Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday – no presents to worry about, great food, and time with friends and family. I hope each of you can slow down and enjoy the day.

I want to thank each of you for all you, all year long, to care for our patients, teach our learners and support our research and innovations. It indeed takes a village to meet our mission.

I count you in my blessings!

Dee E. Fenner, M.D.

The Delonis Center offers those experiencing homelessness temporary shelter and connections to a wide array of services in a safe and caring environment. The Center works with the community to support individuals experiencing homelessness – let’s do what we can to help!

Please consider dropping off a much-needed item to the collection box outside Dr. Fenner’s office or giving directly to the Delonis Shelter.

The collection box will be from November 29th - December 10th. questions, please reach out to Emily Rivkin.

Molly Stout, MD, MSCI, recently explained to TODAY.com how she and her team used electronic medical records (EMRs) to model the expected changes in pregnancy and birth rates during the pandemic.

John O. De Lancey, MD, recently spoke with Urology Times about the future of pelvic floor surgery.

"We're moving from an era where it was all based on judgment, and experience, to an era where treatments will be based on firm evidence of the structural failures present in each patient."

During National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, one of our brave patients shares her story about loss. She also talks about how our Pregnancy and Newborn Loss Support Group helped her begin to heal:

Yoni Siden, MD/MPP Candidate, collaborated with several OBGYN faculty, including Alissa Carver, MD, Okeoma Mmeje, MD, MPH, and Courtney Townsel, MD, MSc, on a new study about reducing implicit bias in maternity care.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer visited campus this month to sign SB153, a bill eliminating the tax on feminine hygiene products. University of Michigan faculty, including our own Dee Fenner, MD, and students discussed the positive health and economic impacts this will have on Michigan families.

Michelle Moniz, MD, MSc, recently spoke with HealthDay News about the financial stress on new or expectant moms. The story was also picked up by U.S. News & World Report.

"Findings from the current study call for targeted policy interventions to alleviate financial strain and remove financial barriers to health care access for privately insured families."

Suzie As-Sanie, MD, recently spoke with Contemporary OB/GYN about how endometriosis impacts life-course potential.

Dr. As-Sanie and her coauthors - who performed a search of the MEDLINE database - found that over the course of a lifetime, a patient’s trajectory can be significantly altered, such as pursuing or completing education; career choices, or advancing in a chosen career; forming stable, fulfilling relationships; and starting a family.

Our Department was well represented at the 2021 American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Scientific Congress and Expo last month!

Join us for an exciting CME opportunity to hear the latest updates in women’s health care from leading experts in the field.

Date: December 2nd, 2021

Location: Doubletree by Hilton, 3600 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI.

We’ll cover the long-term effects of COVID, microscopic hematuria, refractory GERD, healthcare for immigrants, effects of prolonged screen time, and more!

The Region 9 Perinatal Quality Collaborative (PQC) invites you to join our Health Equity Series! We are excited to share the Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth training created by Dr. Rachel Hardeman, PhD, MPH at Diversity Science. We are hosting three separate events to cover all three sections of the training. While we do recommend that you attend all three sessions, this is not a requirement. Register at region9.org/health-equity.

We challenge you to develop a deeper understanding of how racism and inequity impact perinatal health by subscribing to the Region 9 PQC's Health Equity Communication Challenge! Receive weekly emails in December, March, June, and July. Register at region9.org/health-equity.

Please join us for a special event, Give the Gift of Knowledge: Use the holidays to discuss family cancer history! Versha Pleasant, MD, MPH, will moderate a live panel of experts to discuss how to use the holiday season to talk about cancer and other health histories with your family.

Date: December 9th, 2021

Time: 7:00am - 8:00pm

Location: Virtual

We are nearing flu season once again, and flu shots are available now! There are many opportunities to get your flu shot at Michigan Medicine, including free flu fairs. Vaccines are also available at Occupational Health Services in the Med Inn Building or from clinical unit flu liaisons.

The Michigan Medicine deadline for flu vaccination is December 1, 2021.

For nearly a century, University of Michigan medical students have looked forward to the first weekend of December to volunteer their time and enthusiasm by standing on the corners of Ann Arbor collecting donations to support children in need throughout Washtenaw County. Tag Days is a tradition beloved by all - an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on our local community, and embrace the holiday spirit by wearing colorful "tags."

 

Last year, the Department of ObGyn took 2nd place in the hospital-wide competition to see which department could raise the most money for the kids! This year, you can donate in a variety of ways, including GoFundMe, Venmo (@galenstagdays), Paypal (tagdaysczars@umich.edu), and Check (made payable to Galens Medical Society, mailed to Galens Medical Society, 400 North Ingalls Room G-191 Ann Arbor, MI 48109).