University of illinois at chicago department of obstetrics

UIC UNIVERSITY
OF IlliNOIS AT CHICAGO
DEPARTMENT OF OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY
Sarah J. Kilpatrick, MD, PhD
Professor and Head
sarahk@uic.edu
"We Have Great Doctors! Come See Us!"
NEWS & ACHIEVEMENTS
Happy New Year from the Department of ObjGyn
Winter2008 Volume3, IssueS
Winter 2008 has been brutal here in Chicago: we have had many sub zero days
and the wind chill makes uswish for warmer places. However it has also been beautiful
right after it snowsearly in the morning when most of uscome to work where we continue
to have lots of fun. The Department has continued to be incredibly productive in all areas,
many of which are outlined in this newsletter. The faculty have been involved in several
national endeavors suchas the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology journal
club and the writing of a new OB Prolog. We have faculty who have been very active in
international health and volunteering their time to care for women in Africa, develop family
planning research in India, as well as visit the legendary Dr. Liggins of antenatal steroid
fame in Australia. Once again many of the faculty have been named as Top Docsand or
Best Docsillustrating our clinical excellence at UIC. I finally recruited a superb Gynecologic
Oncologist to join Dr. Yvonne Collins in her expanding GYN ONC practice. Dr. Nita
Lee joins usfrom UCSFand the only one more excited than I am is Dr. Collins, who finally
isn't covering all the Gyn Onc patients 24/7. Dr. Lee is an excellent clinician and superb
teacher among other things. Unfortunately, we have one sad bit of news and that is that
Dr. Khan passed away in 2007. Although retired as an emeritus professor he had continued
to make an impact on the College of Medicine and Department. I am really proud of
the ongoing successof our residents. To have four out of seven senior residents apply for
and match this year in major fellowships (Maternal fetal medicine and Family planning) is
outstanding. In the US this year only 50% of all the applicants to MFM fellowship programs
matched. But 100% of our residents who applied this year matched! That is how
excellent and competitive our residents are. Please note how muchfun we are having with
our new GYN surgical teaching program. Finally, we have news from graduates of the
program which is fun to share and hopefully you will all pass this on to other graduates so
we can continue to hear how people are doing. Please enjoy our winter update from Chicago
and hope to see many of you at our annual Dr. Laird Wilson Course and Dr. Tony
Scommegna Course, which we are putting on together this year. As always best wishes
and talk to us.
Congratulations to our 2008 "Top & Best Docs"
We are proud to announce that three of our
physicians have received the honor of being
named "Top Docs". Judith Hibbard, MD
Sarah Kilpatrick, MD, PhD and Isabelle Wilkins,
MD have been recognized as leaders in
their specialties and were nominated by their
peers for inclusion in Castle Connolly's Top
Doctors of America and the Best Doctors directory.
Dr. Hibbard is a leading expert in highrisk
obstetrics and heart disease in pregnancy.
Dr. Kilpatrick is a leading expert in obesity in
pregnancy, preeclampsia, and diabetes in
pregnancy and Dr. Wilkins is a leader in prenatal
ultrasound, multiple gestation and fetal
anomalies. We are also proud to announcethe
following physicians who have been named
Gloria L. Elam, MD
Judith Hibbard, MD
Bryna Harwood, MD
Sarah J. Kilpatrick, MD, PhD
Mark Vajaranant, MD
Isabelle A. Wilkins, MD
The Best Doctors database provides information
about where the best care is available to
consumers.Peer-to-peer surveys are used to
identify those who are considered by fellow
physiciansto be the most skilled in their field.

Dr. Khan had been, for many years, on the clinical faculty of the
University of Illinois at Peoria before coming to Chicago. He
came to us during one of the more difficult times in the history of
the department. The proposed merger of the clinical and aca-
demic programs of the university with those at the Michael
Reese Hospital had caused the wholesale resignation of both
faculty and residents. Dr. Khan, along with the small remaining
staff, was responsible for the quick rebuilding of both the clinical
and academic programs.
As the Director of the Gynecology Section, he was on call
around the clock for several months,offering his personal assis-
tance and experienced advice to both residents and junior fac-
ulty. Even after ranks of the faculty were replenished, the whole
staff continued to seek his valuable, expert advice in puzzling
clinical situations.
He was generous in sharing his vast clinical experience and re-
markable skills with residents and faculty alike. On a personal
side, he was a trusted friend and valuable collaborator in the
administration of the affairs of the department. Whenever
something needed to be done within a tight deadline, I would
ask the assistance of Dr. Khan. No matter how involved he was
with other projects, he was always responsive to my requests.
He was a humble, generous, and compassionate individual who
left his gentle touch on the hearts of everyone who was fortu-
nate to know him. For me he was a true and dear friend. Like
anyone who got to know his character, his rectitude, his senseof
what is right and compassionate, I will always misshim.
Dr. Antonio Scommegna,
Professor Emeritus,UIC, Department of OB.GYN
Dr. Khan, known to his children as "Abu," was a loving and
gentle father. He never wavered in the strength of his convic-
tions, even when faced mutinousfaces or the united front of
his children. As Dr. Scommegna remembers him, so do we --
gentle, loving, his humor showed with a smile. His touch was
always gentle but his convictions were like granite.
The University of Illinois was one of my father's greatest joys
in his career. Although we did not know many of the col-
leagues who were his friends, his work mates, his confidantes,
we knew he worked with people who had his respect, admira-
tion and friendship ... You were his other family. We thank
you for making his every working day a joy and the Univer-
sity the second home he loved very much and continued to
support in whatever capacity he was capable.
We continue to misshim and appreciate this tribute to a gen-
tle, kind compassionate man who practiced medicine the way
it was meant to be practiced -- to try and help people get
well.
Dr. Khan was an important contributor to the department and
to the College of Medicine. His efforts and input will be
missed.

Volume 2, Issue 3
A definite "DON'T MISS" for 2008 is the Eighth Annual Dr.
laird Wilson Jr. Perinatal Conference and the 3rd Annual
Dr. Antonio Scommegna Symposium.
Last year's participants have raved:
• " Excellent Speakers"
• " Very funny, informative and entertaining"
." This was GREAT!"
." Enlightening"
." Wonderful, as usual"
." Very applicable to myjob"
For the first time, the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
will be hosting the Wilson conference and Scommegna
symposiumin conjunction with each other at the
Crowne Plaza Chicago Metro Hotel on Friday, October
24th and Saturday, October 25th, so hold these dates!
Featured Guest Speaker for Wilson Conference:
-i
'-'
l. _
.....~
Laura Elizabeth Riley, MD
Director,Laborand Delivery
Director,InfectiousDisease
MassachusettsGeneral Hospital
Boston,MA
Dr. Riley is a nationalexpert in infectiousdisease
in Obstetrics.
Nanette Santoro, MD
Professorand Directorof the Divisionof Reproductive
Endocrinologyand Infertilityin the De-
partmentof Obstetrics,Gynecologyand
Women's Healthat the Albert EinsteinCollege
of Medicineof Yeshiva Universityin NewYork
City
Dr. Santoro is a nationalexpert on fertility and
menopause.
We implemented a dry lab with various task stations including
dry tasks with beads and straws to learn hand eye
coordination, use of energy sources on chicken legs, use of
uterine morcellator on beef tongue and ectopic pregnancy
model to learn salpingostomy. Residents were given a quiz
before the sessionand received a lecture on basic and
advanced laparoscopy.
The Golden Trocar award was given
to Emily Evans (Rl) for the longest
piece of beef tongue with the morcellator
(40 cm) and to Meredith Cruz
(R3)for stacking maximum beads (14
beads) !
Faculty participation was great, including
all General GYN attendings
and Dr. Nita Lee. We plan to organize
such labs 3 times a year and a
Wet lab with pigs once a year.
UIC Department of OB.GYN in ACOG and AJOG
series from ACOG, you may notice that there is a new OB
Prolog in 2008. You will be proud of UIC if you look at the
authors. The team who created this unit was co-chaired by
Dr. Isabelle Wilkins and Dr. Andrea Kemp was among the
members of the panel who developed and wrote all of the
questions and explanatory answers.
The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
(AJOG) started a new feature in 2007 - presentation of a
journal club discussionof an article which appears in that
issue. We were chosen to run sucha journal club. Drs. isabelle
Wilkins, Gary Loy, Dennie Rogers, Julie Chor, My Le
To and medical student (Blanco Velez) worked on this. An
off hours journal club was held and recorded with pre-set
questions for discussion.The entire roundtable discussion
was transcribed, edited by Dr. Wilkins and published in the
December gray journal. Drs. Wilkins and Macones, the series
editor, also wrote an accompanying/companion summary.
The entire venture was fun, educational, lots of work
and a smash success.The MFM division hopes to be invited
to do this again next year. (Am J Obstet Gynecol, December
2007, Volume 197,Issue6, pages683-684, pagesel-e7)

International Impact
There is a war taking place in the heart
, of Africa, in the Democratic Republic of
. Congo, and more people have died
there than in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Darfur
combined. It is the bloodiest war since ."
WW II, claiming 1000 lives a day. The .-
most frequent targets of this hidden war
are women. It is, in fact, a war against women, and the weapon
used to destroy them, their families, and whole communities,is rape.
(CBSNews, 13-Jan 2008). The remarkable violence against
women is what prompted Dr. App to get involved. In November of
2007, Dr. App volunteered, in conjunction with Harvard Humanitarian
Initiative, Panzi Project, and spent time in the African nation of
Congo giving lectures to doctors and working in the clinic or operating
room, seeing up to 20 patients a day. "It was very overwhelming,
a never-ending river of women" says Dr. App. She performed
one or two surgeries a day, mostly repairing fistulas caused by
brutal rapes. The injuries caused incontinence,which resulted in victims
being ostracized. Dr. App would like to go back, "I'd like to
bring residents with me to help teach and operate. I'd like to see it
put into curriculum.That is my dream".
Family Planning in India
Bryna Harwood, MD and Stacie Geller, PhD have developed an
international family planning partnership through the Partnership for
Education and Excellence in Reproductive Health (PEER)program
funded by the national Family Planning Fellowship. The PEERprogram
has been established to link Family Planning Fellowship sites
to medical schoolsin developing countries to help developing country
hospitals, medical schools,and departments of Obstetrics and
Gynecology establish or expand reproductive health services and
improve training programs for residents and medical students
through existing U.S. Fellowship sites. Drs. Harwood and Geller
were successfulin creating a partnership with faculty at Jawarharlal
Nehru Medical College in Karnataka, India and UIC faculty interested
in family planning and international women's health, including
Drs. Allison Cowett, Tracy Irwin and Sherry Nordstrom.
They propose to work with their partners in India to strengthen and
expand the family planning curriculum and training both at the college
and particularly at the surrounding health care centers. This
will initially focus on expanding early safe abortion techniques offered.
The concept proposal has been approved and this February,
Drs. Harwood and Geller will travel to India for the initial site visit
in preparation of the full proposal. Thispartnership will be fully
funded by the funder up to $150,000 per year and is intended for
3-5 years of funding.
OB/GYN NEWS & ACHIEVEMENTS
Discoverer of the Benefits of Antenatal Visited by
MFM Division Faculty Member
On December 1st, Dr. Laurence Burd,
MD, from the Division of MFM, accompanied
by his wife Kathy, was warmly
greeted into the home of one of the
world's most outstanding research scientists
and physicians, an icon in the
field of perinatal medicine, Professor
Sir Graham (Mont) Liggins. Dr. Burd, who was traveling in
New Zealand, had arranged to meet Dr. Liggins, a long admired
hero, to personally thank him for establishing a sheep
fetal model to investigate the physiology and endocrinology
surrounding the onset of labor. In 1969, Dr. Liggins, using this
model, discovered that it was the fetus, and not the mother (as
it had been previously believed) that started the labor process.
Dr. Burd, using the Liggins animal model, furthered the
significance of these findings by demonstrating that fetal signaling
also initiated maternal milk production so that newborns
would have adequate nutrition at the time of birth.
Dr. Liggins' discovery, while being of great scientific significance,
also led to one of the most important therapeutic findings
available to obstetricians today: that maternal corticosteroids
reduce the risk of development of respiratory distress
syndrome (RDS)in premature newborns. It was Dr. Liggins
himself who made this discovery by serendipity after he observed
that fetal lambs, born prematurely, survived and had
less RDSwhen their mothers received steroids before birth.
He translated his research findings into clinical practice in
1972 where a study confirmed these findings.
Dr. Burd commented, upon his return, that 'he had met an individual
that had fulfilled his ideal of the perfect physician. Dr.
Liggins is a person who was motivated by his deep compassion
to improve the health of mankind. He achieved his goal
with diligent study, a deep understanding of the scientific
method, a keen senseof observation and the courage and
skill to apply his findings in a well controlled study. The results
of his work have saved the lives of millions of babies worldwide.
It remains for all of us to learn from the example of this
outstanding physician scientist".
Antenatal steroids remain one of the few interventions that
obstetricians have that significantly improves neonatal outcome.

I am happy to announcethat as of
January 1st, I started at my new
practice. Prior to that time, I was
in solo practice but in a call sharing
arrangement. I was offered
the opportunity to take over another
physician's practice. I still
have privileges at the same hospital, which is great since I
love my hospital. This new group is well established and
very busy and is located in Central Austin, just a few
blocks away from my first office. My partners are top
notch and absolutely brilliant.
The highlight of my summerwas hiking the Inca Trail up to
Machu Picchuin Peru. I have attached a picture that shows
Machu Picchuin the background. We reached the plateau
above the ruins mid afternoon the last day of the hike.
Hope all is well with the UIC crew.
Nora Smith C/O 2006
I have moved to St. Petersburg, FL and I am in private
practice with OB.GYN Associates. Previously I was a full
time faculty with OB.GYN residency at Bayfront Medical
Center in St. Petersburg. I have been married for 35
years to Keith Bensonand have two daughters: Lisa (26
years old) and Stephanie (20 years old). I do most of the
pediatric and adolescent gynecology in the area and
have been named BestDoctor every year since 2001.
Beth Benson C/O 1982
Since I left UIC in the summerof
2004 I have been in Knoxville,
Tennessee,but that is going to
change in Junewhen my family
and I move to Cleveland, OH.
Wes will be doing a Minimally
Invasive Urology Fellowship at
the Cleveland Clinic for one
year and I will join the OB.GYN
generalists there. While in
Knoxville, I have kept busy trying to balance motherhood
(see picture of Jackson,now 16 months),practice, and research.
My research interests remain in family planning
and I am very proud of several studiesthat I have completed
with the residents here that have gone on to be
presented at meetings (and hopefully published). Our
pilot study on self-retaining retractor for post-partum
tubals won the Young Investigator Award at ARHPand our
analysis of how Mirena's have impacted the post-partum
sterilization rates won BestPresentation bya fellow at the
ACOG District VII meeting. Bestof all, I am heading to
Hawaii this week to present a seminar at the APGO meeting
based on my project as an APGOjSOLVA Y scholar;
Creating and Validating Surveys. I missUIC and hope to
see many of you at meetings in the future!
Nikki Zite Family Planning Fellowship C/O 2004
My current position is Clinical Instructorof Obstetrics and
Gynecology at Feinberg Schoolof Medicine at Northwestern.
Javier Fajardo C/O 2006
I just signed a contract with Provena St. Joseph Medical
Center in Joliet, IL. I will be starting there in three weeks.
Ericka Searles C/O 2006

I completed my maternal fetal medicine fellowship in 1985. I
went to UWisconsin in Milwaukee. It has been an interesting
journey since completing the fellowship. I have been looking for
a position recently in MFM. I have been in various roles: solo
practice for many years, then as an administrator at a federally
qualified health center. I have been attempting to bring knowledge
and skills to those most in need. I prefer outreach and being
in the trenches, so to speak, because I believe the knowledge
gained is not really reaching the public to bring about the
improved outcomes that are in deed possible. As an African
American female, I am very concerned about the health disparities
for infant mortality for African Americans. I am most grateful
for the opportunity to receive my training in MFM from the
University of Illinois, where I also received my MD.
Patient News
My name is EuniooKim,
mother of twin girls born on
April 11,2007. We moved
to San Diego 2 months
ago. Hannah and Yuna are
doing great. Hannah is over
20 pounds and she has a lot
of hair. Yuna is over 17
pounds and she is trying to
beat Hannah's hair. Many
people are amazed by my
natural twin delivery story. I'm so proud of myself. It's all because
of your support and excellent service. Thank you Drs.
Hibbard and Wilkins.
Peo Ie News
The department of OB.GYN would like to welcome Nita Lee,
MD, MPH who joins our Gynecological Oncology division. Dr.
lee received her MD from Tulane University and completed her
residency at Northwestern University. Her fellowship in GYN
ONC was completed at the University of California, San Francisco.
Dr. lee's areas of interest are Cervical Cancer, Ovarian
Cancer and Chemotherapy.
; . -
••' "., "
",.
Susan Balmes, MS joins our department as the new Assistant
Director of Human Resources. Susanreceived her undergraduate
degree at Dominican University in River Forest, Il and has a
Masters of Science in Organization Management. Susanjoins us
from the department of Family Medicine.
Thisyear the department decided to sponsor Exodus Churchin
the Chicago area for the holiday season. Everyone pitched in to
make sure deserving children received holiday gifts. The children
ranged in age from 5-16. Unlike previous years, the department
was able to drop the gifts off and meet the children.
Shannon Dowty, ResidencyCoordinator, participated in providing
gifts and commented, "The kids were all so excited and
thankful to receive our bags and bags of gifts. They couldn't
help but open one each - and they were all thrilled with what
they found! And who knows - we might be seeing one of them
soon. Mariah (in front, holding Sasha) excitedly told usthat she
wanted to be an Obstetrician!".

Bryna Harwood, MD, MS, Director of Family Planning Program,
was named a scholar in the Building Interdisciplinary Research
Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH) program at UIC
funded by the National Institutesof Health. Dr. Harwood has a
long history of collaboration and leadership on clinical trials on
the safety and efficacy of new methods of contraception and
evaluation of gynecologic safety in microbicide trials. Her longterm
research goal is to be able to describe contraceptive decisions,suchas
method selection by women, and develop and test
interventions to support those decisions and improve the effectiveness
of current and future contraceptive technologies. In this
way Dr. Harwood seeks to promote research that ultimately
results in fewer unplanned pregnancies and healthier women.
Dr. Tarun Jain has received funding as a co-investigator from
the National Institutesof Health for trial based research based
at the University of Kansastitled: Improving communication with
IVF patients about risks such as multiple births. The goal of the
study is to understand how patient and physician communication
may raise or lower the chance that a woman will become pregnant
with more than one infant when she is treated for infertility
with IVF. The researchers hope that this research will elucidate
ways in which IVF patients make decisions about risk-benefit
trade offs and about their understanding of scientific information.
The research will lead to more effective ways of designing
educational materials for individuals with infertility.
Recent Publications
Harwood B, Meyn LA, Ballagh SA, Raymond EG, Archer DF,
Creinin MD. Cervicovaginal colposcopic lesions associated with
5 nonoxynol-9 vaginal spermicide formulations. Am J Obstet
Gynecol 2007; 198( 1):32.e 1-32.e7.
Study of nonoxynol-9 vaginal spermicide use in low risk couples
showed no increased risk of cervicovaginallesions compared to
condom use over 6 months of use. This is in contrast to findings in
high risk settings.
Harwood B, Nansel T. Quality of life and acceptability of
medical versus surgical management of early pregnancy failure.
BJOG 2008; 115:50 1-8.
Study of QOL indicators for women treated medically and surgically
for early pregnancy failure. Found no differences in QOL
indicators for women 2 weeks after treatment between groups,
and importantly found no difference in most recovery variables
(time off from work, needing help with childcare) between the two
groups.
ReevesMF, Lohr PA, Harwood BJ, Creinin MD. Sonographic
endometrial thicknessfollowing medical and surgical management
of early pregnancy failure. Obstet Gynecol 2008; 111
(1):106-112.
Awards and Achievement
Congratulations and best wishes to our
residents who matched into fellowships for 2008/2009.
Cecelia Gambala, MD- MFM fellowship at University of
Illinois at Chicago
Karishma Rai, MD- MFM fellowship at University of
Iowa
Nasheen Zaidi, MD- MFM fellowship at University of
Chicago
Priya Koduri, MD- MFM fellowship at Jefferson Univer-
sity in Pennsylvania
The Department of OB.GYN would like to welcome the
newest, extended additions of the OB.GYN family.
Dr. Marie Cabiya, R4, welcomed son LucasLazaro Cabiya on
Dee 31, 2007. Lucasweighed 51b 8 oz.
Dr. Allison Cowett, Generalist, welcomed daughter Talia Marin
Adams on Friday, January 18, 2008 at 12:24 pm. She weighed
61bsand 60z and according to Dr. Cowett
" like her big sister, is full of personality! We are
home now and enjoying our little one very much".
Dr. Asgerally Fazleabas, division of REI,and his wife, Sherebanu,
welcomed daughter Insiyah Fazleabas who was born here
at UIC on January 8, 2008 at 5: 15 pm.
Dr. Nausheen Zaidi, R4,
welcomed son Raza Zaidi
on August 29, 2007. Raza
weighed 71b V2 oz and
measured 20 inches.