About

Melissa Matulich, M.D., M.A.S. is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UC Davis Health. She specializes in family planning and offers comprehensive reproductive health care to women of all ages. Dr. Matulich has a particular interest in telemedicine and strives to incorporate this technology into her clinical practice to reduce access barriers to family planning services. Her research primarily focuses on improving access to family planning through telemedicine programs, supporting contraceptive research studies, and growing her experience within implementation science. She has a background in clinical research, holding an M.A.S. in Clinical Research from UC Davis, and has completed her medical training at UC Davis and Northwestern University. Her academic and clinical contributions include numerous awards for teaching excellence and research publications related to contraceptive counseling and reproductive health.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Surgery
• Gynecology
• Anesthesia
• Biology
• Pharmacology
• Internal medicine
• Endocrinology
• Family medicine

Selected publications

• TELEHEALTH MEDICATION ABORTION SERVICE ADAPTATION IN LARGE ACADEMIC HEALTH SYSTEMS: CARE REDESIGN THROUGH A LEARNING COLLABORATIVE CASE STUDY

  Contraception · 2023-10-09

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Endometrial thickness after dilation and evacuation: A retrospective cohort study

  Reproductive Female and Child Health · 2023-06-15

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Objective To evaluate endometrial thickness 1–2 h after dilation and evacuation (D&E). Methods We used a deidentified single‐institution database to retrospectively evaluate endometrial thickness measurements obtained as part of routine care 1–2 h postprocedure using transabdominal ultrasonography from 17 March 2020 to 16 October 2020. From this database, we extracted measurements, procedural outcomes and postoperative bleeding interventions. We assessed our primary outcome of endometrial thickness and the relationship between endometrial thickness and the need for bleeding‐related interventions within 4 h postprocedure. Results We performed 213 endometrial thickness evaluations at a mean gestational age of 19.2 ± 2.8 weeks with median quantitative intraoperative blood loss of 150 mL (10–2000 mL). We found a median endometrial thickness of 12.2 mm (interquartile range [IQR]: 9.1–16 mm) performed 89.6 ± 19.3 min after the D&E. Eleven (5.2%) patients needed further interventions for bleeding during recovery, with all but one having bleeding issues before or at the same time as the ultrasound examination. Patients with and without bleeding issues had median endometrial thicknesses of 20.3 mm (IQR: 12.5–29.2 mm, range: 1.2–42 mm) and 12.2 mm (IQR: 9.0–15.8 mm, range: 2.1–43 mm), respectively, p = 0.008. Conclusion Endometrial thickness 1–2 h after D&E can vary widely but 75% of patients have a measurement <16 mm. Although patients with bleeding complications have slightly thicker endometrial linings, these patients typically present clinically and endometrial assessment does not predict the need for intervention.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Author response for "Endometrial thickness after dilation and evacuation: A retrospective cohort study"

  2023-05-22

  peer-review
  PublisherDOI

• INTRAUTERINE ADHESIONS AFTER MANUAL/ELECTRIC VACUUM ASPIRATION WITHOUT SHARP CURETTAGE

  Fertility and Sterility · 2022-11-01

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Mechanism of action of norgestrel 0.075 mg a progestogen-only pill. I. Effect on ovarian activity

  Contraception · 2022 · 16 citations

  • Medicine
  • Internal medicine
  • Endocrinology

  OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect on ovarian activity and ovulation of 28 days of correct daily use of a progestogen-only pill containing norgestrel 0.075 mg. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a prospective, randomized, crossover study at 2 US sites, recruiting healthy women of reproductive age to use norgestrel 0.075 mg daily for three 28-day treatment cycles. We monitored ovarian activity every 3 to 4 days with reproductive hormone measurements and ovarian ultrasonography. Participants recorded pill use in daily diaries. An adjudication committee independent of the research sites assessed ovarian activity using a modified Hoogland score combining hormone concentrations and follicle diameter and appearance (quiescence 1-3, ovarian activity without ovulation 4-5, and ovulatory/postovulatory 6-7). RESULTS: We report here the findings of the initial 28-day treatment cycle in which 51 of 52 recruited participants provided data sufficient for analysis. Two thirds of subjects had no evidence of ovulation (34/51, 66.6%); eight of these (15.7%) had quiescent ovaries (follicle <13 mm diameter) and 26 (51%) had follicular development (follicle >13 mm diameter) without ovulation. Seventeen participants ovulated, of whom 12 (23.5%) had a normal, and 5 (9.8%) an abnormal luteal phase. Persistent ovarian follicles were common among women who had ovarian activity without ovulation, 17 of 26 participants (65.4%) had a large follicle which persisted beyond 28 days. CONCLUSION: During 28 days of exposure to a norgestrel 0.075 mg progestogen-only pill, most women had no evidence of ovulation. IMPLICATIONS: Ovulation inhibition and follicle growth disturbance are important in the mechanism of action of a progestogen-only pill containing norgestrel 0.075 mg.

  PublisherDOI

• Implementation of telemedicine preoperative visits for abortion procedures through 18 weeks gestation at a Northern California hospital-based center

  Contraception · 2022-06-21 · 8 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Clinical interventions are more accurate than quantitative measurements for defining hemorrhage with dilation and evacuation

  Contraception · 2022-12-05 · 7 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Coronavirus disease 2019 impact on abortion care at a Northern California tertiary family planning program

  American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology · 2021-03-10 · 3 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Mifepristone prior to osmotic dilators for dilation and evacuation cervical preparation: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study

  Contraception · 2021-08-28 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• US referral center experience removing nonpalpable and difficult contraceptive implants with in-office ultrasonography: A case series

  Contraception · 2021 · 12 citations

  • Medicine
  • Surgery
  • Family medicine
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Mitchell D. Creinin

  University of California, Davis

  21 shared

• Melissa J. Chen

  University of California, Davis

  12 shared

• Suji Uhm

  Magee-Womens Hospital

  11 shared

• Juliana Melo

  University of California, Davis

  7 shared

• Melody Y. Hou

  University of California, Davis

  7 shared

• Machelle Wilson

  University of California, Davis

  7 shared

• Natasha R. Schimmoeller

  Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

  6 shared

• Namrata Mastey

  Planned Parenthood

  6 shared

Labs

• Family PlanningPI

Awards & honors

• Award for Excellence in Medical Student Teaching (2013, 2014…
• Sciarra Resident Award in Family Planning (2016)
• Junior Teaching Award (2015)
• Alumni Council Teaching Award (2015)