Sara Simonsen

Sara Simonsen, PhD, CNM, MSPH, BSN

Academic Information

Departments Adjunct - Obstetrics & Gynecology , Adjunct - Family & Preventive Medicine

Divisions: General OB/GYN , Public Health

Board Certification

  • American College of Nurse Midwives

Research Statement

I have long been fascinated with women’s health, reproductive health, pregnancy, and birth. Risk factors and unhealthy behaviors among reproductive-age women directly impact more than one life. Preventing unintended pregnancy and helping all women be their healthiest, both before, during, and after pregnancy (and regardless of pregnancy) is key to addressing maternal child health disparities. Helping women with children to optimize their health also supports them in caring for their families while potentially influencing the health of their children. Thus, interventions targeting reproductive-age women have the potential for impact beyond the woman herself, with both short and long-term consequences for the woman and her family.

Selected Publications

Journal Article

  1. Simonsen SE, Baksh L, Stanford J (2012). Infertility treatment in a population-based sample: 2004-2005. Maternal and child health journal, 16(4), 877-86. (Read full article)
  2. Simonsen SE, Kepka D, Thompson J, Warner EL, Snyder M, Ries K (2014). Preventive health care among HIV positive women in a Utah HIV/AIDS clinic: a retrospective cohort study. BMC women's health, 14(1), 37. (Read full article)
  3. Mannix TR, Austin SD, Baayd JL, Simonsen S (2019). A Community Needs Assessment of Urban Utah American Indians and Alaska Natives. Journal of community health, 43, 1217-1227. (Read full article)
  4. Najmabadi S, Schliep KC, Simonsen S (2021). Cervical mucus patterns and the fertile window in women without known subfertility: a pooled analysis of three cohorts. 36(7), 1784-1795. (Read full article)
  5. Simonsen SE, Baksh L, Stanford J (2012). Infertility treatment in a population-based sample: 2004-2005. Maternal and child health journal, 16(4), 877-86. (Read full article)
  6. Gibson B, Simonsen S, Jensen JD, Yingling (2022). Mobile Virtual Reality Versus Mobile 360° Video to Promote Enrollment in the Diabetes Prevention Program Among Hispanic Adults: Pilot Study. JMIR diabetes, 7(1), e26013. (Read full article)
  7. Willis SK, Simonsen SE, Hemmert R (2021). Food Insecurity and the Risk of Obesity, Depression, and Self-Rated Health in Women. Women's health reports (New Rochelle, N.Y.), 1, 308-317. (Read full article)
  8. Kent-Marvick J, Simonsen (2021). Loneliness in pregnant and postpartum people and parents of children aged 5 years or younger: a scoping review protocol. Systematic reviews, 9, 213. (Read full article)
  9. Buder I, Zick C, Waitzman N, Simonsen S, Sunada G, Digre (2019). It Takes a Village Coach: Cost-Effectiveness of an Intervention to Improve Diet and Physical Activity Among Minority Women. Journal of physical activity & health, 15, 819-826. (Read full article)
  10. Hawkins ML, Buys SS, Gren LH, Simonsen SE, Kirchhoff AC, Hashibe (2017). Do cancer survivors develop healthier lifestyle behaviors than the cancer-free population in the PLCO study?. Journal of cancer survivorship, 11(2), 233-245. (Read full article)
  11. Simonsen SB, Chorkendorff I, Dahl S, Skoglundh M, Sehested J, Helveg (2010). Direct observations of oxygen-induced platinum nanoparticle ripening studied by in situ TEM. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 132, 7968-75. (Read full article)
  12. Thomas FS, Stanford JB, Sanders JN, Gurtcheff SE, Gibson M, Porucznik CA, Simonsen S (2016). Development and initial validation of a fertility experiences questionnaire. Reproductive health, 12, 62. (Read full article)
  13. Ahad (2019). Assessing the Likelihood of Having a Regular Health Care Provider among African American and African Immigrant Women. Ethnicity & disease,
  14. Najmabadi S, Schliep KC, Simonsen S (2021). Menstrual bleeding, cycle length, and follicular and luteal phase lengths in women without known subfertility: A pooled analysis of three cohorts. 34(3), 318-327. (Read full article)
  15. Rizk AH, Simonsen SE, Roberts L, Taylor-Swanson L, Lemoine JB, Smid (2020). Maternity Care for Pregnant Women with Opioid Use Disorder: A Review. 64(5), 532-544. (Read full article)
  16. Simonsen SE, Kepka D, Thompson J, Warner EL, Snyder M, Ries K (2014). Preventive health care among HIV positive women in a Utah HIV/AIDS clinic: a retrospective cohort study. BMC women's health, 14(1), 37. (Read full article)
  17. Litchman M (2019). What Women With Disabilities Write in Personal Blogs About Pregnancy and Early Motherhood: Qualitative Analysis of Blogs.
  18. Simonsen SE, Kepka D, Thompson J, Warner EL, Snyder M, Ries K (2014). Preventive health care among HIV positive women in a Utah HIV/AIDS clinic: a retrospective cohort study. BMC women's health, 14(1), 37. (Read full article)
  19. Zick CD, Buder I, Waitzman NJ, Simonsen S, Digre (2019). The nexus between health and time use among racially and ethnically diverse women. 24(2), 147-167. (Read full article)
  20. Parsons BG, Gren LH, Simonsen SE, Harding G, Grossman D, Wu Y (2019). Opportunities for Skin Cancer Prevention Education among Individuals Attending a Community Skin Cancer Screening in a High-Risk Catchment Area. Journal of community health, 43(2), 212-219. (Read full article)
  21. Gawron LM, Simonsen S, Millar M (2021). Pregnancy Risk Screening and Counseling for Women Veterans: Piloting the One Key Question in the Veterans Healthcare Administration. Southern medical journal, 114(3), 150-155. (Read full article)
  22. Hemmert R, Schliep KC, Willis S, Peterson CM, Louis GB, Allen-Brady K, Simonsen SE, Stanford JB, Byun J, Smith K (2019). Modifiable life style factors and risk for incident endometriosis. 33(1), 19-25. (Read full article)
  23. Stanford JB, Simonsen SE, Baksh (2018). Fertility treatments and adverse perinatal outcomes in a population-based sampling of births in Florida, Maryland, and Utah: a cross-sectional study. 123(5), 718-29. (Read full article)
  24. Simonsen SE, Baksh L, Stanford J (2012). Infertility treatment in a population-based sample: 2004-2005. Maternal and child health journal, 16(4), 877-86. (Read full article)
  25. Simonsen SE, Ralls B, Guymon A, Garrett T, Eisenman P, Villalta J, Tavake-Pasi OF, Mukundente V, Davis FA, Digre K, Hayes S, Alexander S (2018). Addressing Health Disparities from Within the Community: Community-Based Participatory Research and Community Health Worker Policy Initiatives Using a Gender-Based Approach. 27 Suppl 1, S46-S53. (Read full article)
  26. Tobin SY, Cornier MA, White M (2021). The effects of acute exercise on appetite and energy intake in men and women. 241, 113562. (Read full article)
  27. Gibson B, Simonsen S, Barton (2021). Motivation and Problem Solving Versus Mobile 360° Videos to Promote Enrollment in the National Diabetes Prevention Program's Lifestyle Change Program Among People With Prediabetes: Protocol for a Randomized Trial. JMIR research protocols, 10(6), e28884. (Read full article)
  28. Najmabadi S, Schliep KC, Simonsen SE, Porucznik CA, Egger MJ, Stanford J (2020). Menstrual bleeding, cycle length, and follicular and luteal phase lengths in women without known subfertility: A pooled analysis of three cohorts. 34(3), 318-327. (Read full article)
  29. Baayd J, Simonsen S (2021). Identifying barriers to accessing skilled maternal health care in rural Morocco. African journal of reproductive health, 25(1), 20-28. (Read full article)
  30. Charron E, Tahsin F, Balto (2022). Provider Perspectives of Barriers to Contraceptive Access and Use among Women with Substance Use Disorders. 32, 165-172. (Read full article)
  31. Thomas FS, Stanford JB, Sanders JN, Gurtcheff SE, Gibson M, Porucznik CA, Simonsen S (2015). Development and initial validation of a fertility experiences questionnaire. Reproductive health, 12, 62. (Read full article)

Other

  1. Tobin SY, Cornier MA, White M (2022). Corrigendum to "The effects of acute exercise on appetite and energy intake in Men and Women". 113774. (Read full article)
  2. Tobin SY, Cornier MA, White M (2022). Corrigendum to "The effects of acute exercise on appetite and energy intake in Men and Women". 113774. (Read full article)
  3. Boltz MW, Sanders JN, Simonsen SE, Stanford J (2017). Fertility Treatment, Use of in Vitro Fertilization, and Time to Live Birth Based on Initial Provider Type. Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 30(2), 230-238. (Read full article)
  4. Turok DK, Jacobson JC, Dermish AI, Simonsen SE, Gurtcheff S, McFadden M, Murphy P (2014). Emergency contraception with a copper IUD or oral levonorgestrel: an observational study of 1-year pregnancy rates. Contraception, 89(3), 222-8. (Read full article)
  5. Turok DK, Jacobson JC, Dermish AI, Simonsen SE, Gurtcheff S, McFadden M, Murphy P (2014). Emergency contraception with a copper IUD or oral levonorgestrel: an observational study of 1-year pregnancy rates. Contraception, 89(3), 222-8. (Read full article)
  6. Turok DK, Jacobson JC, Dermish AI, Simonsen SE, Gurtcheff S, McFadden M, Murphy P (2014). Emergency contraception with a copper IUD or oral levonorgestrel: an observational study of 1-year pregnancy rates. Contraception, 89(3), 222-8. (Read full article)
  7. Tobin SY, Cornier MA, White M (2022). Corrigendum to "The effects of acute exercise on appetite and energy intake in Men and Women". 113774. (Read full article)