Dr. Raffaella Votino is an experienced gynecologist-obstetrician, and proud mother of three. As such, she approaches each woman’s journey towards health and motherhood with empathy, dedication, and personalized care.
Her own professional journey began at the University of Naples Federico II, where she studied Medicine and Surgery.
Upon graduating, she moved to Brussels to specialize in Gynecology and Obstetrics at the highly acclaimed Catholic University of Louvain (UCLouvain). There, under the expert guidance of Prof. Jacques Donnez, she had the opportunity to focus on how to treat deep endometriosis surgically without compromising the patient’s fertility.
Dr. Votino spent the next three years at the Saint-Luc UCL University Hospital as an attending physician and head of the menopause department, gaining significant experience as a qualified OB-GYN.
Determined to expand her expertise into more challenging areas of womens health and well-being, she enrolled in the Paris Descartes University (now part of the Paris Cité University) to study Gynecologic Oncology and Senology, and followed up with a specialization in Pelvic Floor Surgery from the University of Versailles.
During her time there, she had the opportunity to conduct research on the impact of pre- surgery chemotherapy in breast cancer patients under Prof. Fabrice Lecuru and thoroughly study the pantaloon technique in laparoscopy based on findings from 250 cases of pelvic organ repair surgery under Prof. Arnaud Fauconnier.
As a surgeon, Dr. Votino sought every opportunity to specialize in modern, minimally invasive techniques that provide patients the most benefits with the least amount of pain and discomfort.
During her work in leading health institutions in Italy and abroad, she has performed hundreds of diagnostic or operative endoscopic surgeries—such as laparoscopies, laparotomies, hysteroscopies, and hysterectomies—to evaluate or treat cases ranging from the mildest to the most severe.
This path has led her to another specialization, as she decided to become an expert in the cutting-edge field of robotic surgery.
Already a trained expert in minimally invasive endoscopic surgery, Dr. Votino went on to gain deeper experience in operating the highly advanced Da Vinci robotic surgical systems to perform intricate gynecologic surgeries.
Eventually, she carried out hundreds of robotic surgeries for benign or malignant pathologies and other gynecological conditions, such as deep endometriosis. She also served as a robotic surgery trainer (passing on her know-how via Wetlab) and a supervising surgeon for trainees operating on benign findings.
Her experience as a surgeon specializing in robotic surgical methods has led to her current position as the head of robotic surgery at the Sant'Eugenio Hospital in Rome.
As a woman, mother, and obstetrician, Dr. Votino has always been interested in the rising issue of infertility, a difficult challenge for millions of women worldwide.
For several years now, she has been a member of the scientific team at Gyn Care, an IVF center with offices in Rome, Milan, Bari, Orbetello, and Athens, Greece. There, she contributes her diverse expertise to supporting women and couples in their fertility journey.
Meanwhile, she continues to expand her knowledge on women’s health, while keeping up with the latest scientific advancements in gynecologic medicine and contemporary surgical treatments.
1996-2001: Scientific high school diploma (Grade: 100/100), Scientific Lyceum “Enrico Fermi,” Montesarchio (BN), Italy.
2002-2008: Degree in Medicine and Surgery (Rating: 110/110 and Praise), University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
2008-2014: Specialization in Gynecology and Obstetrics, Catholic University of Louvain (UCLouvain), Brussels, Belgium. Recognition issued by the Italian Ministry of Health: DGPROF 0037628-P-12/07/2017.
2009: Qualification to practice medicine (Grade: 270/270), Naples, Italy.
2011-2012: Diploma in Gynecologic Oncology and Senology, Paris Descartes University (Paris Cité University), Paris, France. Thesis: “Identification of factors associated with complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer” (Prof. Fabrice Lecuru).
2014-2015: Diploma in Pelvic Floor Surgery, University of Versailles, Paris, France. Thesis: “Laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy with the pantaloon technique: a retrospective study of 250 patients” (Prof. Arnaud Fauconier).
2023: Certificate: Da Vinci Technology Training as a Consul Surgeon.
2024: Training: TR400 - Benign complex endometriosis in robotic surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
2025: Training: TR400 - Surgeon-Led Procedure Refinement training.
2014-2016: First Level Medical Director, Saint-Luc University Hospital (UCL), Brussels, Belgium.
2016-2017: First Level Medical Director, REA Maternity Hospital, Athens, Greece.
2017-2018: First Level Medical Director (fixed-term contract), UOC of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Misericordia Hospital, Grosseto, Italy.
2019-2020: First Level Medical Director (fixed-term contract), UOC of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Misericordia Hospital, Grosseto, Italy.
2020-2021: First Level Medical Director (indefinite-term contract), UOC of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Misericordia Hospital, Grosseto, Italy.
2021 - Present: First Level Medical Director (permanent contract), UOC of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Sant'Eugenio Hospital, Rome, Italy.
2014: Profile of vintafolide (EC 145) and its use in the treatment of platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. International Journal of Women's Health, March 2014.
2014: Hormone replacement therapy: its place in 2014. Louvain Medical, May 2014.
2014: Minimally invasive fetal autopsy using three-dimensional ultrasound: A feasibility study. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology, August 2014.
2014: First series of 18 pregnancies after ulipristal acetate treatment for uterine fibroids. Fertility and Sterility, November 2014.
2015: Does 2D and 3D ultrasound of the uterine cavity replace hysteroscopy?, Louvain Medical (Special Edition), November 2015.
2017: Efficacy of ovarian tissue cryopreservation for fertility preservation: Lessons learned from 545 cases. Human Reproduction, May 2017.
2018: Non-coding RNAs and endometrial cancer. Genes, March 2018.
2019: Assisted reproduction in congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Frontiers in Endocrinology, October 2019.
2019: The role of number of copies, structure, behavior, and copy number variation (CNV) of the Y chromosome in male infertility. Genes, December 2019.
2020: Emergency contraception: Are the rights to conscience and to reproductive freedom irreconciliable? La Clinica Terapeutica, May 2020.
2020: Y-RNA: an overview of their role as potential biomarkers and molecular targets in human cancer. Cancers, May 2020.
2025: Impact of the nonavalent human papillomavirus vaccine as adjuvant conization in women with high grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasm. A Rome Center experience: 18 months follow-up. International Journal of Gynecological Cancer, February 2025.
2025: Persistence of hypertension after pregnancy-related hypertensive disorders in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Fertility and Sterility, April 2025.
2008: New perspectives in Gynecology in 2008. UCL, Brussels, Belgium, December 2008 (auditor).
2009: Pelvic and breast Oncology: Prevention and new treatments. Brussels, Belgium, February 2009 (auditor).
2009: New surgical procedures in Gynecology. UCL, Brussels, Belgium, December 2009 (auditor).
2009: ISUOG Education 2009: Doppler in Obstetrics & Ultrasound and labour. London, UK, December 2009 (auditor).
2010: New technologies in endoscopy. From embryonic cell to menopause. UCL, Brussels, Belgium, December 2010 (auditor).
2011: New technologies in endoscopy. From embryonic cell to menopause. UCL Brussels, Belgium, November 2011 (auditor).
2012: Fertility preservation from endometriosis to ovarian tissue cryopreservation. Serono Symposium International, Brussels, Belgium, September 2012 (auditor).
2012: 2nd ONCO-GF Conference: Pelvic and breast gynecological oncology. Relapses at 3 years. Brussels, Belgium, November 2012 (rapporteur).
2013: 1st International IOTA Congress: How to classify and manage ovarian tumors. Leuven, Belgium, April 2013 (auditor).
2013: From multidisciplinarity to interdisciplinarity. UCL Brussels, Belgium, 2013 (listener).
2014: Assisted reproductive technology: from reality to fantasy. UCL, Brussels, Belgium, February 2014, (auditor).
2014: Preserving female fertility: from technique to ethics. Ovarian or oocyte cryopreservation. Brussels, Belgium, May 2014 (auditor).
2014: EMAS HRT Excellence Day. Berlin, Germany, June 2014, (auditor).
2014: Pelvic imaging in gynecology: Up-to-date. ABEFUM, Brussels, Belgium, October 2014 (auditor).
2014: 25th Congress of the French Society of Gynecologic Oncology. Toulouse, France, October 2014 (auditor).
2014: 1st Urogynecology Conference, GGOLFB. Brussels, Belgium, October 2014 (listener).
2014: Surgical strategies and fertility. Scientific evidence for decision support. UCL, Brussels, Belgium, November 2014, (listener).
2015: Endometriosis throughout the stages of life.GGOLFB, Liege, Belgium, May 2015 (auditor).
2015: 10th European Congress on menopause and andropause. Madrid, Spain, May 2015 (auditor).
2015: The endometrium in all its forms. UCL, Brussels, Belgium, November 2015 (speaker).
2015: New and alternative regimes for the hot flushes. Belgian Menopausal Society, Belgium, November 2015 (speaker).
2016: 10th Athens congress on women's health and disease: Preconception to menopause. Athens, Greece, September 2016 (speaker).
2016: The normal and pathological ovary: from reality to fantasy. UCL, Brussels, Belgium, November 2016 (speaker).
2017: MISGO Seminar: Benign disease. Athens, Greece, May 2017 (speaker).
2018: 18th World Congress of Gynecological Endocrinology. Florence, Italy, March 2018 (listener).
2024: Advances in Urogynecology: How to classify a patient with urogynecological disorders. Rome, Italy, June 2024 (speaker).
2025: Chronic pelvic pain, postpartum rehabilitation, incontinence, prolapse, innovative surgical solutions. Rome, Italy, April 2025 (scientific secretariat).
2025: 3 Key Points on Woman’s Care – 4th Edition. Rome, Italy, November 2025 (scientific secretariat).
For appointments, call my office every Thursday between 9.30 and 15.30.
