Laura X. Zalles, M.D. 

Board Certified Board Certified

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Medical Genetics and Genomics Eligible
K Street Location K Street, DC
Rockville Location Rockville, MD
Patient Testimonial
Dr. Healy is amazing! She was there to help us through every step of our fertility journey. She checked in frequently and was always able to answer any questions we had. Her calm and supportive demeanor brought a sense of peace to my husband and I during these anxious times.

I have had a great experience with Dr. Shah and his team at Shady Grove Fertility in Spring. If you’re wanting to try IVF but you’re nervous, give SGF a shot because the process was much more manageable than I thought it would be, due to the experience and kindness of this team.

Choosing Dr. Shah and his team at SGF for our IVF journey is one of the best decisions my partner and I made. Dr. Shah possesses exceptional medical expertise, but also a remarkable level of empathy, which is such a rare combination to experience as a patient. 

Dr. Morris was thoughtful and caring! She checked in throughout the entire egg retrieval process and responded to all questions. As a person of color, I deliberately sought her to be the lead of this very delicate and important step in my life. She was an outstanding provider!

We could not be more thankful to have had Dr. Katler’s support during our IVF journey. He was extremely thoughtful and attentive to our medical and emotional needs. We are eternally grateful to have found such a great doctor. Highly recommend!

Dr. Quaas is the kindest, most caring doctor. The team is truly the best and they really care about the patients. It’s a new practice, but I truly believe Dr. Quaas and the team understand the research and have great success rates. My husband and I are so grateful!

Biography

Laura X. Zalles, M.D., is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) and board eligible in medical genetics and genomics. Dr. Zalles earned her medical degree from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine in Richmond, Virginia. From there, she completed her residency training in OB/GYN at Cooper University Health Care in Camden, New Jersey. Dr. Zalles then continued her training at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, New York to complete her fellowship in medical genetics and genomics.  

Recognized for her excellence in research, Dr. Zalles has contributed to numerous publications and presentations exploring topics such as donor eggs, genetic disorders, and fertility care for Black and Hispanic women.  

Dr. Zalles monitors SGF patients at the Rockville, Maryland, and K-Street, Washington, D.C., locations. She is also a part of the SGF research team. Inspired by her parents’ selfless and limitless love, she works with her patients to make parenthood possible.  

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Education

  • Residency: Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cooper University Health Care, Camden, New Jersey   
  • Fellowship: Medical Genetics and Genomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 
  • Academic Chief Resident 
  • Prize Abstract of Maternal Fetal Medicine Society of New JerseyCooper Obstetrics & Gynecology Department Resident Research Award 
  • Dr. Fred Mecklenburg Award in Obstetrics & Gynecology 
  • American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics 
  • American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists 
  • American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM)  
  • National Hispanic Medical Association 
  • Zalles L, Le K, Check JH, et al. The Impact of State Mandated Financial Coverage for Donor Egg In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Cycles on Choosing Fresh Eggs from Infertile Donor vs. Paid Donors vs. Frozen Egg Banks. Gynecol Reprod Health. 2022; 6(4): 1-5 
  • Zalles LX, Ryan LN, Fischer RL. Preterm prelabor rupture of membranes prior to 33 0/7 weeks: when should rescue corticosteroids be given?   J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2022;1-5. Published 2022 Jan 11. doi:10.1080/14767058.2022.2026917 
  • Reiss S, Zalles L, Gbekie C, Lozano R. Identity and Reproductive Aspects in Females with Fragile X Syndrome. Womens Health Rep (New Rochelle). 2021;2(1):500-506. Published 2021 Nov 2. doi:10.1089/whr.2021.0059 
  • Manipalviratn, S., Trivax, B., Huang, A., Rosen, A. M., & Zalles, L. (2019). Genetic Disorders & Sex Chromosome Abnormalities. In A. H. DeCherney, L. Nathan, N. Laufer, & A. S. Roman, Current Diagnosis and Treatment Obstetrics and Gynecology, (12th ed., LANGE CURRENT Series). McGraw-Hill Education. 

Q&A

I saw becoming a doctor as the perfect opportunity to merge my academic curiosity with my passion for learning people’s stories and making a positive impact on their lives. I am also the first doctor in my family and am committed to mentoring students with similar interests, as I was very fortunate to benefit from multiple giving mentors.

Towards the end of my medical school training, I spent two weeks in a Reproductive Endocrinology office. I witnessed firsthand how closely REI physicians work with their patients as a team, and how gratifying it is to help achieve the ultimate goal of building a family. After completing a fellowship in medical genetics, I appreciated how reproductive endocrinology intertwines with genetics by incorporating scientific advancements, while also promoting patient advocacy in day-to-day practice. 

I am very fortunate to be joining a team that makes a conscious effort to prioritize each patient and their individual journey. Every member of our team plays a significant role that is centered around providing the patient with the best possible experience. With this core value in mind, SGF also applies evidence based practices and contributes to growing medical knowledge to continue advancing the field.

I believe that to help a patient who is struggling, I first must stop and truly listen. I also feel that it is important to educate patients so that they feel empowered to ask questions and advocate for themselves. In doing so, we can formulate a plan as a team.

My parents left everyone and everything they knew in South America as young adults in the hope of providing more opportunities for their future children. They worked day and night to provide for me and my siblings. Parental love is selfless, limitless, and completely inspiring to me. 

I have been cliff diving in Greece and bungee jumping in Canada. I would love to go skydiving one day! 

While I won’t claim to be very good, I enjoy the feeling of accomplishment after a run or workout session. I was previously on a competitive Latin dance team and still enjoy dancing socially. As much as I love to explore new countries and hiking trails, I also appreciate a night in with my family, including our French Bulldog. 

2024 Shady Grove Fertility

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