Dr. James Zehnder Announces Retirement After Nearly 45 Years In Practice

LAFAYETTE, LA – The Lafayette medical community will lose a long-time and beloved physician in women’s health this year with the retirement of Dr. James Zehnder, affectionately known by his peers as simply “Z.”

One of the founding physicians of Women’s & Children’s Hospital and Fertility Answers, Dr. Zehnder has practiced obstetrics and gynecology in the Lafayette community since 1974. His retirement becomes effective at the end of 2018 after nearly 45 years in practice.

“I close my practice with sincere thanks to all of my patients,” said Dr. Zehnder. “It has been a privilege to deliver many of your children and grandchildren, many of whom became patients themselves.”

A native of Lake Charles, Dr. Zehnder graduated from LSU Medical School in New Orleans in 1967 and completed a general medicine internship the following year. He then served his country during the Vietnam War from 1968-1970 as a flight surgeon in the U.S. Air Force stationed in Oklahoma City. Following his Air Force service, Dr. Zehnder returned to Louisiana to complete a residency in Obstetrics & Gynecology at Charity Hospital in New Orleans along with a one-year fellowship in infertility at LSU Medical Center in New Orleans. In 1974, he decided Lafayette would be his home when he joined Hamilton Medical Group and later Acadiana Women’s Health Group.

In 1999, Dr. Zehnder and his long-time medical partner Dr. William Pelletier (now retired) joined with Dr. John Storment, a new reproductive endocrinologist in Lafayette, to create a full service gynecology and infertility practice, Fertility Answers. “Dr. Zehnder has been an incredible mentor to me, especially in my early days of practice,” says Dr. Storment. “His advice has led us to even greater success and his compassion for each of his thousands of patients is second to none. His remarkable clinical skills have likely impacted more physicians and patients than any other practicing gynecologist in the Acadiana area.”

Reminiscing on his long and prolific career as an obstetrician and gynecologist, Dr. Zehnder estimates that he has delivered upwards of 8,000 babies. His busiest single day was delivering a record 25 babies at then Charity Hospital in Lafayette. In his retirement, Dr. Zehnder is looking forward to spending more time with his wonderful wife Rosie of 50 years. He also plans to enjoy being with his two sons and their wives, his daughter and his six granddaughters, as well as hunting, fishing and traveling.

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