Areas of Expertise
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Labor and Delivery
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Maternal-Fetal Medicine
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Placenta Accreta
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Prenatal Care
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Preterm Labor and Preterm Birth Prevention
I specialize in the care of women throughout pregnancy, including preconception planning and in the postpartum period. In particular, I have advanced training in the medical and surgical care of women with pregnancies affected by medical conditions or pregnancy-related complications. I am also a scientist, and a significant portion of my time is dedicated to research in understanding the causes of pregnancy complications such as preterm birth, preeclampsia or stillbirth. Pregnancy and delivery are life-changing occasions in any circumstance, and I consider it a privilege to participate in these significant events of my patients’ lives. My practice is influenced by my own experiences as a wife, daughter, sister and mother of four young children. I recognize that every pregnancy is unique, and I am committed to listening to the individual experience of each woman in my care.
Preterm birth is the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide, yet strategies to detect and effectively prevent preterm birth are limited. Defects in particular immune system functions have been implicated in several pregnancy disease states. My research investigates the function of specialized immune cells, called T regulatory cells, in preterm birth. With better understanding of the pregnancy immunology, we can develop targeted detection or treatment strategies to reduce the burden of preterm birth.
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Duke requires faculty members to report certain relationships outside of their employment in order to ensure potential conflicts can be addressed. This faculty member has reported no outside activities that relate to their Duke responsibilities.