Sarah C Graves, MD

Advanced care for high-risk pregnancies, grounded in research and patient partnership

Sarah Cassity Graves, M.D., is a member of the maternal fetal medicine team whose clinical and research work centers on caring for patients with high-risk pregnancies and complex medical conditions. She partners closely with patients and their care teams to provide thoughtful, coordinated care during some of pregnancy’s most medically complex moments.

Graves is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology and completed fellowship training in maternal-fetal medicine at Cleveland Clinic. She previously completed her obstetrics and gynecology residency at VCU Health, a return that holds deep personal and professional significance.

“VCU Health is a special place for me,” she says. “There is an unspoken drive among every team member I work with to provide the best and safest medical care that you can obtain in an environment where people want to come work.”

As a maternal-fetal medicine specialist, Graves manages several medical conditions that can affect pregnancy including hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and autoimmune disorders. A cornerstone of her practice is close collaboration with other specialists — including, but certainly not limited to, the patient’s OB/GYN.

“If you have medical conditions during pregnancy or a concern about your baby, we will help coordinate care with specialists like cardiologists, endocrinologists, genetic counselors, neonatologists and other pediatric specialists,” she says. “Our goal is to ensure your team are all on the same page and that your care is well-coordinated and personalized to your needs.”

Graves’ clinical interests are informed by her research, which explores maternal cardiovascular health, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and placental disease. She served as primary investigator on Cleveland Clinic’s Microbial Metabolites and Outcomes of Pregnancy Study (MMOPS), examining how gut-derived metabolites may influence pregnancy-related cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes.

Graves has presented her work to peers at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine’s annual Pregnancy Meeting, including research evaluating the role of routine prenatal blood tests in identifying dangerous placental conditions. These studies reflect her commitment to improving prenatal risk assessment and supporting earlier, more informed clinical decision-making in complex pregnancies.

Lifelong learning and patient education form the basis of Graves’ approach to care: “My job fulfills me every day to be able to take cutting-edge medical knowledge and discovery and apply it to provide the best care to my patients,” she says. “I also find great joy in educating my patients about their conditions and their pregnancy care so they are empowered with the same information I have to make the best informed decisions for themselves.”

That philosophy extends to how Graves encourages patients to engage in their care: “Ask questions. As a member of your care team and someone you can hopefully put your trust in to guide you through your pregnancy journey, we owe it to you to make sure we are providing you not only with the ‘what’ but the ‘why’.” Her dedication to leadership and service has been recognized nationally, including the 2025 Cleveland Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Fellow Award for Women’s Health Service and Leadership.

Outside of work, Graves enjoys exploring Richmond’s restaurant scene, learning about the city’s history with her husband, spending time with friends and family, binge-watching a good TV show — and snuggling with her cat.