Vanessa Jacoby, MD, MAS
Professor
Ob/Gyn, Reproductive Sciences
School of Medicine

She has conducted multiple clinical trials of new, minimally invasive treatments for people with fibroids including MR Guided Focused Ultrasound, laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation, and aromatase inhibitors. Dr. Jacoby's work has also focused on long-term health outcomes following hysterectomy and oophorectomy, particularly for people who are carriers of BRCA1 or BRCA2 pathogenic variants who undergo risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy.

With the onset of COVID-19, Dr. Jacoby worked with a multi-disciplinary group of collaborators to launch the PRIORITY study, a nationwide study of pregnant people and their newborns with COVID-19 (priority.ucsf.edu). Analyses from PRIORITY identified the persistence of COVID-19 symptoms in 25% of people infected during pregnancy. This work has led to further study of long-term outcomes following COVID-19 infection during pregnancy in the RECOVER study (recovercovid.org).

Dr. Jacoby’s research has been driven by patient-centered outcomes, community partnerships, and recruitment of underrepresented study populations. She is the director of the CTSI Participant Recruitment Program (recruit.ucsf.edu) to support recruitment of diverse populations into clinical studies across UCSF. She is also a dedicated mentor involved in many research training programs at UCSF including the CTSI K Scholars Program, the K12 Women's Reproductive Health Research Program (WRHR), and the ARCHES program for faculty from historically excluded groups (archesprogram.ucsf.edu).

• Long-term health-related quality of life and symptom severity following hysterectomy, myomectomy, or uterine artery embolization for the treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids.
  American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 2023 Anchan RM, Spies JB, Zhang S, Wojdyla D, Bortoletto P, Terry K, Disler E, Milne A, Gargiulo A, Petrozza J, Brook O, Srouji S, Morton CC, Greenberg J, Wegienka G, Stewart EA, Nicholson WK, Thomas L, …
• Researching COVID to enhance recovery (RECOVER) pediatric study protocol: Rationale, objectives and design.
  medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences 2023 Gross R, Thaweethai T, Rosenzweig EB, Chan J, Chibnik LB, Cicek MS, Elliott AJ, Flaherman VJ, Foulkes AS, Witvliet MG, Gallagher R, Gennaro ML, Jernigan TL, Karlson EW, Katz SD, Kinser PA, Kleinman LC…
• Researching COVID to enhance recovery (RECOVER) pregnancy study: Rationale, objectives and design.
  medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences 2023 Metz TD, Clifton RG, Gallagher R, Gross RS, Horwitz LI, Jacoby VL, Martin-Herz SP, Peralta-Carcelen M, Reeder HT, Beamon CJ, Bind MA, Chan J, Chang AA, Chibnik LB, Costantine MM, Fitzgerald ML, …
• Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Women with Symptomatic Uterine Fibroids.
  Journal of women's health (2002) 2023 Rubio EM, Hilton JF, Bent S, Parvataneni R, Oberman E, Saberi NS, Varon S, Schembri M, Waetjen LE, Jacoby VL
• A Comparative Analysis of Health-Related Quality of Life 1 Year Following Myomectomy or Uterine Artery Embolization: Findings from the COMPARE-UF Registry.
  Journal of women's health (2002) 2023 Anchan RM, Wojdyla D, Bortoletto P, Terry K, Disler E, Milne A, Gargiulo A, Petrozza J, Brook O, Srouji S, Morton CC, Greenberg J, Wegienka G, Stewart EA, Nicholson WK, Thomas L, Venable S, Laughlin-…
• Patterns of Peripartum Depression and Anxiety During the Pre-Vaccine COVID-19 Pandemic.
  Research square 2022 Altendahl MR, Xu L, Asiodu I, Boscardin J, Gaw SL, Flaherman VJ, Jacoby VL, Richards MC, Krakow D, Afshar Y
• Development of a core minimum data set to advance real-world evidence generation for uterine fibroids treatment technologies.
  BMJ surgery, interventions, & health technologies 2022 Baird CE, Myers E, Jacoby V, Gressler LE, Venable S, O'Neill A, Price V, Lee A, Roberts J, Andrews S, Sedrakyan A, Marinac-Dabic D
• Emergency department visits and emergency-to-inpatient admissions for abnormal uterine bleeding in the USA nationwide.
  Emergency medicine journal : EMJ 2022 Grubman J, Hawkins M, Whetstone S, Autry M, Lazar A, Sawaya GF, Jacoby V
• Neutralizing antibody activity against SARS-CoV-2 variants in gestational age-matched mother-infant dyads after infection or vaccination.
  JCI insight 2022 Matsui Y, Li L, Prahl M, Cassidy AG, Ozarslan N, Golan Y, Gonzalez VJ, Lin CY, Jigmeddagva U, Chidboy MA, Montano M, Taha TY, Khalid MM, Sreekumar B, Hayashi JM, Chen PY, Kumar GR, Warrier L, Wu AH, …
• The Swinging Pendulum: Elective Oophorectomy at the Time of Hysterectomy.
  Obstetrics and gynecology 2022 Jacoby VL, Sawaya G
• Route of myomectomy and fertility: a prospective cohort study.
  Fertility and sterility 2022 Wise LA, Thomas L, Anderson S, Baird DD, Anchan RM, Terry KL, Marsh EE, Wegienka G, Nicholson WK, Wallace K, Bigelow R, Spies J, Maxwell GL, Jacoby V, Myers ER, Stewart EA
• Infant Outcomes Following Maternal Infection With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2): First Report From the Pregnancy Coronavirus Outcomes Registry (PRIORITY) Study.
  Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2021 Flaherman VJ, Afshar Y, Boscardin WJ, Keller RL, H Mardy A, Prahl MK, T Phillips C, Asiodu IV, Berghella V, Chambers BD, Crear-Perry J, Jamieson DJ, Jacoby VL, Gaw SL
• Evaluating a community-based training program for evidence-based treatments for PTSD using the RE-AIM framework.
  Psychological services 2021 Dondanville KA, Fina BA, Straud CL, Tyler H, Jacoby V, Blount TH, Moring JC, Blankenship AE, Finley EP
• Reply: Selection bias in estimates of early pregnancy loss.
  American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 2021 Jacoby VL, Boscardin WJ
• Risk of pregnancy loss before 20 weeks' gestation in study participants with COVID-19.
  American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 2021 Jacoby VL, Murtha A, Afshar Y, Gaw SL, Asiodu I, Tolosa J, Norton ME, Boscardin WJ, Flaherman V
• Anxiety, Depression, and Quality of Life After Procedural Intervention for Uterine Fibroids.
  Journal of women's health (2002) 2021 Wallace K, Stewart EA, Wise LA, Nicholson WK, Parry JP, Zhang S, Laughlin-Tommaso S, Jacoby V, Anchan RM, Diamond MP, Venable S, Shiflett A, Wegienka GR, Maxwell GL, Wojdyla D, Myers ER, Marsh E
• Racial and ethnic differences in reconstructive surgery for apical vaginal prolapse.
  American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 2021 Boyd BAJ, Winkelman WD, Mishra K, Vittinghoff E, Jacoby VL
• Endometrial findings among transgender and gender nonbinary people using testosterone at the time of gender-affirming hysterectomy.
  Fertility and sterility 2021 Hawkins M, Deutsch MB, Obedin-Maliver J, Stark B, Grubman J, Jacoby A, Jacoby VL
• Black Women Are More Likely Than White Women to Schedule a Uterine-Sparing Treatment for Leiomyomas.
  Journal of women's health (2002) 2021 Wegienka G, Stewart EA, Nicholson WK, Zhang S, Li F, Thomas L, Spies JB, Venable S, Laughlin-Tommaso S, Diamond MP, Anchan RM, Maxwell GL, Marsh EE, Myers ER, Vines AI, Wise LA, Wallace K, Jacoby VL
• Clinical Presentation of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Pregnant and Recently Pregnant People.
  Obstetrics and gynecology 2020 Afshar Y, Gaw SL, Flaherman VJ, Chambers BD, Krakow D, Berghella V, Shamshirsaz AA, Boatin AA, Aldrovandi G, Greiner A, Riley L, Boscardin WJ, Jamieson DJ, Jacoby VL, Pregnancy CoRonavIrus Outcomes …
• Launching a Competency-Based Training Program in Evidence-Based Treatments for PTSD: Supporting Veteran-Serving Mental Health Providers in Texas.
  Community mental health journal 2020 Dondanville KA, Fina BA, Straud CL, Finley EP, Tyler H, Jacoby V, Blount TH, Moring JC, Pruiksma KE, Blankenship AE, Evans WR, Zaturenskaya M, STRONG STAR Training Initiative
• Comparative effectiveness of hysterectomy versus myomectomy on one-year health-related quality of life in women with uterine fibroids.
  Fertility and sterility 2020 Wallace K, Zhang S, Thomas L, Stewart EA, Nicholson WK, Wegienka GR, Wise LA, Laughlin-Tommaso SK, Diamond MP, Marsh EE, Jacoby VL, Anchan RM, Venable S, Larry GM, Lytle B, Wang T, Myers ER
• Short-term quality of life after myomectomy for uterine fibroids from the COMPARE-UF Fibroid Registry.
  American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 2019 Laughlin-Tommaso SK, Lu D, Thomas L, Diamond MP, Wallace K, Wegienka G, Vines AI, Anchan RM, Wang T, Maxwell GL, Jacoby V, Marsh EE, Spies JB, Nicholson WK, Stewart EA, Myers ER
• Short-Term Health-Related Quality of Life After Hysterectomy Compared With Myomectomy for Symptomatic Leiomyomas.
  Obstetrics and gynecology 2019 Nicholson WK, Wegienka G, Zhang S, Wallace K, Stewart E, Laughlin-Tommaso S, Thomas L, Jacoby VL, Marsh EE, Wise L, Borah BJ, Spies J, Venable S, Anchan RM, Larry Maxwell G, Diamond M, Lytle B, Myers …
• Laparoscopic Radiofrequency Ablation of Uterine Leiomyomas: Clinical Outcomes during Early Adoption into Surgical Practice.
  Journal of minimally invasive gynecology 2019 Jacoby VL, Parvataneni R, Oberman E, Saberi NS, Varon S, Schembri M, Waetjen LE
• Myoma Imaging by Gynecologic Surgeons Training in Intraoperative Ultrasound Technique.
  Journal of minimally invasive gynecology 2018 Bent RE, Wilson MD, Jacoby VL, Varon S, Parvataneni R, Saberi N, Waetjen LE
• FIRSTT study: randomized controlled trial of uterine artery embolization vs focused ultrasound surgery.
  American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 2018 Laughlin-Tommaso S, Barnard EP, AbdElmagied AM, Vaughan LE, Weaver AL, Hesley GK, Woodrum DA, Jacoby VL, Kohi MP, Price TM, Nieves A, Miller MJ, Borah BJ, Moriarty JP, Gorny KR, Leppert PC, Severson …
• Opportunities for Early Detection of Endometrial Cancer in Women With Postmenopausal Bleeding.
  JAMA internal medicine 2018 Matteson KA, Robison K, Jacoby VL
• Misdiagnosis of Leiomyosarcoma after Radiofrequency Ablation of Uterine Myomas.
  Journal of minimally invasive gynecology 2018 Varon S, Parvataneni R, Waetjen E, Dunn K, Jacoby VL
• The Comparing Options for Management: PAtient-centered REsults for Uterine Fibroids (COMPARE-UF) registry: rationale and design.
  American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 2018 Stewart EA, Lytle BL, Thomas L, Wegienka GR, Jacoby V, Diamond MP, Nicholson WK, Anchan RM, Venable S, Wallace K, Marsh EE, Maxwell GL, Borah BJ, Catherino WH, Myers ER
• Change in Surgical Practice for Women With Leiomyomas After the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Morcellator Safety Communication.
  Obstetrics and gynecology 2017 Clark NM, Schembri M, Jacoby VL
• Disparities in Fibroid Incidence, Prognosis, and Management.
  Obstetrics and gynecology clinics of North America 2017 Laughlin-Tommaso SK, Jacoby VL, Myers ER
• Periprocedural outcomes comparing fibroid embolization and focused ultrasound: a randomized controlled trial and comprehensive cohort analysis.
  American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 2017 Barnard EP, AbdElmagied AM, Vaughan LE, Weaver AL, Laughlin-Tommaso SK, Hesley GK, Woodrum DA, Jacoby VL, Kohi MP, Price TM, Nieves A, Miller MJ, Borah BJ, Gorny KR, Leppert PC, Peterson LG, Stewart …
• Fibroid interventions: reducing symptoms today and tomorrow: extending generalizability by using a comprehensive cohort design with a randomized controlled trial.
  American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 2016 AbdElmagied AM, Vaughan LE, Weaver AL, Laughlin-Tommaso SK, Hesley GK, Woodrum DA, Jacoby VL, Kohi MP, Price TM, Nieves A, Miller MJ, Borah BJ, Gorny KR, Leppert PC, Lemens MA, Stewart EA
• The FDA and the Vaginal Mesh Controversy--Further Impetus to Change the 510(k) Pathway for Medical Device Approval.
  JAMA internal medicine 2016 Jacoby VL, Subak L, Waetjen LE
• PROMISe trial: a pilot, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound for uterine fibroids.
  Fertility and sterility 2015 Jacoby VL, Kohi MP, Poder L, Jacoby A, Lager J, Schembri M, Rieke V, Grady D, Vittinghoff E, Coakley FV
• Obstacles to Studying Emerging Technologies.
  Obstetrics and gynecology 2015 Waetjen LE, Parvataneni R, Varon S, Saberi NS, Jacoby VL, University of California Fibroid Network (UCFN)
• Managing symptoms and maximizing quality of life after preventive interventions for cancer risk reduction.
  Current opinion in obstetrics & gynecology 2015 Chapman JS, Jacoby V, Chen LM
• Use of medical, surgical and complementary treatments among women with fibroids.
  European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology 2014 Jacoby VL, Jacoby A, Learman LA, Schembri M, Gregorich SE, Jackson R, Kuppermann M
• Screening pelvic examinations: right, wrong, or rite?
  Annals of internal medicine 2014 Sawaya GF, Jacoby V
• Hysterectomy and urinary incontinence in postmenopausal women.
  International urogynecology journal 2014 Kudish BI, Shveiky D, Gutman RE, Jacoby V, Sokol AI, Rodabough R, Howard BV, Blanchette P, Iglesia CB
• Hysterectomy controversies: ovarian and cervical preservation.
  Clinical obstetrics and gynecology 2014 Jacoby VL
• Ovarian cancer rates after hysterectomy with and without salpingo-oophorectomy.
  Obstetrics and gynecology 2014 Chan JK, Urban R, Capra AM, Jacoby V, Osann K, Whittemore A, Habel LA
• Risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy and ovarian cancer screening in 1077 women after BRCA testing.
  JAMA internal medicine 2013 Mannis GN, Fehniger JE, Creasman JS, Jacoby VL, Beattie MS
• Reproductive and other health outcomes in Iraq and Afghanistan women veterans using VA health care: association with mental health diagnoses.
  Women's health issues : official publication of the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health 2012 Cohen BE, Maguen S, Bertenthal D, Shi Y, Jacoby V, Seal KH
• Performance of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' ovarian tumor referral guidelines with a multivariate index assay.
  Obstetrics and gynecology 2011 Sawaya GF, Jacoby V
• Oophorectomy vs ovarian conservation with hysterectomy: cardiovascular disease, hip fracture, and cancer in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study.
  Archives of internal medicine 2011 Jacoby VL, Grady D, Wactawski-Wende J, Manson JE, Allison MA, Kuppermann M, Sarto GE, Robbins J, Phillips L, Martin LW, O'Sullivan MJ, Jackson R, Rodabough RJ, Stefanick ML
• Use of a β-hCG discriminatory zone with bedside pelvic ultrasonography.
  Annals of emergency medicine 2011 Wang R, Reynolds TA, West HH, Ravikumar D, Martinez C, McAlpine I, Jacoby VL, Stein JC
• Differential use of diagnostic ultrasound in u.s. Emergency departments by time of day.
  The western journal of emergency medicine 2011 Stein JC, Jacoby VL, Vittinghoff E, Wang R, Kwan E, Reynolds T, McAlpine I, Gonzales R
• Emergency physician ultrasonography for evaluating patients at risk for ectopic pregnancy: a meta-analysis.
  Annals of emergency medicine 2010 Stein JC, Wang R, Adler N, Boscardin J, Jacoby VL, Won G, Goldstein R, Kohn MA
• Racial and ethnic disparities in benign gynecologic conditions and associated surgeries.
  American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 2010 Jacoby VL, Fujimoto VY, Giudice LC, Kuppermann M, Washington AE
• Health disparities: definitions and measurements.
  American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 2010 Dehlendorf C, Bryant AS, Huddleston HG, Jacoby VL, Fujimoto VY
• Nationwide use of laparoscopic hysterectomy compared with abdominal and vaginal approaches.
  Obstetrics and gynecology 2009 Jacoby VL, Autry A, Jacobson G, Domush R, Nakagawa S, Jacoby A
• Effect of bilateral oophorectomy on women's long-term health.
  Women's health (London, England) 2009 Parker WH, Jacoby V, Shoupe D, Rocca W
• A survey of bedside ultrasound use by emergency physicians in California.
  Journal of ultrasound in medicine : official journal of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine 2009 Stein JC, River G, Kalika I, Hebig A, Price D, Jacoby VL, Filly R
• Factors associated with undergoing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy at the time of hysterectomy for benign conditions.
  Obstetrics and gynecology 2009 Jacoby VL, Vittinghoff E, Nakagawa S, Jackson R, Richter HE, Chan J, Kuppermann M
• Oophorectomy as a risk factor for coronary heart disease.
  American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 2008 Jacoby VL, Grady D, Sawaya GF
• Persistent hot flushes in older postmenopausal women.
  Archives of internal medicine 2008 Huang AJ, Grady D, Jacoby VL, Blackwell TL, Bauer DC, Sawaya GF