Women in Healthcare: Wendy Martinez, MD, FACOG, NCMP

In 1991, Wendy Martinez, MD, changed the face of healthcare in South Jersey when she founded The Women’s Group for OB/GYN, creating the first all-female gynecology and obstetrical practice in the area.

She was inspired to take the risk by patients who said they were more comfortable discussing reproductive issues with female doctors. “I realized there was this niche,” she says. “Patients sometimes feel like they can trust a female doctor because she has a more personal understanding of their issues. A male doctor may be just as good, but he doesn’t have firsthand experience.”

As much as she passionately enjoys caring for women in their childbearing years – and in fact is proud that she still delivers babies regularly in South Jersey – she is on a mission to educate women about their health and ever-changing bodies in the post-reproductive years.

“The change of life is something that no one wants to talk about – and if they do, it’s in whispers,” says Martinez. “But it’s something every woman will go through, so instead of pretending it’ll never happen, we should embrace this change and learn how to manage the symptoms.”

That’s especially important when it comes to menopause because so many symptoms aren’t immediately noticeable, she says, and the most common symptoms are often underestimated.

“75 percent of women will have hot flashes during menopause and peri-menopause, and they can be pretty nasty,” Dr. Martinez says. “It’s not just feeling warm – it can be really rough on women, and they can keep coming back sometimes for up to 10 years.”

“Menopause shouldn’t be a bad word,” she adds. “When you have a physician to guide you through it, you can manage your symptoms in ways that make the change much less scary.”

In fact, Dr. Martinez believes in menopause education so much that she has been a member of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) for more than 25 years and is one of only a handful of NAMS-certified menopause practitioners in New Jersey.

“Women need the right information to make informed choices concerning their health,” Dr. Martinez says. “This has been my lifelong passion.”

EDUCATION:

Dr. Martinez is a board-certified fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She received her doctorate in medicine with honors from Temple University School of Medicine and completed her residency at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, where she also served as chief resident.

IN HER WORDS:

I went into OB/GYN because I like the continuity of care for patients. I find it rewarding to establish a relationship with a patient and her family. My philosophy has always been to treat my patients as I would treat my own family.

SERVICES:

Specializing in minimally invasive surgery, laparoscopy, ablations, hysteroscopy and gynecological exams from adolescents thru post-menopause. The practice provides menopause and osteoporosis counseling as well as routine and high-risk obstetrics.

TESTIMONIAL: Great doctor! Lots of experience. Delivered my daughter and now sees her 20 years later. She is very direct and knowledgeable. Has a sense of humor too! –Jennifer G.