Dr. Ron Clisham | The Fertility Institute of New Orleans | Baton Rouge & Mandeville, LA

P. Ronald Clisham, M.D., HCLD

 
 

Why I’m here for you

“I'm a good listener. I make myself available to patients. I like to take on the challenge of a difficult problem, a patient, who may not have received appropriate care due to financial, language or institutional barriers. My colleagues and I at the Fertility Institute share similar values. That’s why we do what we do.”
 
 

Specialties

  • Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
  • Female and Male Infertility Treatments (including ovulation induction, IUI and IVF)
  • Minimally invasive laparoscopic and hysteroscopic surgery

Teaching the REIs of tomorrow

  • John Rock Professor of Reproductive Physiology in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tulane University School of Medicine Chief, Section of Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, Tulane University School of Medicine

Fertility training

  • Education: M.D., Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans
  • Residency: OB-GYN, Louisiana State University School of Medicine
  • Fellowships: Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, University of California, Los Angeles Andrology (Male Infertility), University of California, Davis, Lalor Fellowship (Reproductive Immunology), University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine
 

About Dr. Ron Clisham

Dr. Clisham chose to work in the field of reproductive endocrinology in the second year of his OB-GYN residency. During that year, a cousin contacted him for advice concerning her fertility problem. While looking for solutions to help her, he discovered the newly and rapidly evolving field of reproductive endocrinology and infertility. In the process of helping a family member, he found his future calling.

Dr. Clisham’s interests include minimally invasive surgery, osteoporosis, menopause and infertility. Dr. Clisham has been distinguished on several occasions as one of “New Orleans Top Doctors” and has also received the “Top Reproductive Endocrinologist” in the United States designation by U.S. News & World Report.

Before joining The Fertility Institute of New Orleans, Dr. Clisham co-founded Audubon Fertility & Reproductive Medicine and served as medical and laboratory director until joining the Fertility Institute in 2016.

Approach to treatment

Dr. Clisham has been a life-long educator of patients, resident physicians and medical students. As a teacher, he enjoys the challenge of making complex concepts simple and understandable. By making himself available to patients, he hopes to convey his concern about their situation in an empathetic way.

How he measures success

“Running into former patients at a shopping mall or a Pelicans game with their family in tow.”

On a personal note

sperm graphic design by Dr. Clisham

Dr. Clisham enjoys using photography and video editing as a teaching tool and hobby. He is currently enrolled in the Tulane University School for Professional Advancement in Graphic Design.

photo of headphones

Dr. Clisham took piano lessons as a child and now enjoys music and playing keyboards.

He grew up in a military family and lived in three foreign countries and 10 states in the U.S.

Awards, boards, publications & abstracts

    Awards

    • Pellerin Foundation Student Research Grant Recipient
    • The American Society of Andrology Student Merit Award for Outstanding Oral Presentation. “The Physiology of Cryopreserved Sperm in the Human Cervix”
    • Lalor Fellowship in Reproductive Biology, “The Modulation of Sperm Physiology in the Female Reproductive Tract by Class II Histocompatibility Molecules”
    • Owl Club Award for Outstanding Faculty Teaching, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1992
    • Owl Club Award for Outstanding Faculty Teaching, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1993
    • Owl Club Award for Honor Roll for Faculty Teaching, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1996
    • American Society for Reproductive Medicine Service Milestone Award, 2018

    Current Society Memberships

    • Fellow, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
    • American Society for Reproductive Medicine
    • American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
    • American Society for Andrology
    • American Association of Bioanalysis
    • International Society for Clinical Densitometry
    • New Orleans OB/GYN Society
    • European Society for Human Reproduction
    • College of Reproductive Biology (AAB)
    • North American Menopause Society

    Editorial/Advisory Board

    • Journal of Experimental & Clinical Assisted Reproduction
    • State of Louisiana Legislative Committees
      Senate: Select Committee – Women’s Ovarian Health Task Force (2007)

    Peer-Reviewed Publications

    1. Overstreet JW, Clisham PR, Boyers SP: Sperm Transport and Unexplained Infertility. In Unexplained Infertility: Basic and Clinical Aspects. G Spera and Gnessi eds. Serono Symposia Publications. 62:19-30, 1990.
    2. Clisham PR, DeZiegler D, Lozano K, Judd HL: Comparison of sequential versus continuous estrogen and progestin replacement therapy. Obstet Gynecol 77:241 1991.
    3. Scofield VL, Clisham PR, Raghupathy RR. Sperm as activating cofactors in HIV sexual transmission. Archives of AIDS Research. 5(1-2):11-20, 1991.
    4. Scofield VL, Clisham PR, Yang YZ, et al: Binding of Sperm to Somatic Cells via HLA-DR: Modulation by Sulfated Carbohydrates. J Immunol. 148: 1718, 1992.
    5. Clisham PR. Cedars MI. Greendale G. Fu YS. Gambone J. Judd HL. Long-term transdermal estradiol therapy: effects on endometrial histology and bleeding patterns. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 79(2):196-201, 1992 Feb.
    6. Drobnis EZ, Clisham PR, Brazil L, Wisner W, Zhong CQ, Overstreet JW: Detection of altered acrosomal physiology of cryopreserved human spermatozoa after sperm residence in the female reproductive tract. J. Reprod. Fert. 1993.
    7. Archer DF, Clisham PR, Ensrud K, Kleerekoper M, Nunley WC. Osteoporosis: Assessment, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention. Contemporary OB/GYN. Vol. 23, No. 2 (supplement). 1998.
    8. Warner CM, Clisham PR, Brenner C: Soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) A Predictor of IVF outcome? Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics. Vol. 21 (9): 315-316, Sept. 2004.
    9. Gass MS. Rebar RW. Cuffie-Jackson C. Cedars MI. Lobo RA. Shoupe D. Judd HL. Buyalos RP. Clisham PR. A short study in the treatment of hot flashes with buccal administration of 17-beta estradiol. Maturitas. 49(2):140-7, 2004 Oct 15.
    10. Ngoc Minh, P Ronald Clisham, Rima Slim etal. The genetics of recurrent hydatidiform moles: new insights and lessons from a comprehensive analysis of 113 patients. Mod Pathol. 2018 Jul;31(7):1116-1130. doi: 10.1038/s41379-018-0031-9. Epub 2018 Feb 20

    Book Chapters

    1. Richard-Davis G, and Clisham PR. “Everything an Andrologist should know about Female Reproduction,” in Textbook of Andrology: Relevant Issues in Infertility and Sexual Dysfunction. Springer Verlag. 1996.

    Abstracts

    1. Clisham PR, Braymer JD, Riddle GD: Utilization of histidine as a nitrogen source in – Neurospora crassa. Presented at the Federation Meetings. Atlanta, GA, 1978.
    2. Clisham PR, Midgett R: Metabolism of 25-OH cholecalciferol in richetic chicks. Presented at the Student Research Forum. Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans, LA 1979.
    3. Clisham PR, DeZiegler D, Lozano K, Judd HL: Comparison of sequential versus continuous estrogen and progestin replacement therapy. Presented at the Society for Gynecology Investigation, Scientific Program. Atlanta, GA, 1987.
    4. Clisham PR, Judd HL, Fu Y, et al: Bleeding patterns and endometrial histology with long-term transdermal estradiol therapy. Presented at the 44th Annual Meeting of the American Fertility Society. Atlanta, GA, 1988
    5. Clisham PR, Drobnis EZ, Morales PM et al: Physiology of cryopreserved sperm in the human cervix. Presented at the American Society of Andrology, Scientific Program. New Orleans, LA, 1989.
    6. Clisham PR, Hanson FW, Happ RL, et al: Retrograde sperm migration and prolonged sperm survival in cervical mucous (CM) and common sequelae of intrauterine insemination (IUI). Presented at the Society for Gynecologic Investigation, Scientific Program. San Diego CA, 1989.
    7. Clisham PR, Kennedy C, Overstreet JW: Comparison of Papanicolaou versus peroxidase staining for quantization of polymorphonuclear granulocytes in semen. Presented at the Pacific Coast Fertility Society, Scientific Program. Palm Springs, CA, 1989.
    8. Bell M, Sikka SC, Rajasekaran M, Clisham PR, Hellstrom WJG: The effect of hydrogen peroxide-induced membrane lipid peroxidation on human sperm mobility and viability. Presented at the American Fertility Society, Scientific Program. New Orleans, LA, 1992.
    9. Clisham PR, Lettelier R, Pastorek J, Faro S: Pathogen frequency in postcesarean section endometriosis: concordance with pathogen-specific serum lgG. Presented at ACOG District VII Meeting. Kansas City, KS, 1994.
    10. Sikka SC, Hurman LG, Baratta NA, Clisham PR, Hellstrom WJG, Domingue GJ: Bacteria and Infertility. Presented at the 29th Annual Meeting of The Society for the Study of Reproduction. July 1996.
    11. Clisham R, Leonard S, Fabacher A, Smith B: Heel ultrasound reference data for African American women. Submitted to Annual Meeting for the Society for Gynecological Investigations. Atlanta, GA, March 1999.
    12. Sikka S, Hellstrom W, Clisham R, Dash S: Can Antibiotic Therapy Improve Sperm Fertilization Capacity in a Patient Diagnosed with Immunologic Infertility? American Society of Andrology, Phoenix, AZ, March 2003.
    13. Lyndsey Buckner, Sheila Greene, Mercedes Ficarra, Luis Marrero, Maria E. Lewis, David H. Martin, Ronald Clisham, and Alison J. Quayle. The development of an in vitro polarized primary human endocervical epithelial cell model suggests there are differences in Chlamydia trachomatis growth compared to non-polarized cells. Chlamydia Basic Research Society 2007 Biennial Meeting, March23-26 2007, Louisville, Kentucky