Providers
At the Pregnancy Specialty Center of Texas, our team of dedicated physicians offer a comprehensive array of maternal and fetal health care services across our medical facilities in Texas.
DR. NIMA GOHARKHAY, MD, PhD, FACOG
Dr. Nima Goharkhay is the Founder and President of the Pregnancy Specialty Center of Texas. He is board certified in Maternal Fetal Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG). He is a member of the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine (SMFM) and the Society for Reproductive Investigation (SRI) and a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Dr. Goharkhay holds a PhD in Cell Biology.
Prior to founding the Pregnancy Specialty Center of Texas, he was the Medical Director at Texas MFM and worked as a perinatologist with Maryland Perinatal Associates in the Washington DC area. He is a Voluntary Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Houston Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine, and was previously an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. Dr. Goharkhay was a Women’s Reproductive Health Scholar at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston between 2006-2009 where he was conducting research on the effects of the environment during pregnancy on long term health outcomes funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Dr. Goharkhay has a strong interest in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, diabetes in pregnancy, prenatal diagnosis, maternal complications in pregnancy and developmental programming of disease. He has participated in research studies sponsored by the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network of the NICHD and has had independent research support by the NIH and the National Perinatal Foundation, among others, and is the author of numerous peer reviewed articles. He was recognized for his research by the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine in 2007 and was Researcher of the Month at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston in December 2007.
Dr. Goharkhay works closely with the midwife and Natural Birth community in the Greater Houston Area and has been honored by the BIRTH Organization receiving their Physician Recognition Award in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2022.
Dr. Goharkhay completed his fellowship in Maternal Fetal Medicine and a Ph.D. in Cell Biology at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and his residency at the University of Miami in Miami, Florida. He earned his medical degree at the University of Vienna in Austria and was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He is fluent in Spanish, German and Persian.
Dr. Gene La Monica, MD, FACOG
Dr. Gene La Monica is board certified in Maternal Fetal Medicine and Obstetrics
and Gynecology by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG), a member of the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine (SMFM), and a fellow of the
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist (ACOG).
Before joining the Pregnancy Specialty Center of Texas, he was an Assistant
Professor at the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs where he was voted a “Top Doc in Maternal Fetal Medicine” by the Colorado Springs Style Magazine in 2014 and 2015.
He is a Voluntary Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Houston Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine. Subsequently, Dr. La Monica was recruited by the Government of Qatar to help start a world class Women’s Hospital in Doha (Qatar), which he completed successfully and remained for five years.
He obtained his medical degree from Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts and finished his Ob/Gyn residency and fellowship at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.
Dr. La Monica is fluent in Spanish and Italian.
Dr. Ziad Haidar, MD, FACOG
Dr. Haidar is a highly respected Maternal Fetal Medicine expert with extensive experience in this field in Southeast Texas. He has been managing some of the most complex obstetric maternal and fetal cases in our community for the past several years, including the supervision and successful delivery of a set of sextuplets in 2019 for which he had broad coverage in national media.
He is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Houston Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine with a long standing interest in education, research and clinical practice.
He has been recognized as top Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist by Houstonia Magazine. Dr. Haidar has also been recognized as one of the top international leaders in the field of MFM by the International Association of Ob/Gyn’s. He has received the Doctor’s Day Award in the past.
He completed his Ob/Gyn Residency at the West Virginia University, Charleston Division, and finished his fellowship in Maternal-Fetal Medicine at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston. He is fluent in French and Arabic and knows medical Spanish.
Alongside our physicians, our highly skilled staff includes nurse practitioners, highly skilled ultrasound technicians, and administrative support. We are committed to providing you with precise and attentive care throughout your pregnancy journey.
ELIZABETH OJENIYI, BSN, MSC, MSN, FNP-C
Elizabeth is a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner. She began her nursing career over 30 years ago and is an accomplished midwife. Over the years, she has worked in various areas of patient care and also worked as a nurse educator. Her interest has always been in women’s health. She is an active member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and American Diabetic Association.
Lizzy has an outstanding academic background, holding an Associate Degree in Midwifery, BSN, MSN, and interestingly, a Masters in Strategic Management. She enjoys traveling, spending time with her family, sewing, knitting, gardening and jewelry making.
LINDSEY AGUILLARD, MSN, APRN, FNP-C
Brenda is a board certified nurse midwife certified by The American Midwifery National Certification Board. She has worked as a CNM for 30 years plus in the field of obstetrics and gynecology in various settings including private practice and educational institutions.
She has a passion for teaching and held associate professorship positions at the following medical schools: Eastern Virginia Medical School, University of Alabama and University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). Over the course of her career, she has delivered hundreds of babies and provided compassionate care to women throughout their lifecycle. She is a graduate of Loma Linda University and Meharry Medical College. She enjoys travel, theater, classical music, playing piano and enjoying time with her family.
Brenda Hughes, BSN, CNM, APRN
Brenda is a board certified nurse midwife certified by The American Midwifery National Certification Board. She has worked as a CNM for 30 years plus in the field of obstetrics and gynecology in various settings including private practice and educational institutions.
She has a passion for teaching and held associate professorship positions at the following medical schools: Eastern Virginia Medical School, University of Alabama and University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). Over the course of her career, she has delivered hundreds of babies and provided compassionate care to women throughout their lifecycle. She is a graduate of Loma Linda University and Meharry Medical College. She enjoys travel, theater, classical music, playing piano and enjoying time with her family.
DR. LOLADE AGBOOLA, DNP, ARNP
Lolade is a board-certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner as well as a Health Educator. With over 8 years of experience in women’s health, she has served in various capacities to enrich and improve the lives of her patients. She completed her first bachelor’s degree in Health Education and Behavior at the University of Florida and her second bachelor’s degree in nursing at the University of South Florida. In 2021, she received her masters with honors from the University of South Alabama in Women’s Health Nursing.
In May 2024, she earned her Doctorate in Nursing Practice from the University of South Alabama, focusing on implementing a preeclampsia screening checklist in high-risk obstetric patients. In her free time, she enjoys playing pickleball, spending time with family and friends, traveling, and serving at her church.
Darnequea Johnson, msn, aprn, fnp-c
Darnequea is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner.
Her love for Women’s Health & Maternal-Fetal Medicine has grown throughout her 14-year nursing career, with over 11 years dedicated as a high-risk Labor & Delivery Nurse.
She completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Indiana State University in 2010 and her Master of Science in Nursing at UTHealth Houston-Cizik School of Nursing in 2022.
Her passion is caring for high-risk pregnant women and their families, while providing comprehensive, compassionate, & personalized care. She strives to ensure the well-being of both the mother and the baby throughout the course of pregnancy & beyond. It is her privilege to be a part of a talented team that is committed to making a positive impact on the lives of families in our community.
When Darnequea is not taking care of patients, she enjoys spending time with family, friends, & her Maltipoo fur baby, Genesis. She also enjoys live music, traveling, shopping, trying new recipes, volunteering, & serving in the church.
JENNIFER ROLLINS, MS, CGC
She was recently recognized as a Best in Texas Healthcare Provider for 2024. Jennifer was one of twelve finalists in 2021 for the national Heart of Genetic Counseling award. Jennifer brings her compassion and 30 years of experience in prenatal genetic counseling to the patients at Pregnancy Specialty Center of Texas. She is a graduate of Texas A&M University and the University of South Carolina. Jennifer helped found the Texas Society of Genetic Counselors, served as it’s President from 2005 to 2009, and continued her service to the organization as Past President from 2009-2011.
Jennifer has collaborated on numerous academic publications and served as a clinical research coordinator for prenatal screening and stillbirth research conducted through the National Institutes of Health. She is an active member of Girl Scouts who has served as both the troop and Community level for over a decade. Jennifer and her family live in Friendswood, Texas.
MARIA HERNANDEZ, MS, CGC
Maria is a native Houstonian who moved to Austin to pursue her Bachelors of Science in Neuroscience. She worked as a genetic counseling assistant at UT Southwestern for a year in Dallas before moving back to Houston to attend the University of Texas Genetic Counseling Program in 2022 and is excited about being a parental genetic counselor. She is passionate about increasing access to genetic counseling services to underrepresented communities, including counseling Spanish speaking patients in their native language.
We take pride in delivering advanced, attentive care throughout your journey. With innovative
services and compassionate support, our reproductive medicine services will be provided in a
nurturing environment for you and your family.
