By Jenn Lonzer, Vitals contributor 

Nisha Patel almost brushed it off.

Patel and her husband had already traveled a long road to parenthood. After struggling to conceive and undergoing multiple rounds of IVF, their first successful embryo transfer led to the birth of their son at Sutter’s CPMC in 2023.

In early 2025, during a gynecologic examination as Patel was preparing for another pregnancy, Dr. Iram Zubair, of Sutter West Bay Medical Group, noticed concerning lesions.

“You need to schedule a biopsy on your way out,” Patel remembers Dr. Zubair telling her.

Patel, herself a Sutter West Bay Medical Group physician, wasn’t particularly worried. “I really wanted to brush it off,” she said. “I was just like, ‘What is she talking about? I’m fine.’”

A Friday afternoon phone call

Dr. Zubair performed a biopsy shortly afterward, but Patel still wasn’t expecting anything serious.

Then, around 4 p.m. on a Friday, her phone rang. Patel was at a wedding when Dr. Zubair called.

“Have you seen your biopsy results?” Patel remembers her asking in a very concerned tone.

She hadn’t.

The biopsy had revealed a high-grade precancerous gynecologic lesion that could progress to cancer if left untreated.

Finding Something No One Was Looking For

Patel was referred to gynecologic oncology and underwent surgery to remove the lesions. So far, she says, things are looking good.

But she can’t stop thinking about how differently things might have unfolded.

“Had Dr. Zubair not been so thorough, I think this would have been found much later,” Patel said. “I feel so lucky that she caught it.”

For Dr. Zubair, the experience underscores the importance of looking beyond the immediate reason a patient comes in.

“I cannot emphasize enough the importance of a thorough and complete exam instead of just looking at the one reason the patient presents to the clinic,” Dr. Zubair said. “Diagnosis and treatment of this condition are so important to ensure that it does not progress to cancer.”

Trying Again

After surgery, Patel had another question for her physicians: Could she safely try to have another child?

She was cleared to move forward.

The following fall, Patel underwent another embryo transfer. It worked.

She returned to Dr. Zubair for her prenatal care, and for much of the pregnancy, things went well. But toward the end, Patel noticed her normally active baby wasn’t moving the way she expected.

Non-stress tests led to repeated trips to triage and, eventually, a three-day hospital stay for monitoring.

As a physician, Patel understood what her care team was looking for. But when her baby’s heart rate dropped during one significant deceleration, she felt more like a worried mother than a doctor.

“I just wanted my kid to be okay,” she remembered thinking.

At nearly 37 weeks, continued monitoring led her care team to recommend delivery. Patel said she trusted their judgment, felt included in the decisions and appreciated the reassurance that delivering a little early was the right choice for her baby.

“She’s okay. And she’s right there.”

Patel’s daughter was delivered by Cesarean section at Sutter’s CPMC Van Ness Campus hospital. As Patel lay on the operating table, Dr. Zubair and Dr. Izumi Cabrera, lowered the curtain so she could see her baby as soon as she was born.

“I can’t describe how amazing that was,” Patel said. “She’s okay. And she’s right there.”

For Dr. Zubair, being part of Patel’s care across so many different chapters was a reminder of what she values most about practicing obstetrics and gynecology.

“I feel very lucky to be a generalist, where I can take care of a patient’s entire reproductive health—from diagnosing a precancerous condition to caring for her high-risk pregnancy to bringing her beautiful, healthy daughter into this world,” Dr. Zubair said. “That feeling remains unmatched.”

Today, Patel and her husband are adjusting to the ordinary chaos of life with two young children — something that carries particular meaning after everything they’ve been through.

“We’re just so grateful to be parents,” Patel said. “There was a scenario that this couldn’t have been the reality for us.”