Leah M. Schenk, MD

Dr. Schenk completed her Reproductive Endocrinologist and Infertility fellowship training and served as a faculty member at the prestigious Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine in Virginia before moving to Houston. With a patient friendly approach, she specializes in the treatment of infertility, in vitro fertilization (IVF), egg donation, ovulatory problems and reproductive developmental abnormalities.

Curriculim Vitae

Education and Training
Undergraduate
1982-1986
Bachelor of Science, University of Denver
B.S. Degree
Denver, Colorado

Graduate
1986-1990
The University of Iowa College of Medicine
M.D. Degree
Iowa City, Iowa
Postgraduate
1990-1994 Residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine
Akron City Hospital, Akron, Ohio

1994-1997
Fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
The Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine
Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia
Hospital Staff Memberships
Woman's Hospital of Texas - 1998-present
Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, Norfolk, Virginia, 1994-1998
Chesapeake General Hospital, Chesapeake, Virginia, 1997-1998
DePaul Medical Center, Norfolk, Virginia, 1997-1998
Certification and Licensure
State of Texas, 1998-present, #K6297
Board Certification in Obstetrics and Gynecology 2002
Academic Positions
Instructor, Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 1994-1997
Assistant Professor, Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 1997-1998
Honors and Awards
University of Denver Honors Program and Honors Scholarship - 1982-1986
Driscoll Biology Scholar, 1985
University of Denver - Magna cum laude with honors, 1986
Phi Beta Kappa, 1986
Institutional Research Grant, Akron City Hospital, Akron, Ohio, 1993
Membership in Professional Societies
American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology
American Society for Reproductive Medicine
European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology
Harris County Medical Society
Texas Medical Association
Research Experience
  1. Investigation of POMC processing in amphibian anterior and intermediate pituitary glands using pituitary microdissection techniques, gel filtration analysis, radioimmunoassay and HPLC techniques. 1984-1986.
  2. Segregation and tissue culture of endometrial stromal and epithelial cell populations in the investigation of proteolytic activity of endometrial tissues. 1994-1995.
  3. Principal Investigator for randomized clinical trial of intrauterine insemination vs. fallopian tube sperm perfusion in ovulation induction patients. 1994-1996.
  4. Study of toxicity of hydrosalpinx contents to mouse embryos using an embryotoxicity assay. 1995-1996.
  5. Study on the effect of duration of the pill-free interval on ovulation frequency and bleeding patterns. 1995.
  6. Investigation of endometrial markers of receptivity during the implantation window in women with both natural cycles and stimulated cycles. 1995 - present.
  7. Investigation of the local action of antiprogestins on the endometrium by intrauterine administration of RU-486 in the cynomalgous monkey. 1994-1995.
  8. Principal investigator for clinical study of heparin/aspirin treatment in the IVF population with antiphospholipid antibodies. 1995 - present.
  9. Participation in Antiphospholipid Antibody Wet Workshop. 1997.
  10. RT-PCR assays of single cells from human embryos for putative markers of implantation using total and mRNA isolation techniques, extensive RT-PCR and gel electrophoresis, cell culture, single cell isolation and storage techniques. 1995-1996.
  11. Developed quantitative RT-PCR assay for cyclin B1 detection and measurement in single cells from human embryos and JEG cultures, using above techniques as well as quantitative curves using radioactivity, DNA purification, and phosphoimaging. 1996 - present.
Publications
  1. Dores RM, Schenk LM, Meza JC. Developmental changes in the processing of ACTH in the anterior pituitary of the amphibian. Ambystoma Tigrinum. J of Exp Zool, Suppl. 4:154-6.
  2. Dores RM, Meza JC, Schenk LM, Carr JA, Norris DO. Detection of ACTH-related and alpha-MSH-related substances in the anterior pituitary of larval and adult ambystoma trigrinum (Class: Amphibia). Endocrinology 124:1007-16, 1989.
  3. Dores RM, Schenk LM, Rothenberg ME. Isolation of alpha-metanotropin from the pars intermedia of the larval amphibian. Ambystoma Trigrinum. General and Comparative Endocrinology 68:322-30, 1987.
Abstracts
  1. Sillem M, Coddington CC, Hodgen GD, Runnebaum B, Schenk LM, Goodman AL. A method to quantify the proteolytic activity of cultured endometrial cells. ESHRE 1995.
  2. Schenk LM, Ramey, JW, Throneberry EM, Mohyi D, Muasher SJ, Coddington CC, Ochninger SO, Toner JP. Fallopian tube sperm perfusion (FSP) vs. intrauterine insemination (IUI) in an unselected ovulation induction (OI) population. ASRM 1995.
  3. Mohyi D, Schenk LM, Queenon JT, Hanson K, Sillem M, Mahoney M, Coddington C. Sperm motion parameters did not appear to be affected by peritoneal fluid from endometriosis and control patients when used in the hemizona assay (HZA). ASRM 1995.
  4. Schenk LM, Ramey JW, Taylor SL, Swanson RJ, Morshedi MS, Muasher SJ. Embryotoxicity of hydrosalpinx fluid. SGI 1996.
  5. Schenk LM, Whitcomb RW, Hodgen GD, Anderson FD. A randomized study comparing the ovulation and bleeding patterns of 2 regimens of a low dose contraceptive (Loestrin 1/20). SGI 1996.
  6. Ramey JW, Hsiu J, Schenk LM, Ochninger S. Comparative immunohistochemical analysis of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and beta 3 integrin in endometrial tissue obtained following controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. SGI 1996.
  7. Ramey JW, Wilborn WH, Schenk LM, Anderson FD, Williams RF, Hodgen GD. Sustained release of mifepristone following the placement of a single intrauterine pill (IUP) in non-human primates. ASRM 1996.
  8. Schenk LM, Butler L, Morris JP, Cox B, Lecte J, Abuhamed A, Ochninger S, Toner JP, Muasher S. Heparin and aspiring treatment yield higher implantation rates in IVF patients with antiphospholipid antibody seropositivity compared to untreated seronegative patients. ASRM 1996.
  9. Schenk LM, Jones D, Muasher SJ. Poor pregnancy outcome in patients with tubal factor following Assisted Reproductive Technology possible detrimental of tubal content. ASRM 1996.
  10. Grunert GM, Wun WSA, Cheung SW, Dunn RC, Valdes CT, Schenk LM, et el: Fertile Sterile. Vol. 80, Suppl. 3, September 2003.
Book Chapters
  1. Schenk LM, Coddington CC. "The role of hysteroscopy in unexplained infertility." Infertility and Reproductive Medicine Clinics of North America 8:4; 587-601, 1997.
  2. Schenk LM, Coddington CC. "Laparoscopy and Hysteroscopy." Obstetrics & Gynecology Clinics of North America 26:1, 1-22, 1999.