James A Kenneth, MD

I cannot say enough good things about Dr. James! I love his style — He’s no nonsense and gets right to the point… but he is also very caring and has a great bedside manner. His office is nice, the people who work there are nice, and I never waited more than a few minutes for my appointments once I arrived. After having a handful of OBGYN’s scoff at my desire for an un-​medicated hospital birth, I found Dr. James, and he supported my decisions and kept them in mind at all times. I had a natural, un-​medicated, delivery at Saddleback Hospital with Dr. James by my side. I would recommend him 100%

Dr. Kenneth James is by far the BEST OB/​GYN I could ever ask for. I truly can’t say enough good things about him. He is very warm and caring. He made me feel comfortable throughout my pregnancy and I always felt like I was in the best hands possible and I really was. He has a great sense of humor and the best bedside manner. Him or someone of the staff always answered my questions in a timely fashion. Basically my experience from start to finish was impeccable. I highly recommend him.

Dr. James is irreplaceable!!! He is everything that you could ask for in a OB/​GYN. After having an unpleasant experience at a different OB/​GYN office, I am so thankful for being referred to Dr. James.
His office staff is extremely professional & friendly. As many patients as Dr. James has, not once did any of my prenatal appointments get canceled, pushed back, nor was he even late to any of them. If I had a semi urgent issue he was always able to accommodate same day apts. This is a single practice office, which means you have Dr. James’ undivided attention & he will see you to the end. Another bonus, his office location overlooks the beach.
Dr. James delivered my 1^st baby & made it a fun experience. My husband & I always found ourselves laughing each time we met with him as he is such a pleasure to be around with. I will miss seeing Dr. James so regularly.

Dr. James is THE BEST! I’m so grateful to have found him and wish everyone could have a doctor like him. I’ve never found a good doctor before (much less excellent like him) and I didn’t even know one existed who is competent, professional, easy to talk to, will return your call if you have a question, and most of all so caring and willing to go out of his way to give you his time even just to check in with a phone call. I feel supported and cared for in a professional way which I have never experienced before with a doctor. In addition, his front office staff are also very kind, warm, and caring. I can’t say enough positive things from my experience so far. I think he’s from the east coast/​mid-​west which must be another reason that I like him :).

Dr. James is amazing! I have no words– he simply is a pleasure to be around, brilliant, and talented. I wish I would have known about him with my first child and not my last, fourth.

Dr. James is THE BEST!
I actually found him through Unilocal when I first found out I was pregnant. I’ve never Unilocaled a health care professional before but after seeing all of the positive reviews I knew I had to try him. It was a month before I was able to get in for an appointment but it was SO worth the wait! He sat my husband & I down in his office and went through all of our questions/​concerns and made us feel so comfortable! We both knew we had found a great doctor.
He has a great sense of humor while also keeping very efficient and professional. I had a few scares in the beginning and he always returned my phone call the same day and made sure I was at ease; even giving me a next day appointment to check that everything was okay.
I actually look forward to all of my appointments! The office is always busy but I never have to wait for than 5 minutes, unless I’m late. The entire office staff are so friendly and helpful and I’m always in & out within 20 minutes. I don’t know how he has so many patients but I’ve never had to cancel/​re-​schedule an appointment.
He makes thinking about my labor and delivery much less stressful because I know I’m in good hands and I trust him completely.
I plan on going to him after I have my baby and recommend him to all my friends!

I was referred to Dr. James by Dr. Janne Dewing. I needed some detailed OB care, and she sent me to him. I think the world of Dr. Dewing, she is one of the BEST, and I should have known she would only associate with the BEST! Dr. James is a great, great doctor. He is smart and explains the options. He is no nonsense, which I appreciate. I had to get an EKG and as the nurse and I were chatting about my upcoming surgery she asked me who my Dr was, I replied «Dr. James.» She replied «O, he is one of the best surgeons around.» «You are in the very best hands, and all the nurses agree!» I felt so reassured.
He made me feel very at ease as I was being wheeled into the OR, and he checked in with me during my overnight hospital stay. He is professional, funny, caring and I would recommend him, unequivocally.
I am glad to say, I am recovering very well, and I can take some of the credit, however the majority goes to Dr. James.

We loved Dr. James! He was the second ob we visited and was a referral from my friends sister. He is knowledgeable, efficient and witty. His office staff is great too! He made us feel comfortable throughout the process. We have moved out of the area and I am totally disappointed that if we decide to have another baby he won’t be our OB! :(All in all a great doc!

Dr. James delivered my first son via c-​section at my request after a long 3-​hour pushing. He is very respectful of my birthing plan for not having too much medical interference through out the delivering process. He is a very gentle and caring doctor. The staffs are also very helpful. I will highly recommend this great doctor to any one.

I don’t even know where to start, but to say he is an excellent physician is an understatement! I have never felt that I was in better hands, my husband and I are ALWAYS confident in him. On top of that he is extremely punctual. I have yet to hear of another physician that checks on you everyday that your in the hospital.

Went to Dr. James for my first pregnancy and he is a very nice doctor, has a great sense of humor and made me feel very comfortable, would definitely recommend him to anyone!

We were referred to Dr James to perform our newborn sons circumcision from our midwives. He was an exceptionally kind man that I instantly felt comfortable around. We drove over an hour to get to his office but if I was in the market for an OBGYN I wouldn’t hesitate to travel that far. His staff was very friendly as well as helpful. All around it seemed like a great practice.

I started going to Dr. James in 2009 when a co-​worker recommended him. I initially was hesitant about going to a male OB/​GYN but figured I would give it a try. I am so happy that I listened to her and have been recommending Dr. James ever since. Some of the things that I appreciate about Dr. James: He is fast and efficient. You don’t have to spend a lot of time in the uncomfortable stirrup position that all girls hate! He listens to all of your questions, answers them, takes his time to address any and all concerns, makes sure that you understand everything and he always has a smile on his face. He is very professional and genuinely cares about his patients. Very little wait time, fast appointments when you want them and thorough appointments when you have a long list of questions. You never feel like you are being rushed through your appointment and you get to see the DOCTOR at every appointment instead of an assistant or NP.
In 2010, I was very surprised to find out that I was pregnant. Dr. James was a great confidant and put me at ease. My boyfriend, now husband, wasn’t sure how he felt about me seeing a male gyn but I dragged him to the first pregnancy appointment anyway telling him he had no choice and I wasn’t about to change gyn’s when I was pregnant. I crossed my fingers that the appointment would go well. During our appointment, Dr. James talked with both of us about what to expect over the next 9 months, answered all of our questions, asked us a lot of questions and spent a lot of time with us sharing his own personal stories as well. Needless to say, we left the office and I was never questioned about my gyn doctor choice again. Over the next 9 months, Dr. James couldn’t have been any better. He (and his entire staff) were all amazing! I loved going to doctors appointments. I made lists of questions, called the office many times and always received great care. After having my daughter, I choose to have an IUD. I was very apprehensive because I had one in the past put in/​removed by my former gyn and it was the most painful/​traumatic experience. I was dreading my appointment to get the IUD and expected the worst. I should have known better based on my experience with Dr. James. The entire appointment took less than 10 minutes and I left the office feeling perfectly fine. I have also since then had the IUD removed and the process was just as quick and easy.
Earlier this year, I was having a ton of abdominal pain that had me in the ER multiple times. I made appointments with both my PCP and Dr. James to check everything out. My PCP gave me the run around and left me frustrated. Dr. James took the time to discuss my symptoms, asked me what I wanted to do and gave me a referral to see a GI doctor within 24 hours! By the time my PCP office got me a referral, I had already seen the GI doctor because of the speedy referral that Dr. James got me. Turned out that I needed my gallbladder removed and have just recovered from the surgery.
I cannot say enough great things about Dr. James. I have had nothing but great experiences at this office.

After my first appointment with him, I didn’t think I would go back. I thought he talked too fast, and I didn’t think he would be ‘caring’ enough, especially, since my 5 month pregnancy hormones were telling me I am the most important and fragile creature in the universe. I went back because some friends just raved about him, and I thought I must be missing something. (But scheduled appointments with two other doctors already)
Two kids later, I can’t imagine a different doctor, and every single story I have heard from every single mommy I know, about other, even really good doctors, confirms that he is the best.
He puts you at ease, and he doesn’t treat pregnancy like a disease, (which was shocking at first), and he can be really funny and lighthearted, but he will never overlook a concern that you actually have, and he will arrange for further testing/​etc, until all is settled. I was super paranoid and had 8 million concerns, and he navigated them all seamlessly. My husband loved having him as our doctor, because every time I got stressed out or paranoid, he would talk me back down to earth, and I’d feel like I was just a normal pregnant human being again.
Ditto the other reviewers — there’s never a wait, and I’ve never had an appt cancelled, even though he seems to always be delivering babies. He is like a fetus whisperer, and they all love him, and don’t mess with his schedule? He might also never sleep? I don’t know.
He’s obviously busy, but you never feel rushed. I don’t know how he does it, but he makes you feel like you’re his priority. He doesn’t push his schedule/​agenda on you, and he’s truly about what you want. Natural, VBAC, C-​Section, all the drugs, whatever. But he guides you within your choice, so that you make the best of it, and you never feel alone or second guess anything. If there’s a better way, he’ll tell you about it. He’s the same way about other, non pregnancy issues.
It’s been said before, but I will also repeat that literally, every nurse that walked into my room would say glowing things about working with him. Some nurses, when they checked incision would recognize that it was his — (it’s a tiny, clean, low incision).
I think his office staff is great, and I’ve never had any issues dealing with them, or insurance, or his wife, but honestly, this guy could work with a bunch of dyslexic toothless harpies as his front office, and I’d still pick him over any other doctor.

Dr. James has been my ob since my second pregnancy, and I am now 39 weeks pregnant with my third child. He is completely pro-​mom. He is the best birth support you could ask for. As a doctor, he does not push his agenda or schedule on you, but has you call the shots and will support your choices. Of course, he will give his medical opinion and answer any questions you have, but the bottom line is, and he will say this often, he will do what you want and will support the kind of birth you desire. This is why he has so many natural birth patients. He doesn’t treat pregnancy as a disease or birth as a medical complication. He is at ease and confident.
Dr. James is also a very competent surgeon. My second baby was an attempted VBAC, and he gave me all the time in the world to try to get her out. He was comforting to me in the hospital, and didn’t rush or worry. I was fully dilated for HOURS and trying to push my daughter out. I kept asking for more time, and he was fine with that. He was at the hospital for 12 hours with me, and we finally decided on a c-​section at 4am. Even though it was late and he had been so patient, he never pushed me to do the surgery earlier than I felt ready.
Last summer I had an unknown ectopic pregnancy and needed emergency surgery. I felt so relieved to see Dr. James show up at the hospital. He walked me through the whole process, literally drawing a picture of what was going on in my body and what the surgery would be like. He did a laproscopic surgery that evening at 8:30pm and I was home by 11:30pm that night.
My third baby will be a VBA2C. Try to find another OB who will do that. I feel like he believes in me and my ability to birth my baby, and will give me every chance to do it. He has never expressed doubt or concern about my birth choices.
Be aware, Dr. James is from New York and he does have a dry sense of humor. This might put a few people off, but once you «get» him, you’ll love seeing him. And, in my emergency, his sense of humor was very welcomed. It makes you feel at ease and as though everything will be fine. Yes, he talks quickly and this may be why reviewer «C M.» felt rushed out. But, he will never cut you off if you have questions. He will stay and talk as long as you need. Your first visit with him will start with a chat in his office where he will find out all about you, your history, and your desires/​plans for your pregnancy or your gynecological care.
The only time I’ve ever had to wait in the waiting room for more than 5 minutes was when I was late to my appointment. They are efficient. I am usually in and out of there in 20 minutes. And, even though he was completely there for me during my birth and emergency surgery, I have never had an appointment cancelled because he was in the hospital. It’s like he never sleeps. I don’t know how he does it.
If you are looking for a doctor who will hear you out, support your choices, not pressure you, and who will actually BE there for your birth (he is in a solo practice — so you won’t end up with a doctor you never saw), stop looking and make an appointment with Dr. James now.

I actually found Dr. James through Unilocal and my experience has been so great that it has even exceeded all the phenomenal reviews on here. I found out I was pregnant with my first child when I was in between doctors which really freaked me out since of course I wanted the best for my pregnancy and I was worried not knowing the doctor in advance. Well, turned out to be the best move I made!
I am very type A and an anxious person in general, so having Dr. James as my obgyn was probably the best thing I could have done for myself during pregnancy. He has the perfect amount of humor combined with reassurance to get you through any issue… both big and small. He always fully answered all my MANY questions and concerns. I had a mini (paranoid) scare after office hours and so I let him know and went into the hospital. Everything ended up being fine, but I really appreciated that I was still there when I overheard him call the hospital to make sure things were okay instead of just waiting for results. You really feel cared for and it’s exactly what you need from your doctor during such a hectic (and hormonal!) period in your life.
I ended up delivering naturally and I have no doubt about it that the entire experience would not have been the same with another doctor. Oh, not to mention, every staff member I came across at Saddleback made it a point to tell me that they absolutely love working with Dr. James, which was definitely a nice plus since I felt they were all extra nice and helpful to me as soon as they heard who my doctor was!

You can have a healthy pregnancy but you never know when your labor and delivery could turn for the worst, and it takes a quick thinking, excellent doctor to turn the situation back under control.
Dr. James did just that for us during the delivery of our son. I had a normal, healthy pregnancy with no red flags. He was caring, patient, well educated, answered all our questions and concerns, and has an awesome sense of humor to boot.
We started going into labor early morning and it went fine for the first few hours. I thought for sure I was going to have a natural birth, I practiced meditation and yoga to prepare myself for it. However, our son had other plans and his heart rate fell twice before I was fully dilated. Dr. James was always a jovial, funny man. But I saw his mood switch from funny to seriously professional in a split second the moment he learned our baby was having a hard time. While he is an advocate for a natural delivery, he knew and I knew that that would not be the case with my situation.
Everything went by very fast. Our son was born less than 15 minutes after his heart rate fell the second time via c-​section. Within 45 minutes, I was resting peacefully after major surgery in my room, while Dr. James, my husband, and our newborn son finished watching the Jets game on TV. Just like that! He took complete control. All the nurses in Saddleback love and respect him and I could tell from the way he took command of the operating room (albeit, I was in sheer panic I was about to get cut open but I did not show that. Wanted to be Super Mom!) as they prepped me for the surgery.
Take my word: These reviews of women driving long distances to see Dr. James, there’s good reason. He’s the best! I’m just lucky enough to live 15 minutes from his office… which by the way is ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE BEACH!

I’ve been a patient for about a year now after moving to Orange County. Was hesitant at first to have a male OBGYN, but came highly recommended from a coworker. So glad I decided to at least meet him.
He was my doctor throughout my pregnancy and through a mild little health scare, and he still is. He makes me feel very comfortable, is enjoyable to chat with, is relaxed, and provides great medical advice– although I don’t always follow his suggestions (which when not critical to follow, I appreciate that he does not push on you) as some of them have had to do with taking some sort of medication and I prefer to go more natural. His relaxed demeanor made me really glad he would be delivering my baby. He doesn’t bombard you with so much medical info and advice where you feel overwhelmed– just gives you what you need to know.
His nurse Anne Marie is also great– warm and friendly. Staff is also very polite and professional.
His office is a solo practice, and it just seems to be run very well and efficiently. I have not waited to be seen for more than 10 minutes. Scheduling, speaking with the staff on the phone, and communicating with the doctor not in person and during off hours is easy. The office and rooms appear very clean. Great location across from the beach. And something rare to me having come from LA, parking at this doc’s office is free!

Dr. James is the best doctor you can ever find. I switched from another OB doctor to him based on several recommendations from different doulas. I drove 1 hour from where I live to see him. He is kind, considerate and takes the time to get to know you. The first appointment he spent 15 minutes with me just getting to know me, my history and what kind of delivery I wanted. Another example of how nice he is, I brought my mom into one of my regular appointments and he spent extra time to show her the baby on the ultrasound.
He is also very knowledgeable (my husband is an OB doctor as well and was really impressed by him). Dr. James is supportive of natural birth. I had a very long labor, Dr. James was patient and gave me the time I needed. My husband told me if I delivered with anyone else I would have had a C-​section.
My only complaint: I can’t see him anymore now that I am not pregnant. I wish he was a family medicine doctor so that my son and I can see him indefinitely.
Do your research before you pick a hospital and a doctor. HOAG has a ~40% C-​section rate. The national average is ~27%. Saddleback has a ~30% C-​section rate. I am so grateful everyday that I switched doctors and hospitals.

If you are looking for the individual care and attention that a woman deserves than this is the doctor for you.
Very kind and knowledgeable. Awesome bedside manners.
All the nurses love him. (Big PLUS)