San Diego Health

Finding out a pregnancy is high-risk can understandably bring a mix of emotions. But a highly skilled perinatology team can ensure that high-risk moms-to-be receive the very best care and have the healthiest pregnancy possible. In this episode of San Diego Health, host Susan Taylor and Sean Daneshmand, MD, medical director of the department of maternal-fetal health at Scripps Clinic, and Scripps prenatal genetic counselor Caitlin Grandfield, discuss what constitutes a high-risk pregnancy and how physicians care for high-risk moms-to-be. Dr. Daneshmand also explains what prospective parents can do to lower their risk even before getting pregnant.

In this podcast, San Diego Health host Susan Taylor speaks with Dr. David Hermel of Scripps Cancer Center about immunotherapy, a groundbreaking approach to fighting cancer. Unlike traditional treatments like chemotherapy, which affect both healthy and cancerous cells, immunotherapy precisely targets cancer cells by modifying the immune system. Immunotherapy is particularly effective for cancers like melanoma and may be combined with chemotherapy or radiation. Side effects are generally mild, resembling cold-like symptoms. At Scripps Cancer Center, multidisciplinary teams personalize treatments for optimal results.

An estimated one in eight men will develop prostate cancer at some point in their lives. For the roughly 300,000 men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year, early detection and treatment can help ensure to a successful outcome. And as prostate cancer often has no symptoms in its early stages, regular screenings are key to early diagnosis. In this episode of San Diego Health, host Susan Taylor and Scripps Clinic urologist Ramsey Chichakli, MD, discuss prostate cancer, how it’s diagnosed, and treatment options. Dr. Chichakli also explains how surgery for prostate cancer has advanced over the years to become more precise and less invasive.

Choosing a pediatrician for your new bundle of joy is one of the most important decisions you can make for your child—one you’ll make even before you give birth. Your pediatrician is a critical partner in your baby’s health and will likely care for them from birth through their teenage years. But how do you pick the one who’s right for your family? In this episode of San Diego Health, host Susan Taylor and Scripps pediatrician Dania Lindenberg, MD, discuss what to consider in your search for a pediatrician. Dr. Lindenberg also outlines some specific questions parents-to-be should ask in a meet and greet with a potential pediatrician.

Heart failure is a life-threatening condition that affects more than five million people in the U.S. each year. However, the “failure” part can be a little misleading. It doesn’t mean that the heart has ceased to function; it means that, while the heart is still pumping, it can no longer effectively pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. In this episode of San Diego Health, host Susan Taylor and Rola Khedraki, MD, a heart failure and transplant cardiologist at Scripps Clinic, discuss the causes of heart failure, its symptoms, treatment options, and who’s at risk. Dr. Khedraki also outlines what people can do now to help prevent heart failure in the future.