About

Juliana Melo, M.D., M.S.C.S., is an Associate Professor at UC Davis Health in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She is committed to providing compassionate, comprehensive reproductive healthcare to women of all ages and backgrounds. Her clinical interests include general obstetrics and gynecology with a subspecialty in family planning, with particular focus on adolescent gynecology and contraception for women with chronic medical conditions. Dr. Melo views the patient-physician relationship as a partnership and strives to help women make choices that empower them to live healthy and productive lives. Her educational background includes a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Georgia, an M.D. from the Medical College of Georgia, and an M.S. in Clinical Science from the University of Colorado - Denver Graduate School. She completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Hawaii and a fellowship in Family Planning at the University of Colorado Denver. Dr. Melo has been recognized with awards such as the Family Planning Resident Award from the University of Hawaii and the Hope Scholarship from the University of Georgia. Her research includes work on adolescent and young women's contraceptive decision-making processes and the impact of longitudinal curricula on medical student obstetrics and gynecology training.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Surgery
• Family medicine
• Pediatrics
• Gynecology
• Internal medicine
• Anesthesia

Selected publications

• 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

• Complex family planning and pediatric hematology oncology integrated clinic for young people with blood disorders and heavy or abnormal menstrual bleeding

  Contraception · 2022 · 4 citations

  • Medicine
  • Internal medicine
  • Pediatrics
  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

• Gabapentin for pain management after osmotic dilator insertion and prior to dilation and evacuation: A randomized controlled trial

  Contraception · 2020 · 7 citations

  • Medicine
  • Anesthesia
  • Surgery
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• 82. An Interdisciplinary Clinic: Pediatric Hematology Oncology and Family Planning Partnership for Young Women and Girls with Hematologic and Oncologic Disorders

  Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology · 2019-03-01

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Do women want to talk about birth control at the time of a first-trimester abortion?

  Contraception · 2018-08-12 · 19 citations

  articleOpen access

  OBJECTIVE: To investigate if women desire talking to a counselor or physician about contraception when seeking first-trimester medical or surgical abortion. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a cross-sectional study by distributing self-administered anonymous surveys to women at three clinics in Sacramento, California; Chicago, Illinois; and Cleveland, Ohio, from October 2014 to February 2015. Participants completed surveys after registration and before any in-office counseling. We asked whether women want to discuss contraception, specific topics they want to discuss, reasons why they may not want to talk about contraception and whether they want to receive contraception services as part of their abortion care. We conducted regression analyses to assess associations between patient characteristics and the desire for counseling. RESULTS: Among 3041 eligible women, 1959 (64.4%) completed surveys. Overall, 1208 (61.7%) did not want to discuss contraception prior to having an abortion, primarily citing that they already know which method they want. We found no association between the desire to discuss contraception and age, race, planned abortion method, clinic site and number of unplanned pregnancies. Among those who desired to talk about contraception, subjects preferred to discuss which contraceptive methods are easier to use and more effective as compared to previously used methods. Regardless of their desire for a discussion about contraception, 1386 (70.8%) of subjects wanted to leave the clinic with a specific method, including a long-acting reversible method [intrauterine device or implant (190, 13.7%)] or other hormonal method [pills, patch, ring or injectable (680, 49.1%)]. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of women seeking first-trimester abortion do not come to the clinic wanting to discuss contraception, most commonly because they have a preferred method in mind. IMPLICATIONS: Providers should ask women presenting for abortion if they want to discuss contraception and not assume that they need or desire such information. Focused discussions, starting with the preferred method if known, may better satisfy women's preferences. Providers should account for such desires when allocating resources for contraception services during abortion care.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Hyperreactio luteinalis in a monochorionic twin pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia: A case report

  Case Reports in Women s Health · 2018-07-01 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access

  Hyperreactio luteinalis (HL) is a rare benign complication of pregnancy that is characterized by progressive ovarian enlargement and hyperandrogenism. We present a case of a 30-year-old woman with a spontaneous monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancy who presented with early-onset preeclampsia, concern about possible twin-twin transfusion syndrome, and bilateral enlarged ovarian masses. Both ovaries had multiple thin-walled unilocular cysts; one ovary measured 17.9 × 17.5 × 9.1 cm and the other 12.5 × 11 × 12.3 cm. After extensive counseling, the patient underwent an uncomplicated dilation and evacuation. Postoperative assessment indicated elevated androgen levels, which spontaneously resolved, supporting the clinical diagnosis of HL. It is important to consider HL in the differential diagnosis of adnexal masses in pregnancy. HL spontaneously regresses after delivery and is managed expectantly. HL has been associated with gestational trophoblastic disease, multiple gestations, preeclampsia, and twin-twin transfusion syndrome.

  PublisherDOI

• Papel atual das estratégias ventilatórias protetoras no período perioperatorio: artigo de revisão

  Revista de Medicina da UFC · 2018-03-28

  articleOpen access

  Os fármacos anestésicos utilizados para indução e manutenção de anestesia geral provocam alterações da dinâmica respiratória, fazendo-se necessário o uso de estratégias ventilatórias perioperatórias. A ventilação mecânica, apesar de ser uma terapia de suporte essencial, não é isenta de riscos. Dentre estes, podemos citar complicações pulmonares pós-operatórias (CPPs), que apresentam alta prevalência e potenciais implicações graves. Fatores cirúrgicos, anestésicos e do paciente contribuem para o desenvolvimento de CPPs. Essa revisão faz uma análise de artigos publicados recentemente na literatura sobre ventilação mecânica e suas consequências na morbimortalidade em pacientes cirúrgicos. Por várias décadas e até recentemente, o manejo ventilatório durante cirurgia esteve associado a altos volumes corrente (VC), ausência de pressão expiratória positiva (PEEP) e altas frações inspiradas de oxigênio (FiO2). Avanços crescentes na compreensão da fisiopatologia de lesão pulmonar induzida por ventilação mecânica, por meio de estudos experimentais, observacionais e randomizados, indicam a necessidade de se instituir estratégias ventilatórias protetoras perioperatórias. Estas estratégias incluem, de maneira geral, a utilização de baixos VC, uso de PEEP, manobras de recrutamento alveolar e baixa FiO2.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Long-Acting Reversible Contraception Initiation With a 2- to 3-Week Compared With a 6-Week Postpartum Visit

  Obstetrics and Gynecology · 2017-09-07 · 18 citations

  articleOpen access

  OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether a department policy changing the scheduling of the postpartum visit from 6 weeks to 2-3 weeks after delivery is associated with higher long-acting reversible contraception initiation at the postpartum visit. METHODS: We conducted a quasiexperimental before-after study to evaluate long-acting reversible contraception initiation, specifically an intrauterine device or contraceptive implant, at the postpartum visit between women scheduled for follow-up at 6 weeks (before policy change) and 2-3 weeks after delivery (after policy change). Secondary outcomes included postpartum visit completion, overall contraception initiation at the postpartum visit, overall contraceptive use at 6 months after delivery, and repeat pregnancies by 6 months postpartum. We obtained delivery and postpartum information using the electronic medical record and contacted participants 3 and 6 months after delivery to assess contraception use and repeat pregnancies. RESULTS: We enrolled 586 participants between December 2014 and November 2015, of whom 512 women (256 in each cohort) continued to meet eligibility criteria after delivery. Long-acting reversible contraception initiation rates at the postpartum visit were lower in the 2- to 3-week (16.5%, 95% CI 12.2-21.8) compared with the 6-week group (31.1%, 95% CI 25.2-37.7, P<.01), primarily as a result of patient and health care provider preferences for delaying intrauterine device insertion to a later visit. More women completed a scheduled 2- to 3-week postpartum visit (90.2%, 95% CI 86.0-93.3) compared with a 6-week visit (81.6%, 95% CI 76.4-85.9, P<.01). Deferral of any contraception initiation was higher in the 2- to 3-week group (27.3%, 95% CI 21.9-33.4) compared with the 6-week group (15.8%, 95% CI 11.5-21.4, P<.01), but there were no differences in overall contraceptive use patterns at 6 months postpartum. No intrauterine device perforations or expulsions were observed in women who underwent insertion at 2-3 weeks postpartum. Five pregnancies were reported in each cohort by 6 months after delivery. CONCLUSION: Scheduling a visit at 2-3 weeks after delivery was not associated with increased long-acting reversible contraception initiation at this visit despite higher postpartum visit attendance.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Melissa J. Chen

  University of California, Davis

  20 shared

• Melody Y. Hou

  University of California, Davis

  16 shared

• Mitchell D. Creinin

  University of California, Davis

  14 shared

• Anjali Pawar

  8 shared

• Melissa C. Matulich

  University of California, Davis

  7 shared

• Catherine Cansino

  University of California, Davis

  6 shared

• Courtney C. Baker

  The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

  6 shared

• Namrata Mastey

  Planned Parenthood

  6 shared

Labs

• Family Planning Gynecology Obstetrics and GynecologyPI

Education

• M.D., Medicine

  University of California, Davis

  2010

• Other, Computer Science

  University of California, Davis

  2005

• B.A., Biology

  University of California, Davis

  2003

Awards & honors

• Physicians for Reproductive Health Leadership Training Acade…
• Family Planning Resident Award, University of Hawaii, 2012
• Hope Scholarship, University of Georgia, 1998
• Alpha Upsilon Phi, Medical College of Georgia, 2008