Leading high-risk pregnancy physicians to gather in Dallas for SMFM annual meeting

Next week, more than 2,000 maternal-fetal medicine specialists (high-risk pregnancy physicians) will gather in Dallas for the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's 38th Annual Meeting also called, The Pregnancy Meeting^™. At the meeting, researchers from around the world will present their findings on important topics such as the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage (a leading cause of maternal mortality), reduction of cesarean birth, strategies treat opioid misuse during pregnancy, as well as others.

The SMFM annual meeting has become known for its groundbreaking research presentations. This year, there will be 1,015 oral and poster presentations at the meeting, up from 990 in 2017. "This meeting has become the premier event for the exchange of research and thought leadership related to high-risk pregnancy," said Joanne Stone, MD, MS, the 2018 SMFM Program Committee Chair, who is responsible for overseeing the scientific and educational content at the meeting.

In addition, high school students from the Dallas Independent School District will attend the plenary and poster sessions (Hilton Anatole, Thursday, February 1 from 8:00 am - 1:00 pm) to foster an interest in science and medicine. Each student will be provided with a physician mentor. "We wanted to be able to inspire children in the Dallas area who are interested in pursuing the health care field," explained Brian Casey, MD, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist and chief of the division of maternal-fetal medicine an obstetrics at UT Southwestern Medical Center. "Maternal-fetal medicine is an exciting field, and this is a great opportunity to educate high school students on the opportunities and rewards of this profession," Casey added.

Additionally, the North Texas MFM Physicians will be visiting four Dallas-area women's shelters to present on pregnancy-related topics.

"SMFM and its members are committed to 'giving back' to the communities that host our annual meetings," said Stone. "While most of us are just visiting, we hope to leave a lasting, positive mark on the Dallas community."