OBGYN Areas of Research

We routinely conduct clinical trials to improve labor and delivery management. These trials include induction protocols, cesarean section practices and second-stage interventions.

Faculty

Vincenzo Berghella, MD
Rebekah McCurdy, MD

Active Studies (PI/Funding)

• Cesarean Health by Incision Placement (McCurdy)
• Inpatient versus Outpatient Cervical Ripening (Berghella/Pierce-Williams)
• Dilacheck, a Tool to Improve Cervical Assessment in Labor (Berghella/National Institute of Health)

Thomas Jefferson University Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine has a long history of research in the prediction and prevention of preterm birth. Our research in this area has driven the use of interventions and therapies for preterm birth prevention and helped develop national guidelines.  

Faculty

Vincenzo Berghella, MD
Jason Baxter, MD
Rupsa Boelig, MD

Active Studies (PI/Funding)

• Vaginal versus IM Progesterone for Prevention of Recurrent Preterm Birth (VIP) (Boelig/Departmental Funding)
• Cerclage on Low-Risk Singletons with Short Cervix (COLORS) (Berghella/Departmental Funding)
• A Multicenter Assessment of a Spontaneous Preterm Birth Risk Predictor (TREETOP) (Baxter/Sera Prognostics)
• Azithromycin Dosing and PPROM Treatment (ADAPT) (Boelig/EW Thrasher Foundation Early Investigator Grant)
• Vaginal Progesterone Pharmacokinetics in Pregnancy (Boelig/Faculty Seed Grant)

Pregestational and gestational diabetes in pregnancy have a significant impact on both maternal and neonatal outcomes. Diabetes can be challenging to manage and requires intensive maternal and fetal surveillance. Our research in diabetes in pregnancy aims to help patients manage diabetes in pregnancy and help us understand how to improve outcomes for both parent and baby.

Faculty

Vincenzo Berghella, MD
Amanda Roman, MD

Active Studies (PI/Funding)

• Use of a Mobile App to Improve Patient Glucose Monitoring (Berghella/Sensyne)

Preeclampsia and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a leading cause of both maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Thomas Jefferson University Hospital is an urban tertiary care center with a high-risk pregnant population. Our research in preeclampsia focuses on optimizing the prediction and prevention of preeclampsia to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes

Faculty

Amanda Roman, MD
Rupsa Boelig, MD

Active Studies (PI/Funding)

• Universal Screening for Preeclampsia Prevention (Boelig/March of Dimes)
• Antenatal Platelet Response on Aspirin and Correlation with Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy (APROACH) (Boelig/March of Dimes, NICHD, AMAG pharmaceutical)

Thomas Jefferson University has been at the forefront of substance use disorder treatment in pregnancy for decades. The Maternal Addiction Treatment, Education and Research (MATER) program is active in the clinical care and research of substance use disorder in pregnancy.  

Faculty

Jason Baxter, MD
Diane J. Abatemarco, PhD, MSW
Dennis Hand, PhD 
Meghan Gannon, PhD, MSPH
Vanessa Short, PhD, MPH

Active Studies (PI/Funding)

• Buprenorphine for the Treatment of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIDA)
• Determinants of Breastfeeding Intention, Initiation and Continuation among Women Receiving Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder (Short/National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
• Doula Care Services for Pregnant and Parenting Women in Drug Treatment (Gannon/City of Philadelphia’s Department of Public Health)
• Group Well-Child Care Intervention for Infants of Mothers in Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder (Short/Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)
• Supporting Women and Children in Substance Use Recovery – A Family Unity Approach (SWC-FamU) (Abatemarco)

Thomas Jefferson University is committed to advancing reproductive justice and access to family planning services for all people. Our Family Planning program supports research by faculty and residents in contraception and abortion.

Faculty

Rebecca Mercier, MD

Active Studies (PI/Funding)

• Knowledge and Attitudes about Contraception and Contraceptive Counseling (Perriera/Departmental Funding)
• Assessment of Prevalence Rate of Substance Use Disorders among Women Presenting for Abortion (Perriera/Departmental Funding) 
• Safety of Intravenous Sedation without Intubation in Obese and Non-Obese Women Undergoing First and Second Trimester Abortion: A Retrospective Cohort Study (Perriera/Departmental Funding)

The Jefferson Vulvovaginal Health Center specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic and/or recurrent vulvovaginal conditions. We routinely conduct interventional pharmaceutical trials targeting recurrent and acute vulvovaginal candidiasis and bacterial vaginosis.

Faculty

Ryan Sobel, MD
Paul Nyirjesy, MD

Active Studies (PI/Funding)

• A Phase 3, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Oral Ibrexafungerp (SCY-078) Compared to Placebo in Subjects with Recurrent Vulvovaginal Candidiasis (Sobel/Scynexis)

Thomas Jefferson University’s Gynecology faculty participates in research studies to improve our understanding and treatment of heavy, prolonged, painful and/or irregular menstrual bleeding.

Faculty

Rebecca Mercier, MD

Active Studies (PI/Funding)

• IV Iron versus Oral Iron for Treatment of Anemia in Women with Abnormal Uterine Bleeding (FAB) (Mercier/AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
• A Phase 3, Multicenter, Open-Label Study of a Levonorgestrel 52mg Intrauterine System for the Treatment of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding (Mercier/Medicine 360 Liletta)

Thomas Jefferson University’s Urogynecology specialists have expertise in both pelvic pain and complementary and alternative medicine. The Comprehensive Urogynecology and Female Pelvic Medicine division explores innovative approaches to both acute and chronic pelvic pain.  

Faculty

Karolynn Echols, MD

Active Studies (PI)

• Short-Term Oral Magnesium in Postoperative Pain (STOMPP) (Echols)
• Validation of a Comfort Scale for Assessing Postoperative Pain (Echols)
• The Utilization of Amniotic Fluid Allograft as Treatment for Chronic Pelvic Pain of Neurologic Origin (Echols)
• The Utilization of Battlefield Acupuncture on Urogynecology (Echols)

Thomas Jefferson University’s surgical specialists are dedicated to innovation in gynecologic surgery with expertise in minimally invasive and robotic surgeries.  

Faculty 

William Schlaff, MD
Norman Rosenblum, MD, PhD
Patrick Teefey, MD

• Zip-Stitch™ for Vaginal Cuff Closure in Laparoscopic Hysterectomy Safety & Efficacy Study (Schlaff/Thomas Jefferson University and ZipStitch Medical)

Thomas Jefferson University’s Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecology specialists perform research that investigates gynecologic conditions and care of pediatric and adolescent patients under the age of 21 to promote their reproductive health.  

Faculty

Beth Schwartz, MD

Active Studies (PI)

• Validation of a Score for Ovarian Torsion in Adolescents (Schwartz)
• Menstrual Management in Non-Gender Conforming Adolescents (Schwartz)
• Predictors of Abnormal Bleeding and Discontinuation of Nexplanon in Adolescent – Patients (Schwartz)

Thomas Jefferson University’s Gynecologic Care and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) divisions actively conduct research investigating novel treatments for PCOS, which is the most common hormonal and reproductive condition during childbearing age.

Faculty

William Schlaff, MD
Rebecca Mercier, MD
Rebecca Jackson, MD

Active Studies (PI/Funding)

• Study of the Safety and Efficacy of Elagolix in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (Schlaff/AbbVie Inc.)

Thomas Jefferson University’s Gynecologic Care division collaborates with departments across Jefferson as multidisciplinary teams to research reproductive infectious disease.

Faculty

Rene Daniel, MD, PhD

Active Studies (Funding)

• Exosomes as an Early Line of Defense Against HIV-1 Infection (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) 

No current studies

No current studies