Dr. Candace Westgate, DO, MPH, FACOG

Expert Publications

• Complications of Robotic Gynecologic Surgery in the Severely Morbidly Obese.

Media Releases

Get to know Obstetrician-Gynecologist Dr. Candace Westgate, who serves patients in St. Helena, California.

A board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist, Dr. Westgate is the Chief of Staff at Adventist Health St. Helena. She is also the Founder and Medical director of the Adventist Health Early All-Around Detection (AHEAD) Program.

“Cancer risk assessment and preventative health is my personal mission and the core of my philosophy of practice. I believe in partnering with and empowering patients on their journey to find health, treating the whole patient and not just focusing on the disease process. As the Founder and Director of the AHEAD programs at Adventist Health, a population health cancer risk assessment and prevention program, I lead a multi-disciplinary team focused on the management of familial and hereditary cancer risk for patients and their families. I help my patients and their families stay ahead of Cancer while living younger longer!” 

Her scope of practice includes traditional gynecology care, surgical intervention, including major and minor gynecological procedures, with an emphasis on all procedures using minimally invasive techniques and vaginal natural transillumination surgery(vNOTES). She performs personalized  precision cancer risk assessment, genetic counseling and testing. 

Academically, Dr. Westgate graduated with her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from A.T. Still University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She then went on to perform her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Georgetown  university in Washington, D.C., serving as chief resident in her final year. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Public Health from Tulane University, where her focus was on program management and maternal and child health.

Subsequent to her training, she attained board certification in obstetrics and gynecology through the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG). Maintaining fellowship status, Dr. Westgate is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (FACOG). She has additional certifications in Advanced Laparoscopy, Menopausal Management, and Cancer Genetics, including ACOG’s Women’s Genomics Counseling Course and the City Of Hope Intensive Course in Hereditary Cancer Risk Assessment. 

Obstetrics and gynecology (OB-GYN) is the medical specialty that encompasses the two subspecialties of obstetrics (covering pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period) and gynecology (covering the health of the female reproductive system – vagina, uterus, ovaries, and breasts). Obstetricians and gynecologists are medical professionals who specialize in treating the uterus and associated anatomy.

Recommended Articles

• What Is Vaginitis: Get the Facts

  Vaginitis is the inflammation of the vagina, which usually develops from an infection. This infection may be due to bacteria, parasite, or yeast. It can also develop due to chemical or physical irritation in the vaginal area. Vaginitis does not necessarily have to be sexually transmitted, but it can...

• What Are Submucosal Leiomyomas?

  Submucosal leiomyomas are non-cancerous tumors occurring at the wall of the uterus. It’s common in women of childbearing age. Most women with fibroids might not experience any visible symptoms. For some women, the symptoms of submucosal fibroids could become so severe that they interfere with...

• Can a Woman's Menstrual Cycle Affect Her Voice?

  Contrary to popular belief, a woman’s voice does not change with the menstrual cycle, according to a new study. This study shows that the voice remains steady during the various hormonal changes associated with the menstrual cycle, and does not become very high or shrill during any part of the...

• How Does Your Baby Develop During the First Trimester?

  When a woman becomes pregnant, her periods stop. Pregnancy starts when the egg that has been released from the ovaries is fertilized by a sperm. It usually lasts about 40 weeks and is divided into three trimesters. The first, second and third months are considered the first trimester of pregnancy....

• Do I Need the HPV Vaccine?

  HPV stands for human papilloma virus, which can be sexually transmitted and affects more than 20 million people in the country. There are different types of the papilloma virus, which infects about 6 million people every year in the US. This virus causes cervical cancer in women, which is one of the...

• What is Amenorrhea: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

  Defined in very simple words, amenorrhea is the absence of a menstrual period in a woman during her reproductive age. Normal menstruation starts at the age of 12, but the range can vary. Amenorrhea may exist when a woman does not experience periods for three months in a row or her first period by...