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Affiliated Provider
Affiliated providers provide medical care at an NYU Langone location or a private practice, and are not employed by NYU Langone Health.

Lila Nachtigall, MD

Affiliated Provider
Affiliated providers provide medical care at an NYU Langone location or a private practice, and are not employed by NYU Langone Health.
  • Specialty: Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
  • Treats: Adults
  • Language: English
  • Phone: 212-263-6361
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As a reproductive endocrinologist at NYU Langone, I am dedicated to advancing women's health through both patient care and groundbreaking research. My passion lies in understanding and addressing the complexities of hormone therapy, estrogen, and menopause, ensuring that my patients receive the most informed and compassionate care possible.

I specialize in reproductive endocrinology and have extensive experience managing conditions related to hormone therapy and menopause. With more than 50 years in the field, I have authored over 500 peer-reviewed articles and three books, and I have lectured globally on women's health. My role as a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and as the director of the Interdisciplinary Menopause Study Group allows me to stay at the forefront of medical advances and integrate the latest research into my practice.

Throughout my career, I have focused on proactive healthcare engagement, emphasizing the importance of patient education. My work includes serving as past president of The Menopause Society and chairing the Joint Task Force on Women’s Issues at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. I also founded and currently serve as chairman of the board of directors for the Foundation for Women’s Wellness. These roles have enabled me to foster strong partnerships with my patients, ensuring a responsive and supportive healthcare experience.

My journey into medicine began at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, followed by an internship and residency at Bellevue Hospital Center, and a fellowship at NYU Langone. The inspiration to pursue a career in reproductive endocrinology stemmed from a desire to improve women's health outcomes through research and clinical practice. Receiving the Lifetime Achievement award from the Bellevue Obstetrical & Gynecological Society and the International Menopause Society in 2023 has been a testament to my lifelong dedication to this field. At NYU Langone, I am proud to be part of a team that provides coordinated and comprehensive care to our patients.


Conditions and Treatments

For Adults
Treatments
  • annual gyn screening

Positions
Education and Training
  • Residency, NYU Medical Center, Medicine (Internal), 1964
  • Fellowship, NYU Medical Center, Endocrinology, 1963
  • MD from New York Medical College, 1960

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Locations and Appointments

251 East 33rd Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10016

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Phone

212-263-6361

Fax

212-779-8432

Interests

estrogen replacement therapy

Research Summary

Over the past 20 years Lila E. Nachtigall, M.D. has been involved in three areas of investigation. These include: 1) evaluating whether estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) reduces the risk of coronary heart disease and other cardiovascular in women; 2) determining whether estrogen replacement alone or estrogen progesterone replacement reduces the incidence of osteoporosis-related fractures and hip fractures; and 3) whether ERT increases the risk of endometrial cancer and whether progestin and estrogen replacement therapies (PERT) increase breast cancer risk.

Studies in these specific areas have been ongoing at NYU Medical Center since 1967. Dr. Nachtigall conducted a comprehensive ten year prospective double blind placebo controlled study of estrogen replacement therapy and the relationship to carcinoma, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis in a sample of hospitalized women. From the 300 women recruited, 168 were followed as matched pairs. This study was the first to demonstrate the increased survival of patients on ERT, of lipid patterns as a significant risk factor, and of a reduction in breast cancer incidence in treated patients as compared to the controls. Moreover, a ten year follow-up with single photon densitometer measurements found continued increase in bone density in treated women who had their last menstrual period within three years or less, while those on placebo continued to lose bone. In addition, treated women who had their last menstrual period more than three years previously, kept their bone at a steady level, while their placebo controlled matched pairs continued to lose bone. Dr. Nachtigall subsequently conducted a 22 year follow-up on these studies, losing only five patients to follow-up or breast cancer.

Studies are continuing to address such issues as the efficacy of transdermal versus oral estrogen, the use of progesterone in prevention of endometrial cancer, the ability to decrease the side effects of progesterone therapy and on cardiovascular disease in older women, with and without hormones.

Academic Contact

Academic office

540-562 First Avenue

Tenth Floor

New York, NY 10016

Phone

212-263-6361

These focus areas and their associated publications are derived from PubMed and the MeSH term library. *
represents one publication
Skip timelineEstrogen Replacement TherapyMenopauseEstrogensPostmenopauseWomen's Health197220162009200119941986197919722024
*Due to PubMed processing times, the most recent publications may not be reflected in the timeline.

Read All Publications (129)