Biography
Cara Ninivaggio received a BS in Biology and graduates Summa Cum Laude from Boston College in 2003. She took a year off in between her undergraduate studies and medical school. She then received her MD degree from SUNY Stony Brook in 2008 followed by a 4-year residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology from the same institution. She then entered her subspecialty training completing a fellowship in Minimally Invasive Gynecology from 2012 to 2013 also at SUNY Stony Brook. From there, Dr. Ninivaggio worked as a locum tenens doctor while applying to fellowship in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (FPMRS, or urogynecology). She then completed a 3 year fellowship in FMPRS at the University of New Mexico UNM) in 2017. Since completing training, she has worked as an assistant staff member at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation from 2017 to 2018 before returning “home” to UNM.
Personal Statement
Dr. Cara Ninivaggio is a board-certified Obstetrician/Gynecologist and board eligible in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. She is also a Fellow of the American Committee of Obstetricians & Gyecologists (FACOG). She holds the position of Assistant Professor at the University of New Mexico (UNM). She is also the Associate Program Director for the FPMRS Fellowship and is the departmental Quality and Safety Officer. She is involved in national organizations, including the American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS) and the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons (SGS) working on various interest groups and serving as a grant reviewer. Her research interests include surgical outcomes for pelvic floor disorders and investigation and implementation of quality improvement measures, both departmental and hospital wide. In her spare time, she loves spending time with her family, exploring the breweries of New Mexico, exercising, reading, and participating in local trivia contests.
Areas of Specialty
Specialization#1: Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery
Certifications
Certification#1: American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Board Certified
Certification#2: American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, Board Eligible
Certification#3: Fellow of the American Congress of Obstetricians & Gynecologists
Achievements & Awards
Fellow Teaching Award, University of New Mexico 2017
Research Award for Oral Presentation at the University of New Mexico Research Symposium 2017
Teaching award for Outstanding Contributions to the University of New Mexico in the 2015-2017
Education & Training of Medical Students
FPMRS Fellows Hands-on Robotic Sacrocolpopexy Course 2016
Residents as Educators conference at the University of New Mexico 2015
AAGL Special Resident in Minimally Invasive Gynecology 2012
Arnold P. Gold Humanism Honor Society 2008
Bachelor of Science in Biology, Summa Cum Laude 2003
Golden Key National Honor Society 2001
Dean’s List First Honors 2000-2003
National Society of Collegiate Scholars 2000
Key Publications
Abstracts
Ninivaggio, Cara, Submitted Comparison of 30-day complication rates between myomectomy and hysterectomy for the treatment of urterine fibroids in women older than age 40. American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists (AAGL) 47th Global Congress on MIGS, , Journal Article Komesu, Yuko, Petersen, Timothy, R. Krantz, Tessa, Ninivaggio, Cara, Jeppson, Peter, Meriwether, Kate, Dunivan-resigned May 2022, Gena, 2021 Adverse Childhood Experiences in Women With Overactive Bladder or Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome FEMALE PELVIC MEDICINE AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY, vol. 27, Issue 1, E208-E214
Journal Article
Sheyn, David, Bretschnieder, C., Emi Mahajan, Sangeeta, T. El-Nashar, Sherif, Billow, Megan, Ninivaggio, Cara, 2019 Comparison of 30-day Complication Rates between Laparoscopic Myomectomy and Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy for the Treatment of Uterine Leiomyoma in Women Older Than Age 40 JOURNAL OF MINIMALLY INVASIVE GYNECOLOGY, vol. 26, Issue 6, 1076-1082
Journal Article
Ninivaggio, Cara, Riese, Heather, Dunivan-resigned May 2022, Gena, Jeppson, Peter, Komesu, Yuko, Murata, Allison, Murata, Glen, Rogers, Rebecca, G. Cichowski, Sara, B. 2018 One and the Same? Nocturnal Enuresis and Overactive Bladder in the Female Veteran Population: Evaluation of a Large National Database FEMALE PELVIC MEDICINE AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY, vol. 24, Issue 4, 307-311
Journal Article
Ninivaggio, Cara, Rogers, Rebecca, G. Leeman, Lawrence, Migliaccio, Laura, Teaf, Dusty, Qualls, Clifford, 2017 Sexual function changes during pregnancy INTERNATIONAL UROGYNECOLOGY JOURNAL, vol. 28, Issue 6, 923-929
Gender
Female
Languages
- English
Courses Taught
Oral
1. Rockefeller NF, Komesu YM, Jeppson PC, Ninivaggio CS, Sussman A, Dunivan GC. Preferences for preoperative education: a qualitative study of the patient perspective. AUGS/IUGA 39th annual scientific meeting, Nashville TN, September 2019
2. Krantz T, Rogers RG, Peterson TR, Madsen AM, Dunivan GC, Jeppson PC, Ninivaggio CS, Cichowski SB, White AB, Komesu YM. Peer-centered versus physician-centered video counseling for midurethral sling surgery: a randomized controlled trial. AUGS/IUGA 39th annual scientific meeting, Nashville TN, September 2019
3. Krantz T, Peterson TR, Dunivan GC, Jeppson PC, Ninivaggio CS, Komesu YM. Relationship between childhood adversity and lower urinary tract abnormalities in women. AUGS/IUGA 39th annual scientific meeting, Nashville TN, September 2019
4. Woodburn KL, Casas-Puig V, Tran MC, Ninivaggio CS, Ferrando CA. Compliance with pelvic floor physical therapy in patients diagnosed with high tone pelvic floor disorders. Scientific Salon 143 at American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS) 38th annual scientific meeting, Chicago, IL, October 2018
5. Ninivaggio, C, Komesu YM, Jeppson PC, Cichowski SB, Qualls C, Qaedan F, Rogers RG, Dunivan GC. Perineorrhaphy outcomes related to body imagery (POETRY) trial. Society for Gynecologic Surgeons (SGS) 44th annual scientific meeting, Orland, FL, March 2018
Research and Scholarship
Peer-Reviewed Publications:
1. Serna-Gallegos T, Ninivaggio CS. A lasting impression: telemedicine in urogynecology during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2020 Sep 2: PMID: 32889970
2. Rockefeller NF, Ninivaggio CS. Treating POP and SUI with pessaries. Contemporary Ob/Gyn. 2020 March 10;65(3): 8-12.
3. Ninivaggio CS, Komesu, YM, Jeppson, PC, Cichowski SB, Rogers RG, Dunivan GD Perineorrhaphy
Outcomes Related to Body Imagery (POETRY): A Randomized Trial of Body Image Perception. Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg. 2020 Jan 25. (Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 32205557.
4. Krantz TE, Rogers RG, Petersen TR, Dunivan GC, White AB, Madsen AM, Jeppson PC, Ninivaggio CS, Cichowski SB, Komesu YM. Peer-centered versus standard physician-centered video counseling for midurethral sling surgery: a randomized controlled trial. Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg. 2019 Oct 8. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 31596774.
5. Woodburn KL, Tran MC, Casas-Puig V, Ninivaggio CS, Ferrando CA. Compliance with pelvic floor physical therapy in patients diagnosed with high-tone pelvic floor disorders. Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg. 2019 Apr 30. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 31045618.