The Division of Family Planning in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at NYU Langone Health is committed to providing culturally competent and evidence-based reproductive healthcare to every individual, regardless of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or citizenship. We believe that all people deserve the means to control when, whether, and with whom they have families.

Our mission, under the leadership of Siripanth Nippita, MD, MS, division director, is to educate the next generation of highly skilled reproductive health practitioners, to conduct groundbreaking and relevant family planning research, and to advocate for patients’ access to family planning, contraception, and abortion services. We advance this mission at our dedicated clinical arm—the Reproductive Choice Clinic at the Women’s Medical Center at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue.

Our History of Family Planning

As the oldest public hospital in the United States, Bellevue has a rich history of pioneering care for underserved individuals in the New York City area, which includes establishing the country’s first maternity ward in 1799. Bellevue’s Contraception Clinic, opened by Gordon Douglas, MD, in 1958, was one of the first in the country. The Division of Family Planning was later established by Livia S. Wan, MD, largely because of her pioneering work in the field.

Today, as a result of Bellevue’s status as the referral hospital for NYC Health + Hospitals, the Reproductive Choice Clinic receives frequent referrals of the most medically complicated patients who cannot be safely cared for at outside facilities.

Our Patient Advocacy

Patient advocacy is an integral part of our work in the Division of Family Planning. We strongly believe that clinicians should take an active role in advocating for systems and policies that improve the reproductive health of our patients beyond the clinic and hospital settings.

To further their advocacy skills, our faculty have participated in professional development programs through the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Physicians for Reproductive Health Leadership Training Academy.

Our Role in Education

The Division of Family Planning is committed to educating healthcare practitioners at all levels of medical training. We provide both classroom-based and clinical instruction in reproductive health and patient care.

Training at Bellevue gives medical students and residents opportunities to care for patients with a wide range of complex medical conditions and psychosocial situations.

Training for Medical Students

Third- and fourth-year NYU Grossman School of Medicine students can participate in the Reproductive Choice Service Elective at Bellevue that includes seeing patients in the clinic and participating in procedures. Family planning attendings regularly teach didactic sessions for the medical student clerkship. Senior medical students have the opportunity to join the team for longer electives. Visiting medical students are also able to participate in rotations in our division.

Training for Residents

Our residency program has a dedicated, opt-out rotation for training in abortion and contraception and was one of the first three Ryan Programs nationally, in 1999. Bellevue serves as the main clinical site for this training.

Our Role in Research

Our division’s commitment to research dates back to the 1970s. Since that time, we have conducted clinical trials on many contraceptive technologies that were later approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including the copper intrauterine device, a nonhormonal contraceptive gel, and several oral contraceptive pills.

Our Role in Patient Care

Clinicians at the Reproductive Choice Clinic at Bellevue offer safe, confidential, and comprehensive care for patients seeking treatment for early pregnancy loss or abortion, as well as contraceptive services. These clinical offerings are integrated into Bellevue’s Women’s Health Clinic, which sees patients from all five boroughs of New York City. We also provide medical translation services in 130 languages, 24 hours a day for our non-English speaking patients and partner with non-physician groups such as The Doula Project, The Brigid Alliance, and the Haven Coalition to provide integrative care and improve the overall experience of our patients.

Our Faculty

Our faculty members are experts in family planning.

Siripanth Nippita, MD, MS
Veronica Ades, MD, MPH
Kate J. Baicy, MD, PhD
Colleen Denny, MD
Natalie Fischer Davis, MD
Christina Jung, MD
Johana D. Oviedo, MPH, MD
Jessica S. Rose, MD
Gabrielle Sandler, MD
Mahino A. Talib, MD
Beatrice L. Telzak, MD

Contact Us

For more information about our clinical trials, please contact Anna Davis, research coordinator, at anna.davis@nyulangone.org.

For information about our educational programs, please contact James Hamilton, program coordinator, at james.hamilton@nyulangone.org.