Complex Family Planning Services

On this Page:

Our Services | Contraception Options | Appointment Information | Our Team | Research and Active Studies

Johns Hopkins Medicine's Complex Family Planning services are based at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, with additional services also provided at Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center. Complex Family Planning subspecialists are board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology, and have acquired extensive training and knowledge in Complex Family Planning.

As experts in modern contraceptive methods and abortion procedures, our physicians are able to provide consultations for medically complex patients and their providers. We are committed to providing high-quality, comprehensive, personalized care. We believe every person should have access to a wide range of contraception options and an individualized consultation to help them choose the best option for them based on their preferences and any medical conditions. We take pride in providing pregnant people with non-judgmental, compassionate options, counseling and abortion care, and in caring for patients with a range of medical and surgical complexities.

Our Services

We offer a full range of complex family planning services, including:

  • Abortion (medical and surgical)
  • Analgesic and anesthesia options for all procedures (i.e. oral or IV sedation)
  • Contraception for people with complex medical problems
  • Contraceptive implants, including difficult insertions and removals
  • Emergency contraception

  • Hormonal and non-hormonal contraceptive methods
  • Intra-uterine devices (IUDs), including difficult insertions and removals
  • Management of early pregnancy loss/miscarriage (medical and surgical)
  • Pregnancy options counseling
  • Tubal sterilization

Appointment Information 

Patient Late Arrival/No Show

Late Arrival:

Patients are to arrive in the Complex Family Planning clinic at their scheduled appointment time. A grace period of 15 minutes only will be permitted for unforeseen delays a patient may encounter while traveling to the clinic location for their appointment.

  • If the patient arrives more than 15 minutes late for their appointment, the patient will be given the option of becoming a “waitlisted” patient (i.e. the patient will only be seen if a patient scheduled at a later time arrives late or does not show for their appointment) or rescheduling their appointment, if permitted by the rescheduling policy.
  • This process will ensure that patients that do arrive on time for their appointments are seen in a timely manner.

No Show/Cancellation:

A “No Show” is a patient who does not come for their scheduled appointment without providing 24-hour cancellation notice. A rescheduled appointment that is less than the 24-hour cancellation notice is considered a no-show/cancellation and counts toward the total number of appointments a patient is permitted to schedule. 

  • Patients requiring the general operating room for their procedure (as determined by the medical intake with the nurse*) – Given the limited availability of the general operating room for procedures, patients who “No Show” for or “Cancel” their appointments will only be allowed to reschedule as a “waitlisted” patient. In this case, the patient will be rescheduled only if there is a cancellation or there is availability related to the schedule not being filled by a newly scheduled patient by the Monday before the preop appointment.
  • Patients scheduled in the procedure room for their procedure (as determined by the medical intake with the nurse*) – Patients are allowed to schedule up to 3 times for an appointment. All patients that have 3 “No Show” or “Canceled” appointments will no longer be permitted to schedule appointments and will only be offered a “waitlisted” appointment. In this case, the patient will be rescheduled only if there is a cancellation or there is availability related to the schedule not being filled by a newly scheduled patient by the Monday before the preop appointment.

*All patients are required to complete a mandatory medical intake with the nurse.

  • If the patient fails to return the nurse’s medical intake call by the Thursday before their scheduled appointment (assuming the appointment was made before Thursday), their appointment may be canceled.

Contraception Options

Dr. Jenny Robinson discusses the various types of contraceptives available to people who may not be able to use traditional birth control methods.

Who We Serve

Our physicians offer safe and confidential care to people from Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia, Delaware and Pennsylvania. We also welcome patients beyond this region.

Research

As part of an academic medical center, our specialists have ongoing involvement in the latest family planning research and technology.

If you are interested in learning more about our research, or to find out if you are eligible to participate in any of our current studies, please call 410-550-8506 or e-mail [email protected].

Our Team

  • Anne Elizabeth Burke, M.D., M.P.H.

    • Director, Family Planning Division
    • Director, Fellowship in Family Planning
    • Associate Professor of Gynecology and Obstetrics

    Expertise: Contraception, Family Planning, Gynecology, Gynecology and Obstetrics, Obstetrics

  • Jill Edwardson, M.D., M.P.H.

    • Director, Kenneth J. Ryan Residency Program in Abortion and Family Planning
    • Associate Program Director, GYN/OB Residency
    • Associate Director, Fellowship in Family Planning
    • Assistant Professor of Gynecology and Obstetrics

    Expertise: Contraception, Family Planning, Gynecology, Gynecology and Obstetrics, Obstetrics

  • Jennifer Acton Robinson, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H.

    • Assistant Professor of Gynecology and Obstetrics
    • Assistant Professor of Medicine

    Expertise: Contraception, Family Planning, Gynecology and Obstetrics, Obstetrics, Sterilization/Tubal Ligation

  • Carolyn Beth Sufrin, M.D., Ph.D., A.M.

    • Associate Professor of Gynecology and Obstetrics

    Expertise: Family Planning, Gynecology and Obstetrics, Obstetrics, Pregnancy and Childbirth, Women's Reproductive Health