L. Elaine Waetjen, M.D.
Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
To see if L. Elaine Waetjen is accepting new patients, or for assistance finding a UC Davis doctor, please call 800-2-UCDAVIS (800-282-3284).
Locations and Contact
Lawrence J. Ellison Ambulatory Care Center
Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic
4860 Y St.
Sacramento, CA 95817
Phone: 916-734-6900
Philosophy of Care
I believe every patient should feel that they receive attentive, thoughtful, unbiased, and personalized care in their relationships with their health care providers. My main goal is to develop a trusting partnership with patients through listening carefully, paying attention to details, being honest, and thus working to understand and address each patient’s unique health goals and needs. My philosophy of care includes excellence in education: keeping myself up-to-date with best health care practices, teaching the next generation of doctors, and striving to help patients gain greater understanding of their gynecological condition and treatment options.
Clinical Interests
Dr. Waetjen is a generalist obstetrician/gynecologist offering primarily general gynecological care, especially for women with vulvar/vaginal conditions, dysplasia of the cervix, vulva and vagina, and menopausal concerns. She has a special interest in midlife and older women’s gynecological health concerns, and also cares for patients at the Sacramento County Jail.
Research/Academic Interests
Dr. Waetjen’s research focuses primarily on the gynecological health of midlife and older women, especially in the epidemiology of genitourinary symptoms that develop during and after menopause. She is a member of the UC Fibroid Network and has conducted research on fibroid treatments. She currently serves as Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and as Research Director for the Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health program.
Division
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Center/Program Affiliation
Undergraduate School
B.A., History, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara CA 1986
Undergraduate School
B.A., Biology, UC Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz CA 1991
Medical School
M.D., Northwestern University, Chicago IL 1995
Internship
Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pittsburgh, Magee-Women's Hospital, Pittsburgh PA 1995-1996
Residency
Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pittsburgh, Magee-Women's Hospital, Pittsburgh PA 1996-1999
Fellowship
Clinical Research/Epidemiology/Urogynecology, UC San Francisco, San Francisco CA 1999-2001
"Excellence in Resident Education" Teaching Award, UC Davis, 2021
"Clinical Faculty of the Year" Resident Teaching Award, UC Davis, 2017
Dean Nominee, Leadership Development Program, UC Davis, 2012
Featured in UC Davis Magazine: "Menopause Researcher Challenges Conventional Wisdom.", 2009
Richard Oi OB/GYN Excellence in Resident Teaching Award, UC Davis, 2004
McEntee KM, Crawford KD, Wilson MD, Ponzini MD, Wu BT, Nejad BM, Waetjen LE. Postoperative Opioid Prescribing and Consumption after Hysterectomy: A Prospective Cohort Study. J Minim Invasive Gynecol. 2021 May;28(5):1013-1021. doi:10.1016/j.jmig.2020.10.023. Epub 2020 Nov 2. PMID:33152533.
Badon SE, Gabriel KP, Karvonen-Gutierrez C, Sternfeld B, Gold EB, Waetjen LE, Lee C, Avalos LA, El Khoudary SR, Hedderson MM. Dual trajectories of physical activity and blood lipids in midlife women: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. Maturitas. 2021 Apr;146:49-56. doi:10.1016/j.maturitas.2021.02.002. Epub 2021 Feb 6. PMID:33722364.
France MT, Ma B, Gajer P, Brown S, Humphrys MS, Holm JB, Waetjen LE, Brotman RM, Ravel J. VALENCIA: a nearest centroid classification method for vaginal microbial communities based on composition. Microbiome. 2020 Nov 23;8(1):166. doi:10.1186/s40168-020-00934-6. PMID:33228810.
Jacoby VL, Parvataneni R, Oberman E, Saberi N, Varon S, Schembri M, Vittinghoff E, Waetjen LE. Laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation of uterine leiomyomas: clinical outcomes during early adoption into surgical practice. J Minimally Invasive Gynecology. May-Jun 2020;27(4):915-925. doi:10.1016/j.jmig.2019.07.025. PMID:31376584.
El Khoudary SR, Greendale G, Crawford SL, Avis NE, Brooks MM, Thurston RC, Karvonen-Gutierrez C, Waetjen LE, Matthews K. The menopause transition and women's health at midlife: a progress report from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN). Menopause. 2019 Oct;26(10):1213-1227. doi:10.1097/GME.0000000000001424. PMID:31568098.
Bent RE, Wilson MD, Jacoby VL, Varon S, Parvataneni R, Saberi N, Waetjen LE. Myoma Imaging by Gynecologic Surgeons Training in Intraoperative Ultrasound Technique. J Minim Invasive Gynecol. 2019 Sep-Oct;26(6):1139-1143. doi:10.1016/j.jmig.2018.11.006. Epub 2018 Nov 29. PMID:30502500.
Varon S, Parvataneni R, Waetjen E, Dunn K, Jacoby VL. Misdiagnosis of Leiomyosarcoma after Radiofrequency Ablation of Uterine Myomas. J Minim Invasive Gynecol. 2019 Mar-Apr;26(3):564-566. doi:10.1016/j.jmig.2018.08.004. Epub 2018 Aug 17. PMID:30121386.
Crawford SL, Crandall CJ, Derby CA, El Khoudary SR, Waetjen LE, Fischer M, Joffe H. Menopausal hormone therapy trends before versus after 2002: impact of the Women's Health Initiative Study Results. Menopause. 2018 Dec 21;26(6):588-597. doi:10.1097/GME.0000000000001282. PMID:30586004.
Mitchell CM, Waetjen LE. Genitourinary Changes with Aging. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am. 2018 Dec;45(4):737-750. doi:10.1016/j.ogc.2018.07.010. Epub 2018 Oct 25. PMID:30401554.
Waetjen LE, Crawford SL, Chang PY, Reed BD, Hess R, Avis NE, Harlow SD, Greendale GA, Dugan SA, Gold EB; Study of Womenʼs Health Across the Nation (SWAN). Factors associated with developing vaginal dryness symptoms in women transitioning through menopause: a longitudinal study. Menopause. 2018 Oct;25(10):1094-1104. doi:10.1097/GME.0000000000001130. PMID:29916947.