7 Quick Questions With Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist Lisa Zuckerwise, MD

March 16, 2026

white coat with text that reads "Get to Know Your Doctor in 7 Quick Questions"

UVA Health's Maternal-Fetal Medicine program provides high-risk pregnancy care for women and babies. As director, Lisa Zuckerwise, MD, manages conditions that can happen during pregnancy, like gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and early labor. She also manages health complications that may occur in the baby, like congenital kidney or heart concerns that might mean providing care before and after birth.

Get to know more about Zuckerwise and her clinical approach in these 7 quick questions.

1. What has most inspired and shaped your approach to patient care?

The experience of being a patient myself in pregnancy really gave me insight into what patients would benefit from and what they would value. It helped me to reflect on myself as a physician and enhance how I provide care.

Having family members in the medical system as patients also gives you a different perspective and provides so much information and education on how to be the best doctor I can be.

2. What's your favorite part of your job?

My favorite part of my job is my patients. It's taking them through moments of joy and excitement, as they successfully give birth to a child and grow their family. It's also sitting with them in the challenging times and knowing that although I can't always fix every problem, I can be with them. I can share that experience and work toward making it a meaningful one.

3. What’s your biggest fear as a patient?

My biggest fear is not being listened to. I think that it is important for medical providers and physicians to really listen to their patients, ask them questions, and make sure that we're understanding what they are seeking. As a patient, I always want to be heard. And as a physician, I always want to listen.

4. What do you do for stress relief?

I exercise. I love my Peloton, and I love to do yoga. I hike with my family, and I also really enjoy live music. And sleep — I make sure to get eight to nine hours of sleep every night. It's really important.

5. Dogs or cats?

Cats

6. Last movie you watched? Thumbs up or down?

The Strongest Man in the World, an old movie with a very young Kurt Russell. My six-year-old son, who is on the smaller side, wanted to watch a movie about a "science nerd" becoming the strongest person in the world. He thought that would be a really good movie to watch the day before my first day at a new job, so that we could all feel like anything was possible. Thumbs up.

7. Best advice you've ever heard?

Remember that we're all works in progress, and we will not show up our best selves every day. We will not be perfect, and we can't expect ourselves to be, but we can always look back and think about how we will do something better the next time.

And a statement that was really very meaningful for me starting in the COVID pandemic was, "This too shall pass," which is my motto that reminds me that we will always go through hard times and we'll get through them. But we also will have wonderful times, and they will be transient, so we have to appreciate and enjoy them.