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Valerie A. French, MD MAS FACOG

Valerie French portrait
Associate Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology

Professional Background

Dr. French has dedicated her career to improving family planning access for women in the Midwest. She attended medical school at the University of Missouri, Columbia and completed an obstetrics and gynecology residency at the University of Nebraska. Dr. French then completed a family planning fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco, where she earned a masters in advanced science to gain additional research training.

Dr. French is interested in integrating quality contraceptive counseling into the care of women with complex medical conditions. She enjoys teaching medical students and residents, particularly with hands-on workshops. She has expanded family planning care at the University of Kansas, including office management of miscarriage and dedicated complex contraception services. Her proudest accomplishment professionally has been the implementation of formal, nationally recognized family planning training at the University of Kansas. As a native Midwesterner, she is delighted to serve the women of the Kansas City area and truly feels at home in the heart of the Midwest.

Education and Training
  • BA, Chemistry and French, dual degree, University of Missouri, Kansas City, Kansas City, MO
  • Residency, Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
  • Clinical Fellowship, Family Planning, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Licensure, Accreditations & Certifications
  • Kansas State Board of Healing Arts
Professional Affiliations
  • Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Member, 2019 - Present
  • American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, ACOG Patient Education Review Panel, Chair, 2018 - 2021
  • American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Fellow, 2016 - Present
  • American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, ACOG Patient Education Review Panel, Member, 2016 - 2018
  • Society of Family Planning, Member, 2013 - Present
  • American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Vice Chair, 2012 - 2013
  • American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Chair, 2011 - 2012

Current Research and Grants
  • Hippo Signaling Effector and Placentation, NIH
Publications
  • French, V., A, Werner, J., L, Feng EJH, Latimer, R., A, Wolff, S., F, Wieneke, C., L. 2021. Provision of Onsite Childcare in US Academic Health Centers: What Factors Make a Difference?. Women's health issues : official publication of the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health
  • Saha, B, Ganguly, A, Home, P, Bhattacharya, B, Ray, S, Ghosh, A, Rumi MAK, Marsh, C, French, V., A, Gunewardena, S, Paul, S. 2020. TEAD4 ensures postimplantation development by promoting trophoblast self-renewal: An implication in early human pregnancy loss.. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 117 (30), 17864-17875
  • Bhattacharya, B, Home, P, Ganguly, A, Ray, S, Ghosh, A, Islam, M., R, French, V, Marsh, C, Gunewardena, S, Okae, H, Arima, T, Paul, S. 2020. Atypical protein kinase C iota (PKCλ/ι) ensures mammalian development by establishing the maternal-fetal exchange interface.. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 117 (25), 14280-14291
  • French, Valerie, Perrucci, Alissa. 2019. Counseling in abortion care
  • Satterwhite, C., L, French, V, Allison, M, Honderick, T, Ramaswamy, M. 2019. Access to contraception in local health departments, four Midwest states, 2017-2018.. Contraception, 99 (6), 363-367
  • French, Valerie, Mattingly, Tateum, Rangel, Ariana, Shelton, Annie. 2019. Availability of ulipristal acetate: a secret shopper survey of pharmacies in a metropolitan area on emergency contraception. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association
  • French, V., A, Rangel, A., V, Mattingly, T., L. 2018. Access to emergency contraception in Kansas City clinics.. Contraception, 98 (6), 482-485
  • Homaifar, N, Freedman, L, French, V. 2017. "She's on her own": a thematic analysis of clinicians' comments on abortion referral.. Contraception, 95 (5), 470-476
  • French, V, Anthony, R, Souder, C, Geistkemper, C, Drey, E, Steinauer, J. 2016. Influence of clinician referral on Nebraska women's decision-to-abortion time.. Contraception, 93 (3), 236-43
  • French, V., A, Davis, J., S, Sayles, H., S, Wu, S., S. 2013. Contraception and fertility awareness among women with solid organ transplants.. Obstetrics and gynecology, 122 (4), 809-14