Top Doctors®.

Douglas Andrew Woelkers, MD, is a board-certified perinatologist who specializes in caring for women with high-risk pregnancies. Perinatologists, also known as maternal-fetal medicine specialists, care for pregnant women who have an increased chance that they or their babies will have health concerns. Dr. Woelkers’ expertise includes preeclampsia, thrombophilia and placental insufficiency. As an associate professor in the Department of Reproductive Medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine, Dr. Woelkers instructs medical students, residents and fellows. Dr. Woelkers has co-authored numerous abstracts and articles, and his work has appeared in The Journal of Pediatrics and the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, among others. He completed a fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine at Magee-Women’s Hospital, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at UC San Diego School of Medicine. Dr. Woelkers earned his medical degree from Stanford University. He is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology and maternal and fetal medicine. Dr. Woelkers is a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, member of the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine and past president of the North American Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy. He also serves as a scientific adviser for the Preeclampsia Foundation. Dr. Woelkers and his wife, Cathy, have two children.

Gladys “Sandy`` Ramos, MD, is a board-certified perinatologist who specializes in caring for women with high-risk pregnancies. Perinatologists, also known as maternal-fetal medicine specialists, care for pregnant women with complex health or fetal issues. Dr. Ramos’ expertise is in treating women with diabetes to help ensure safe deliveries of healthy infants while maintaining optimal health for mothers. She is also experienced in managing placenta accreta and other high-risk issues. As a perinatologist at an academic medical center, Dr. Ramos is active in educating medical students, residents and fellows at UC San Diego School of Medicine. She has led many research studies with the aim of improving the care of pregnant women with diabetes. Dr. Ramos has published numerous abstracts, peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. Her work has appeared in American Journal of Medical Genetics, Journal of Perinatology and the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Ramos' training includes completing a fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine and a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Kaiser Permanente San Francisco. She earned her medical degree from UC Irvine. She is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology and maternal and fetal medicine. Dr. Ramos is a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine. She is a member of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine. Outside of work, Dr. Ramos enjoys traveling with her husband. She is bilingual and speaks fluent Spanish.

Thomas F. Kelly, MD, is a board-certified perinatologist who specializes in caring for women with high-risk pregnancies. Perinatologists, also known as maternal-fetal medicine specialists, care for pregnant women who have an increased chance that they or their babies will have health concerns. His expertise includes medical complications of pregnancy and fetal diagnosis. Dr. Kelly is a professor in the Department of Reproductive Medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine, where he instructs medical students, residents and fellows. He is widely published, having co-authored many abstracts, peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. Dr. Kelly has given lectures on a wide range of maternal-fetal medicine topics, including liver disorders of pregnancy, fetal growth disorders and managing obstetrical hemorrhage. Dr. Kelly completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology and a fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine. He earned his medical degree from University of Nevada School of Medicine. Dr. Kelly is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology and maternal and fetal medicine. He is a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and member of numerous professional organizations, including the Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine and the American Professors of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Kelly serves as an oral examiner for the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and on the Pregnancy-Associated Maternal Mortality Review Committee for the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative.

Richard B. Wolf, DO, is a board-certified perinatologist who specializes in caring for women with high-risk pregnancies. Perinatologists, also known as maternal-fetal medicine specialists, care for pregnant women who have an increased chance that they or their babies will have health concerns. Dr. Wolf’s expertise includes fetal imaging, amniotic fluid abnormalities, blood clotting disorders during pregnancy and blood group (Rh) incompatibility. His most important goal is helping patients understand the complexities of pregnancy complications and working with them to achieve as happy and healthy a pregnancy as possible. As a professor in the Department of Reproductive Medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine, Dr. Wolf instructs medical students, residents and fellows. He has also given lectures on various high-risk pregnancy topics at local and national conferences. Prior to joining UC San Diego Health, Dr. Wolf served as an OB/GYN physician and perinatologist physician in the U.S. Navy for 20 years. He completed a fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine and a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Naval Hospital in Oakland, California, and Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu. Dr. Wolf earned his medical degree from Des Moines University.He is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology and maternal and fetal medicine. Dr. Wolf is a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and member of numerous professional organizations, including the American College of Osteopathic Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine and the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine. Dr. Wolf is also a diplomate of the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners.

Jerry Ballas, MD, MPH, is a board-certified perinatologist who cares for women with high-risk pregnancies. As a maternal-fetal medicine specialist, he treats expectant mothers who have an increased chance that they or their babies will have health complications. Dr. Ballas's expertise is in managing maternal chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension, diagnosing fetal abnormalities by ultrasound, and treating placental disorders. He also handles complications that may happen during labor and delivery.As an associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at UC San Diego School of Medicine, Dr. Ballas is active in educating medical students, residents and fellows. His research interests include environmental and socioeconomic factors — such as food availability and hazardous pollutants — that have health effects on pregnancy and childbirth. Dr. Ballas has published numerous peer-reviewed articles. His work has appeared in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine and Journal of Pediatric Surgery. Dr. Ballas completed a fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine and a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at State University of New York (SUNY) at Stony Brook. He earned his medical degree at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine in Brooklyn and his master's degree in public health at Boston University School of Public Health. He is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology and maternal-fetal medicine. Dr. Ballas is a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (FACOG). He is president-elect of the National Perinatal Association and a member of Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.