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Obstetrics
An active research team brings better health care for postnatal patients
An active research team brings better health care for postnatal patients
Katie Luzi Costantini and Chester County Hospital’s research department have worked out how obstetrics providers can better meet the needs of patients after giving birth and throughout the “fourth trimester.”
Five from Penn elected to National Academy of Medicine
Five from Penn elected to National Academy of Medicine
Five Penn experts have been elected to the National Academy of Medicine for their contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care, and public health.
A summer optimizing obstetrics health care
A summer optimizing obstetrics health care
Second-year student Antoilyn Nguyen spent their summer as a researcher analyzing labor and delivery charts as part of a long-term cohort study to standardize labor induction for better and more equitable results.
A novel method for monitoring the ‘engine’ of pregnancy
A novel method for monitoring the ‘engine’ of pregnancy
By combining optical measurements with ultrasound, researchers were able to study oxygen levels in the placenta, paving the way for a better understanding of this complex, crucial organ.
High blood pressure conditions during pregnancy increase cardiovascular disease risk 10 years later
High blood pressure conditions during pregnancy increase cardiovascular disease risk 10 years later
A Penn Medicine study sheds light on challenges and potential solutions; Black women are particularly affected.
Daily micronutrient supplements during pregnancy reduce birth complications
Daily micronutrient supplements during pregnancy reduce birth complications
The results of a six-year study of nearly 100,000 women in Botswana suggest iron plus folic acid and vitamins is better at reducing adverse birth outcomes compared to iron or folic acid alone.
A mental health specialist is helping underserved moms find their way
A mental health specialist is helping underserved moms find their way
Lissette “Mitzy” Liriano, Chester County Hospital’s maternal mental health specialist, leads a support group called Moms Supporting Moms, in addition to dividing her time between the hospital and the mental health clinic, where she monitors a largely Hispanic population for mental health needs.
Key to detecting ovarian cancer early may be in the fallopian tubes
Key to detecting ovarian cancer early may be in the fallopian tubes
A lack of early detection or prevention strategies for ovarian cancer is a major cause of poor outcomes for patients, and most do not have a family history or inherited genetic risk, so there is a pressing need for the development of earlier detection methods.
Sister physicians share passion for local and global health equity
Sister physicians share passion for local and global health equity
Trina and Nicole Salva are both OB/GYNs in Philadelphia whose outreach extends to underserved communities in the city, and to the Philippines—their family’s birthplace.
Helen Octavia Dickens: An expanded view of a trailblazing OB-GYN
Helen Octavia Dickens: An expanded view of a trailblazing OB-GYN
Helen Octavia Dickens was not only the first African American woman faculty member in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Penn, but a vital leader in the community advocating for preventive health for women and teen girls of color.
In the News
WHYY (Philadelphia)
As FDA requires national breast density notification, Delaware Valley women say more counseling is needed
Peter Gearhart of the Perelman School of Medicine says that providers are still playing catch up to newer research and data about breast density and screening outcomes for breast cancer.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
Can texting new parents to report their blood pressure help address maternal mortality? Penn thinks so
The Heart Safe Motherhood program, created by Sindu Srinivas and Adi Hirshberg of the Perelman School of Medicine, helps new mothers follow up on high blood pressure screenings with text reports rather than in-person visits.
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The Washington Post
Tua the endangered orangutan gives birth to a baby at Philadelphia Zoo
A Penn Medicine obstetrician partnered with a team at the Philadelphia Zoo to help a critically endangered orangutan give birth.
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Daily Mail (U.K.)
Florida’s new law will let women have C-sections outside of hospitals, but doctors warn of deadly complications
Alice Abernathy of the Perelman School of Medicine says that Florida’s new birthing centers represent a bad band-aid on a chronic issue that will make outcomes worse rather than better.
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NBC News
Florida to allow doctors to perform C-sections outside hospitals
Alice Abernathy of the Perelman School of Medicine says that Florida’s “advanced birth centers” are a poor substitute for quality obstetrical care, though they’re being billed as something that gives people more choices.
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Today
Meet the women who pioneered the development of IVF
Wanda Ronner of the Perelman School of Medicine explores the history of the women scientists who played a crucial role in the development of IVF.
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