Department engages UW students during AHANA-MAPS outreach event

On November 16, 2023, several members of the Department of Ob-Gyn participated in an outreach event with the University of Wisconsin–Madison AHANA-MAPS Pre-Health Society. The event focused on showcasing obstetrics and gynecology careers and career pathways with students interested in medical and health science careers.  

During the event, department members led hands-on birthing simulations, guided students through case-based learning, and answered questions about their career paths during a panel discussion.  

Special thanks to the Department of Ob-Gyn Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee and DEI leaders for planning this event: 

• Katie Sampene, MD – DEI Committee Co-Chair and associate professor, Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn 
• Beverly Hutcherson – Manager, Diversity and Inclusion, UW School of Medicine and Public Health 
• Cheryl Casey’Grant – Outreach Specialist, Department of Ob-Gyn 
• Jackie Askins – Communications Manager, Department of Ob-Gyn 

Thanks to all the department members who shared their expertise with the students: 

• Katie Sampene, MD (associate professor, Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn) 
• Amy Domeyer-Klenske, MD (Director, Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn) 
• Jennifer Karnowski, MD (assistant professor, Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn) 
• Maggie Williams, MD (ob-gyn resident) 
• Hannah Copp, CNM (Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn) 
• Awa Sanneh, MD (ob-gyn resident) 
• India Anderson-Carter, MD (ob-gyn resident) 
• Laura Huffman, MD (assistant professor, Division of Gynecologic Oncology) 
• Ellen Hartenbach, MD (Department Chair; Division of Gynecologic Oncology) 
• Bala Bhagavath, MD (professor and Director, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility) 
• Laura Jacques, MD (associate professor, Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn/Family Planning) 
• Gabrielle Avery, MD (ob-gyn resident) 

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Green published in Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine

A new article in the journal Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine examines racial/ethnic differences in post-operative pain experience and opioid medication use in the first day after C-section delivery! Tiffany Green, PhD, assistant professor in the Division of Reproductive and Population Health, is senior author on the article. UW Ob-Gyn residency graduate John Poehlmann, MD, is first author; co-authors include resident Gabrielle Avery, MD, PGY-3, MFM Associate Professor Katie Antony, MD, and Amy Godecker, PhD.

“Racial disparities in post-operative pain experience and treatment following cesarean birth”, a single-center retrospective study of patients who gave birth via C-section over two years, compares patients’ self-reported pain scores and amount of oral morphine given with patients’ race:

“Despite reporting higher mean pain scores, non-Hispanic Black birthing persons did not receive higher quantities of morphine milligram equivalent. Non-Hispanic Asian birthing persons received lower quantities of morphine milligram equivalent despite reporting similar pain scores to non-Hispanic White birthing persons.”

Read the whole study here!

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UW Ob-Gyn brings impressive slate of research to 2023 SMFM meeting

​Faculty, residents, and fellows brought an exciting variety of posters and presentations to the 2023 Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Annual Pregnancy Meeting February 6-11 in San Francisco! Just some of their incredible accomplishments:

Erin Bailey, MD, MS (MFM fellow) presented “Treatment for mild chronic hypertension during pregnancy: is tighter better?” during an oral plenary session to an audience of more than 3,000 people! The abstract won the Norman F. Gant Award for Best Research in Maternal Medicine.

Scott Infusino, MD (MFM fellow) gave an oral presentation during a Fellow Case session: “Mo' Baby, Mo' Problems” 

Kara Hoppe, DO, MS, presented during a Scientific Forum: “The CHAP trial: clinical implications and recommended practice changes”

The department and the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine were also well-represented during poster sessions throughout the conference: 

Poster: Does excess gestational weight gain increase the risk for neonatal hypoglycemia? (Erin Bailey, Carrie Sibbald, Janine Rhoades, Jacquelyn Adams)

Poster: Evaluation of a cesarean surgical site infection (SSI) prevention protocol on SSI and neonatal hypoglycemia (Gabrielle Avery, Daniel Shirley, Sarah Gnadt, Dolores Krickl, Kelly Parrette, Kathleen Antony)

Poster: Body mass index and persistent hypertension in patients with hypertension disorders of pregnancy one-year postpartum (Kara Hoppe and MCW co-authors)

Poster: Prediction modeling of postpartum blood pressure spikes and investigation of preventive management strategies (Jinxin Tao, Scott Infusino, Yonatan Mintz, Kara Hoppe)

Poster: Is interpreter use an independent risk factor for small for gestational age infants? (Carrie Sibbald, Amy Godecker, Erin Bailey, Janine Rhoades, Jacquelyn Adams)

Huge congratulations to all involved!

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