Jennifer Kerns, MD, MS, MPH
Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences
Director of Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinical Research, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital
Dr. Kerns is a clinical researcher with a focus on patient decision-making in complicated pregnancies.
Areas of interest:
- Abortion for fetal anomalies and pregnancy complications
- Abortion safety
Education:
- University of California, San Francisco, Medical Doctorate and Fellowship in Family Planning
- University of California, Berkeley, Master's of Science and Master's in Public Health
- Columbia University, Residency Training
In the news:
- What is a life-saving abortion? States argue post-Roe | Popular Science
- Abortion foes downplay complex post-Roe v. Wade realities | AP
- Dobbs ruling scrambles abortion training | Washington Post
- Abortion restrictions could cause an ob-gyn brain drain | Scientific American
- In post-Roe US, abortion providers seek licenses across state lines | Reuters
- The consequences of losing Roe v. Wade | It's Been a Minute
- Abortion providers expected that Roe v. Wade could be overturned. But the leaked draft made it real | The 19th
- What doctors want you to know about abortion right now | HuffPost
- 'Fetal heartbeat' isn't a clinical term—but it's still used in laws on abortion | NPR
- Fact check: Texas abortion law doesn't give full 6 weeks to get an abortion | CNN
- What is a 'fetal heartbeat'? As Louisiana passes latest anti-abortion law, doctors say term is a misnomer | Newsweek
- 'Heartbeat' bills get the science of fetal heartbeats all wrong | WIRED
- Embryos don't have hearts | The Cut
- Transgender patients face challenges in health care | San Francisco Chronicle
- Transgender men who become pregnant face social, health challenges | NPR
- Study: Yes, trans men can get pregnant despite testosterone, dysphoria | The Advocate
Publications:
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Society of Family Planning Clinical Recommendation: Management of hemorrhage at the time of abortion. Contraception. 2023 Sep 20; 110292. Kerns JL, Brown K, Nippita S, Steinauer J. PMID: 37739302.View in: PubMed Mentions:
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Levonorgestrel 52-mg Intrauterine Device Efficacy and Safety After More Than 8 Years of Use. Obstet Gynecol. 2023 05 01; 141(5):1004-1006. Chen BA, Kimble T, Harris LH, Kerns JL, Olariu AI, Creinin MD. PMID: 37023451.
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Contraceptive care in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic: A social media survey of contraceptive access, telehealth use and telehealth quality. Contraception. 2023 Jul; 123:110000. Merz-Herrala AA, Kerns JL, Logan R, Gutierrez S, Marshall C, Diamond-Smith N. PMID: 36871620; PMCID: PMC9985539.
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Quality of prenatal and postpartum telehealth visits during COVID-19 and preferences for future care. AJOG Glob Rep. 2023 Feb; 3(1):100139. Marshall C, Gutierrez S, Hecht H, Logan R, Kerns J, Diamond-Smith N. PMID: 36465317; PMCID: PMC9699818.
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Traveling to California from out of state to receive abortion services at a hospital-based clinic: A qualitative study of people's experiences. Sex Reprod Healthc. 2022 Dec; 34:100784. McNamara B, Joudeh L, Corbetta-Rastelli C, Orlando M, Kerns JL. PMID: 36219955.
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Agency in Contraceptive Decision-Making in Patient Care: a Psychometric Measure. J Gen Intern Med. 2023 05; 38(6):1366-1374. Harper CC, Rao L, Muñoz I, Stern L, Kerns JL, Parra M, Chambers BD, Rocca CH. PMID: 36070169; PMCID: PMC10160288.
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Continuation rates of two different-sized copper intrauterine devices among nulliparous women: Interim 12-month results of a single-blind, randomised, multicentre trial. EClinicalMedicine. 2022 Sep; 51:101554. Hubacher D, Schreiber CA, Turok DK, Jensen JT, Creinin MD, Nanda K, White KO, Dayananda I, Teal SB, Chen PL, Chen BA, Goldberg AB, Kerns JL, Dart C, Nelson AL, Thomas MA, Archer DF, Brown JE, Castaño PM, Burke AE, Kaneshiro B, Blithe DL. PMID: 35865736; PMCID: PMC9294241.View in: PubMed Mentions:
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Abortion Stigma and Its Relationship with Grief, Post-traumatic Stress, and Mental Health-Related Quality of Life After Abortion for Fetal Anomalies. Womens Health Rep (New Rochelle). 2022; 3(1):385-394. Kerns J, Cheeks M, Cassidy A, Pearlson G, Mengesha B. PMID: 35415714; PMCID: PMC8994429.
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Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccination Likelihood Among Reproductive-Aged Women in the United States. Public Health Rep. 2022 May-Jun; 137(3):588-596. Gutierrez S, Logan R, Marshall C, Kerns J, Diamond-Smith N. PMID: 35238243; PMCID: PMC9109534.
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COVID-19's impact on contraception experiences: Exacerbation of structural inequities in women's health. Contraception. 2021 12; 104(6):600-605. Diamond-Smith N, Logan R, Marshall C, Corbetta-Rastelli C, Gutierrez S, Adler A, Kerns J. PMID: 34461136; PMCID: PMC8570759.
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Miscarriage Treatment-Related Morbidities and Adverse Events in Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgery Centers, and Office-Based Settings. J Patient Saf. 2020 12; 16(4):e317-e323. Roberts SCM, Beam N, Liu G, Upadhyay UD, Leslie DL, Ba D, Kerns JL. PMID: 30516583; PMCID: PMC7678655.
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A randomized controlled trial of methylergonovine prophylaxis after dilation and evacuation abortion. Contraception. 2021 02; 103(2):116-120. Kerns JL, Pearlson G, Mengesha B, Harter K, Jackson RA, Drey EA. PMID: 33075332.
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Society of Family Planning clinical recommendations: Contraceptive counseling for transgender and gender diverse people who were female sex assigned at birth. Contraception. 2020 08; 102(2):70-82. Bonnington A, Dianat S, Kerns J, Hastings J, Hawkins M, De Haan G, Obedin-Maliver J. PMID: 32304766.
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"A Résumé for the Baby": Biosocial Precarity and Care of Substance-Using, Pregnant Women in San Francisco. Cult Med Psychiatry. 2020 Mar; 44(1):35-55. Premkumar A, Kerns J, Huchko MJ. PMID: 31055757.
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Second-trimester abortion attitudes and practices among maternal-fetal medicine and family planning subspecialists. BMC Womens Health. 2020 02 03; 20(1):20. Kerns JL, Turk JK, Corbetta-Rastelli CM, Rosenstein MG, Caughey AB, Steinauer JE. PMID: 32013926; PMCID: PMC6998287.
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Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation and Hemorrhage After Dilation and Evacuation Abortion for Fetal Death. Obstet Gynecol. 2019 10; 134(4):708-713. Kerns JL, Ti A, Aksel S, Lederle L, Sokoloff A, Steinauer J. PMID: 31503145.
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How does Fetal Autopsy after Pregnancy Loss or Termination for Anomalies and other Complications Change Recurrence Risk? AJP Rep. 2019 Jan; 9(1):e30-e35. Cassidy A, Herrick C, Norton ME, Ursell PC, Vargas J, Kerns JL. PMID: 30783547; PMCID: PMC6379179.
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Association of Facility Type With Procedural-Related Morbidities and Adverse Events Among Patients Undergoing Induced Abortions. JAMA. 2018 06 26; 319(24):2497-2506. Roberts SCM, Upadhyay UD, Liu G, Kerns JL, Ba D, Beam N, Leslie DL. PMID: 29946727; PMCID: PMC6583042.
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Decision satisfaction among women choosing a method of pregnancy termination in the setting of fetal anomalies and other pregnancy complications: A qualitative study. Patient Educ Couns. 2018 10; 101(10):1859-1864. Kerns JL, Light A, Dalton V, McNamara B, Steinauer J, Kuppermann M. PMID: 29980336.
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Effects of Legislation Regulating Abortion in Arizona. Womens Health Issues. 2018 Jul - Aug; 28(4):297-300. Williams SG, Roberts S, Kerns JL. PMID: 29631976.
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A qualitative study of digoxin injection before dilation and evacuation. Contraception. 2018 06; 97(6):515-519. McNamara B, Russo J, Chaiken S, Jacobson J, Kerns J. PMID: 29477630.
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Effect of counseling quality on anxiety, grief, and coping after second-trimester abortion for pregnancy complications. Contraception. 2018 06; 97(6):520-523. Kerns JL, Mengesha B, McNamara BC, Cassidy A, Pearlson G, Kuppermann M. PMID: 29477632.
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Estimated versus measured blood loss during dilation and evacuation: an observational study. Contraception. 2018 05; 97(5):451-455. Serapio ET, Pearlson GA, Drey EA, Kerns JL. PMID: 29410259.
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The Experience of Genetic Counselors Working with Patients Facing the Decision of Pregnancy Termination after 24 Weeks Gestation. J Genet Couns. 2018 06; 27(3):626-634. Graziani RNA, Nemzer L, Kerns J. PMID: 28956221.
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Distance Traveled for an Abortion and Source of Care After Abortion. Obstet Gynecol. 2017 Sep; 130(3):616-624. Upadhyay UD, Johns NE, Meckstroth KR, Kerns JL. PMID: 28816736.
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Correlation of Prenatal Diagnosis and Pathology Findings Following Dilation and Evacuation for Fetal Anomalies. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2017 Feb; 141(2):267-273. Boecking CA, Drey EA, Kerns JL, Finkbeiner WE. PMID: 27763778.
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Medication Errors Despite Using Electronic Health Records: The Value of a Clinical Pharmacist Service in Reducing Discharge-Related Medication Errors. Qual Manag Health Care. 2016 Jan-Mar; 25(1):32-7. Alex S, Adenew AB, Arundel C, Maron DD, Kerns JC. PMID: 26783865.
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Obesity as a Risk Factor for Complications After Second-Trimester Abortion by Dilation and Evacuation. Obstet Gynecol. 2015 Sep; 126(3):585-592. Lederle L, Steinauer JE, Montgomery A, Aksel S, Drey EA, Kerns JL. PMID: 26244536; PMCID: PMC4545380.
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Induction of fetal demise before pregnancy termination: practices of family planning providers. Contraception. 2015 Sep; 92(3):241-5. Denny CC, Baron MB, Lederle L, Drey EA, Kerns JL. PMID: 25998938; PMCID: PMC4540638.
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Thiamin deficiency in people with obesity. Adv Nutr. 2015 Mar; 6(2):147-53. Kerns JC, Arundel C, Chawla LS. PMID: 25770253; PMCID: PMC4352173.
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Grief after second-trimester termination for fetal anomaly: a qualitative study. Contraception. 2015 Mar; 91(3):234-9. Maguire M, Light A, Kuppermann M, Dalton VK, Steinauer JE, Kerns JL. PMID: 25499590; PMCID: PMC4406975.
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Reproductive and gynecologic health after uterine artery embolization for postabortion hemorrhage. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2015 Apr; 129(1):85-6. Rowen TS, Steinauer J, Drey EA, Light A, Conrad M, Kerns JL. PMID: 25497049.
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Transgender men who experienced pregnancy after female-to-male gender transitioning. Obstet Gynecol. 2014 Dec; 124(6):1120-1127. Light AD, Obedin-Maliver J, Sevelius JM, Kerns JL. PMID: 25415163.
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Dilation and evacuation training in maternal-fetal medicine fellowships. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2014 Jun; 210(6):569.e1-5. Rosenstein MG, Turk JK, Caughey AB, Steinauer JE, Kerns JL. PMID: 24495668; PMCID: PMC4207263.
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Barriers to D&E practice among family planning subspecialists. Contraception. 2013 Oct; 88(4):561-7. Turk JK, Steinauer JE, Landy U, Kerns JL. PMID: 23746751.
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Maternal-fetal medicine subspecialists' provision of second-trimester termination services. Am J Perinatol. 2012 Oct; 29(9):709-16. Kerns JL, Steinauer JE, Rosenstein MG, Turk JK, Caughey AB, D'Alton M. PMID: 22639351.
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Women's decision making regarding choice of second trimester termination method for pregnancy complications. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2012 Mar; 116(3):244-8. Kerns J, Vanjani R, Freedman L, Meckstroth K, Drey EA, Steinauer J. PMID: 22169044.
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Managing chlamydia infections in young men: results from an audit of a public men's clinic in New York City. Int J STD AIDS. 2011 Oct; 22(10):581-4. Jones HE, Pressman EJ, Bell DL, Kerns JL, Lykes ST, Garth J, Westhoff CL. PMID: 21998179.
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Implementation of expedited partner therapy among women with chlamydia infection at an urban family planning clinic. Sex Transm Dis. 2011 Aug; 38(8):722-6. Kerns JL, Jones HE, Pressman EJ, Fratarelli LA, Garth J, Westhoff CL. PMID: 21844724.
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Characteristics of women who undergo second-trimester abortion in the setting of a fetal anomaly. Contraception. 2012 Jan; 85(1):63-8. Kerns JL, Swanson M, Pena S, Wu D, Shaffer BL, Tran SH, Steinauer JE. PMID: 22067803.
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Vaginal ring contraception. Contraception. 2011 Feb; 83(2):107-15. Kerns J, Darney P. PMID: 21237335.
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Oral contraceptives: side effects and depression in adolescent girls. Contraception. 2007 Apr; 75(4):299-304. O'Connell K, Davis AR, Kerns J. PMID: 17362710.
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Partner influence on early discontinuation of the pill in a predominantly Hispanic population. Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2003 Nov-Dec; 35(6):256-60. Kerns J, Westhoff C, Morroni C, Murphy PA. PMID: 14744657.
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Bleeding patterns after immediate vs. conventional oral contraceptive initiation: a randomized, controlled trial. Fertil Steril. 2003 Feb; 79(2):322-9. Westhoff C, Morroni C, Kerns J, Murphy PA. PMID: 12568841.
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Quick start: novel oral contraceptive initiation method. Contraception. 2002 Sep; 66(3):141-5. Westhoff C, Kerns J, Morroni C, Cushman LF, Tiezzi L, Murphy PA. PMID: 12384200.