In a recently published study, Kara Zivin, PhD, MS, MA,, and her team examine the association between NICU admission and mental health diagnoses among commercially insured postpartum women in the US.

Our Department has a well-established Future Resident of Obstetrics and Gynecology (FROG) program, which pairs applicants with mentors to guide them through the application process. A special thank you to the following residents and fellows who volunteered with the FROG program, led by Liz Southworth, MD, to complete Mock Interviews for the applicants this cycle:

• Alison Schmidt, MD
• Sarah Santiago, MD
• Annie Minns, MD
• LeAnn Louis, MD

We appreciate you donating your time and expertise!

Congratulations to Drs. Monica Janke, Ashley Skeith, Katherine Zurales, Nicholas Raja, Colin Russel, and Sarah Santiago on their recent publications:

• Outcomes of Fertility Preservation Consults for Women at Risk for Primary Ovarian Insufficiency Due to History of Cancer Treatment or Mosaic Turner Syndrome. Ulrich ND, Raja N, Ellman E, Moravek MB.
• When blood is not an option: Optimal bloodless management of severe anemia in pregnancy. Zurales KR, Janke M, Carver AR, Napolitano LM.
• First trimester fasting plasma glucose screen in advanced maternal age women: a cost-effectiveness analysis. Waites BT, Walker AR, Skeith AA, Caughey AB.
• Comorbid Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus and High-Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions: A Management Conundrum. Janke MJ, DeBlanc J, Kobernik EK, Skala SL, Hiles GL, Kelly R, Welch KC.
• Gender Differences of Endowed Professorship in Obstetrics and Gynecology Departments at Top Academic Institutions. Burns CJ, Russell CB, Griffith KA, Mangurian C, Johnson TRB, Jagsi R.
• Extending the second stage of labor in nulliparous women with epidural analgesia: a cost-effectiveness analysis. Schmidt EM, Hersh AR, Skeith AE, Tuuli MG, Cahill AG, Caughey AB.
• Use of Two Levonorgestrel Intrauterine Devices in a Patient with a Uterus Didelphys: A Case Report. O'Brien K, Russell C, Frances Fei Y, Rosen MW.
• The utility of physical examination in ovarian cancer recurrence detection: a retrospective analysis informing virtual surveillance care. Janke MJ, Santiago S, Straubhar AM, Uppal S.
• Assisted reproductive technology: considerations for the nonheterosexual population and single parents. Raja NS, Russell CB, Moravek MB.

Faculty: Interested in involving residents in your research? Let us know!

This year, recruitment season kicked off on October 26th with our traditional Michigan Day. We will have recruitment days on November 9th, 16th, and 30th, and December 14th.

In line with the RRR grant guidelines, we released interview offers on October 25th. This year, we were able to pilot program signaling. Signaling allows applicants a reliable and equitable approach to demonstrate a sincere interest in specific programs. Each candidate receives 3 Gold (indicates highest interest) and 15 Silver (indicates very high interest) signals. This has greatly assisted in determining stronger applicant interest in our program.

Interview offers were limited and applicants had 48 hours to respond. To reduce bias, applications were reviewed by two faculty members before offers were sent and interviewers will only receive applicants' personal statements. Candidates will be informed of this so they can best prepare which interests or achievements they would like to share. We received feedback from last year’s applicants that this was seen as a positive change. 

Utilizing health equity as a foundation, the Region 9 Perinatal Quality Collaborative (PQC) addresses maternal and infant morbidity and mortality by building systems of care that center the birthing person and family, including programming that addresses trauma-informed care and the development of mom+ centric models of care and home visiting programs.

Visit region9.org to access free trauma-informed resources, information about Doula care, patient-facing materials on how to navigate home visiting services, health equity tools and resources, and more! Questions? Contact: contact@region9.org.

Congratulations to Timothy R.B. Johnson, MD, on selection by the Office of the President for the 2022 President's Award for Distinguished Service in International Education (PADSIE).

The purpose of this award is to recognize and celebrate the extraordinary efforts of our faculty and staff who advance international education for U-M students.

Congratulations to Deb Berman, MD, for being awarded the Distinguished Service Award from the Michigan Medicine Alumni Society! 

The award recognizes former UM medical and doctoral students, residents, and fellows, as well as current and past faculty members who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and service throughout their careers. Dr. Berman is deeply committed to the University and continues to work towards having a positive impact in all spaces she serves.

Jean Siedel, DO, has been appointed to the Medical School Institutional Review Boards (IRBMED) for three years, starting November 1, 2022, as an affiliated, physician-scientist member.

Her membership ensures that the review process has representation from OBGYN and that study design and procedures protect the rights and welfare of women and families involved in research. It’s a big lift and we’re all very grateful to have Jeannie on the board as a strong leader in research.

Shitanshu Uppal, MBBS, has been appointed the George W. Morley Collegiate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology. This professorship was established in 1995 to honor Dr. Morley and recognize his numerous contributions to the field of gynecology cancer therapy and gynecologic surgery, as well as to the education of a generation of outstanding obstetricians and gynecologists at the University of Michigan.

Congratulations to Dr. Uppal, who has established himself as an excellent surgeon with a national reputation for education and teaching in the field of gynecologic oncology and quality improvement.

The Department is excited to welcome current residents, Drs. Ashley Skeith, AnneMarie Opipari, and Monika Janke as incoming U-M Fellows for the upcoming academic year. 

Outgoing 4th-year resident, Dr. Samantha Bayer will be joining an academic group practice in Minnesota upon graduation. And former UM OBGYN Resident and current Women’s Health Laborist, Dr. Luke Burns, was matched into a fellowship program at the University of Chicago.

We wish all of our Michigan graduates the best as they move forward in their educations and careers! 

Erica Marsh, MD, MSCI, FACOG, was one of six faculty members from the University of Michigan’s Ann Arbor campus named 2022 University Diversity and Social Transformation Professors. 

The professorship recognizes and rewards senior faculty members for their outstanding contributions to excellence through their commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion with their scholarship, teaching, service, and engagement. Dr. Marsh's work combines her expertise in reproductive endocrinology and infertility with her commitment to fair and equitable health care to raise awareness to address health care disparities, inequities, and biases in medicine and beyond.

Alex Friedman Peahl, MD, MSc, recently received pilot funding from the Patients First Innovation Initiative to conduct a project entitled, “Assessing Prenatal Care Redesign: The Michigan Plan for Appropriate Tailored Healthcare in Pregnancy (MIPATH).”

MiPATH is the national example of redesigned prenatal care and pregnant patients' needs and preferences into one comprehensive, tailored care plan. Dr. Peahl’s project will use surveys to assess pregnant patients' experiences with MiPATH and further refine the care model and ensure prenatal care is best designed to meet patients' medical, educational, and social needs. Co-Investigators include Rosalyn Maben-Feaster, MD; Michelle Moniz, MD; and Justine Wu, MD.

Molly Moravek, MD, and senior research operations staff member, Arthi Ramakrishnan have been selected for the Michigan Medicine Leadership Academy. This competitive program is designed to further advance the skills and development of emerging leaders.

The Department of OBGYN was well-represented at the 2022 American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Scientific Congress and Expo, with 5 oral presentations, 1 oral abstract, 3 poster sessions, and 1 interactive session.

Please join us this Thursday for our DE&I Grand Rounds, “Fatherhood Coordination: Combating African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Disparities.”

We are excited to welcome Davion Mauldin, Fatherhood Engagement Manager for the LA County Department of Public Health, and share critical DE&I updates.

Date: November 3, 2022

Time: 7:45 am-8:30 am

Location: MCHC Auditorium, F2305

Please consider coming in person – our speaker will be traveling from Los Angeles and we hope to show him a warm welcome in the auditorium!

ADVANCE at the University of Michigan announced the Elizabeth Caroline Crosby Faculty Grant to help meet the career-relevant needs of individual faculty in science and engineering if meeting those needs will help increase the retention or promotion of a diverse faculty. Several grants of up to $20,000 will be awarded.

The deadline for submissions is November 4, 2022, at 12:00 pm. For more details and to apply, visit the ADVANCE Funding Application Portal at advance.infoready4.com.

Ferguson Professorship Ceremony and Reception

​Celebrate Suzie As-Sanie, MD, MPH!

Date: November 14, 2022

Time: 5:00pm-7:00pm

Location: A. Alfred Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, Ann Arbor

Willson Professorship Ceremony and Reception

​Celebrate Maya Hammoud, MD, MBA!

Date: November 18, 2022

Time: 5:00pm-7:00pm

Location: A. Alfred Taubman Biomedical Science Research Building, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, Ann Arbor

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is hosting the Pathways to Prevention Workshop: Identifying Risks and Interventions to Optimize Postpartum Health on November 29–December 1, 2022. This virtual workshop is free and open to the public.

Speakers in this workshop will discuss the current scientific evidence on predicting and preventing poor postpartum health outcomes. Attendees will have opportunities to submit questions and comments. After the workshop, an independent panel will draft a report outlining evidence gaps and priorities for future research.

The workshop is co-sponsored by the NIH Office of Disease Prevention; NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; and National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities.

The Edward Dunster Fellowship Research Award was established in recognition of Dr. Dunster’s contributions and to provide a future source of funding for fellow research. As a result of a generous gift from Dr. Dunster and others, up to $8,000 will be given to the top fellow research application on a topic of their choosing.

The submission deadline is November 30, 2022. Please contact Dr. Yang Liu if you have questions.

Mark your calendars now to attend this CME course! Topics will include alternative treatment strategies for obstructive sleep apnea, updates on osteoporosis, trauma-informed care, updates in colon cancer screening, and much more! This course will also help you meet the state of Michigan requirement for medical ethics.  

You choose whether to attend the conference in-person or virtually, and you can register for one or both days.  

Thank you to our amazing admin team who put together treat bags to deliver to faculty and staff that were working on-site on Halloween!

Thank you to everyone who was able to join the National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations with Dr. Erica Marsh and the onWHARD team on October 11th! We celebrated with delicious food, music, and dancing. We hope that we can continue to celebrate our histories, contributions, and culture throughout the year together.

Each year in the United States, more than a quarter million patients are diagnosed with breast cancer. Breast cancer and its treatment can impact a woman’s gynecologic health in a way that deserves distinctive attention by a team with specialized experience in caring for cancer survivors.

The U-M Health Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital Cancer Genetics and Breast Health Clinic, established by Professor Emeritus Mark Pearlman, MD, and directed by Versha Pleasant, MD, focuses on gynecologic care for breast cancer survivors and women at increased risk for developing breast and ovarian cancer.

National Midwifery Week was created by ACNM to celebrate and recognize midwives and midwife-led care. Our Department celebrated with the annual Terri Murtland Lecture, "Greasing the Machinery to Move the Needle: Maternal Safety and the Culture of Care," given by Emily White Van Gompel, MD, MPH (University of Chicago).

Congratulations to this year's Murtland Scholarship recipients, Rachael Ferrero (left) and Sydney Tyler (right)!

Rachael has worked as a labor and delivery nurse and taught OB to our nursing students. Among her many volunteer activities, she serves as a mentor to new midwifery students. Rachael will graduate with her DNP in the spring of 2024. Upon graduation, she plans to provide full-scope midwifery care in an urban, underserved area and work toward policy change in order to provide comprehensive reproductive healthcare including expansion of the practice to include abortion care.  

Sydney has a long history of volunteering and activism around birth justice. As a labor and delivery nurse, she served as co-chair of the birth equity collective committee, and program coordinator for Detroit Community Health Connection and is actively involved in moving Birth Detroit toward being a model birth center. When she graduates with her MSN in spring 2023, she hopes to work both in hospital and community birth.

If you are interested in adding a recording of your name pronunciation to your email signature, check out NameCoach! It is a neat tool to help everyone pronounce each other’s names correctly. 

The Michigan Medicine deadline for flu vaccination is December 1, 2022. Michigan Medicine policy requires that all employees (permanent, part-time, or temporary, regardless of whether they have any patient contact) get their flu shot. There are many opportunities to get your flu shot at Michigan Medicine. Make an appointment.

If you obtain your flu vaccine outside of Michigan Medicine please upload your documentation directly to the OHS Health RX Portal. Learn More.