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Research

Our fellows' research experiences are diverse and flexible, ranging from laboratory to informatics to population health services.  The focus of research training is at the the discretion of the fellow.

Fellows in the maternal-fetal medicine fellowship program at the University of Kansas have the opportunity to conduct research that has meaning in the context of the fellows future goals. We work closely with The Institute for Reproduction and Perinatal Research, Dr. Michael Soares, and Dr. Soumen Paul.  As well the fellow has multiple clinical research opportunities.

Person looking in to microsope

Fellows
Noria McCarther portraitCurrent research project/interest:

Randomized control trial assessing the maternal and neonatal outcomes for Black birthing patients paired with doula support versus standard prenatal care within a large academic center

Publications:
  • Jasthi D, Lappen J, Garber S, Kennedy S, McCarther N, Nagle-Yang S, Moore T, Frank S, Huth-Bocks A. (May 2023). Associations between adverse childhood experiences and obstetric outcomes in a predominantly Black-identifying and low-income pregnant population. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology MFM. 5. 101008. 10.1016/j.ajogmf.2023.101008. 
  • McCarther N (2023). Does oxygen administration in labor management have value for concerning FHR tracings? The periFACTS OB/GYN Academy, Activity #23003P. 
  • Winchester ML, McCarther N, Cancino D, Fitzgerald S, Parrish M. (Jun 2021) Second trimester cerebroplacental ratio versus umbilicocerebral ratio for the prediction of adverse perinatal outcomes. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 20:1-7. DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2021.1938530. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34151683 
Leadership Positions/Committees and Appointments: 
  • Fellow Director of Ultrasound at JayDoc Student-Run Free Clinic
  • OB Quality Committee, member
  • Morbidly Adherent Placenta Committee, member
  • Cardio-Obstetrics Committee, member
  • Center for Advanced Fetal Care (CAFC) OB/Neonatology Committee, member
  • Kansas Birth Equity Network, member
Teaching/Educational Activities:
  • “Fetal Heart Tracing”, Orientation/Education for 3rd Year Medical Students, KUMC Department of OB/GYN
  • “The Role of Doulas on Labor and Delivery”, co-organized Grand Rounds educational session on the crucial roles of a doula in enhancing and supporting the birthing experience for Black mothers and families and their role in improving Black maternal health outcomes.
  • Birth Equity Scholar (BEST Program)
  • Resident Scholar Alumni (formerly Quilligan Scholars), SMFM Foundation
Alex Finlinson portraitPosters and Oral Presentations:
  • Esteban M. Dominguez,1 Ayelen Moreno-Irusta,1 Khursheed Iqbal,1 Alex Finlinson2, Marc Parrish2, and Michael J. Soares1,2,3 March 2024. Role of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma on Trophoblast Cell Invasion and Placenta Development. Society for Reproductive Investigation. Vancouver, Canada.
  • Bollig, K., Finlinson, A.R., Coutifaris, C., Schust, D., Barnhart, K., October, 2021. When Abnormal HCG levels Result in a Normal Pregnancy. Poster presented at: American Society of Reproductive Medicine Scientific Congress and Expo – Baltimore, MD USA.
  • Finlinson, A.R., Woldu, H.G., Stern, J.E., Hsu, A. October, 2020. Women with Endometriosis Associated Infertility Have Decreased Live Birth Rates After Frozen Embryo Transfer- Analysis of the “eIVF” Database. Poster presented at: American Society of Reproductive Medicine Scientific Congress and Expo – Virtual; Portland, OR, USA.
  • Finlinson, A.R., Ogunremi, O.O., Carson B.N., Goldstein, A., Quraishi, S., Hsu, A. October, 2020. Comparing Vitamin D Protocols in Women Seeking Fertility Care. Poster presented at: American Society of Reproductive Medicine Scientific Congress and Expo – Virtual; Portland, OR, USA.
Publications
  • Bollig, Kassie J. MD; Finlinson, Alex MD; Barnhart, Kurt T. MD, MSCE; Coutifaris, Christos MD, PhD; Schust, Danny J. MD. Evaluation of a New Model for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Rise in Pregnancies of Unknown Viability. Obstetrics & Gynecology 142(1):p 139-146, July 2023.
  • Finlinson, A.R., Bollig, K.J. & Schust, D.J. Differentiating pregnancies near the uterotubal junction (angular, cornual, and interstitial): a review and recommendations. Fertil Res and Pract 6, 8 (2020). 
Recent Publications:

Influence of Medicaid expansion on short interpregnancy interval rates in the United States. Patel KS, Bakk J, Pensak M, DeFranco E.  Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM. 2021 Nov;3(6):100484. doi: 10.1016/j.ajogmf.2021.100484. Epub 2021 Sep 11. PMID: 34517145.

Second-trimester cerebroplacental ratio versus umbilicocerebral ratio for the prediction of adverse perinatal outcomes.  Winchester ML, McCarther N, Cancino D, Fitzgerald S, Parrish M.  J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2021 Jun 20:1-7. doi: 10.1080/14767058.2021.1938530. Online ahead of print. PMID: 34151683

How do pregnant women's perceptions of obstetric forceps change according to their demographic background: a cross-sectional study.  Hitt JM, Martin AS, Dietrich JE, Ahmed N, Lee GT.  BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2021 May 11;21(1):371. doi: 10.1186/s12884-021-03854-x. PMID: 33975552

Left ventricular assist device in pregnancy: Case report and review of the literature. Malik A, Winchester ML, Gorman K, Parrott J, Parrish M.  J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2021 Apr;47(4):1589-1593. doi: 10.1111/jog.14699. Epub 2021 Feb 9. PMID: 33565182 Review.

Differential Expression of CB1 Cannabinoid Receptor and Cannabinoid Receptor Interacting Protein 1a in Labor.  Kozakiewicz ML, Zhang J, Leone-Kabler S, Yamaleyeva LM, McDonald AG, Brost BC, Howlett AC.  Cannabis Cannabinoid Res. 2021 Apr 16. doi: 10.1089/can.2020.0107. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33998898

Fetal Inflammatory Response Syndrome Associated With Maternal SARS-CoV-2 Infection. McCarty KL, Tucker M, Lee G, Pandey V. Pediatrics. 2021 Apr;147(4):e2020010132. doi: 10.1542/peds.2020-010132. Epub 2020 Oct 29. PMID: 33122348.

Use of mean platelet volume in the assessment of intrauterine infection in newborns with combined thrombocytopenia and leukopenia at birth.  Chen CY, Essien MD, Johnson AJ, Lee GT, Chou FS. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2021 Feb;34(3):346-352. doi: 10.1080/14767058.2019.1608174. Epub 2019 Apr 24. PMID: 30983434

SUV39H2 controls trophoblast stem cell fate. Wang L, Chakraborty D, Iqbal K, Soares MJ. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj. 2021 Jun;1865(6):129867. doi: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2021.129867. Epub 2021 Feb 5. PMID: 33556426; PMCID: PMC8052280.

SATB1 promotion of trophoblast stem cell renewal through regulation of threonine dehydrogenase. Kubota K, Iqbal K, Soares MJ. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj. 2021 Jan;1865(1):129757. doi: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2020.129757. Epub 2020 Oct 1. PMID: 33011339; PMCID: PMC7708522.

Catechol-O-methyltransferase and Pregnancy Outcome: an Appraisal in Rat. Iqbal K, Dhakal P, Pierce SH, Soares MJ. Reprod Sci. 2021 Feb;28(2):462-469. doi: 10.1007/s43032-020-00348-7. Epub 2020 Oct 13. PMID: 33048315; PMCID: PMC8082470.

Do patients with a short cervix, with or without an ultrasound-indicated cerclage, have an increased risk for a small for gestational age newborn?  Brooks J, Gorman K, McColm J, Martin A, Parrish M, Lee GT. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2020 Oct 4:1-6. doi: 10.1080/14767058.2020.1827384. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33016161

Continued Validation of Ultrasound Guidance Targeting Tasks: Relationship with Procedure Performance.  Nitsche JF, Conrad S, Hoopes S, Carrel M, Bebeau K, Brost BC. Acad Radiol. 2020 Oct 6:S1076-6332(20)30493-1. doi: 0.1016/j.acra.2020.08.012. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33036898

Exposure to placental insufficiency alters postnatal growth trajectory in extremely low birth weight infants.  Chou FS, Yeh HW, Chen CY, Lee GT, Parrish MR, Omede M, Pandey V. J Dev Orig Health Dis. 2020 Aug;11(4):384-391. doi: 10.1017/S2040174419000564. Epub 2019 Oct 4. PMID: 31581967

The Ethics of Rebuilding Our Country’s Surgical Platform After a Pandemic. Robinson EF, Brost BC, Moulder JK.  J Hosp Adminstr. 2020(3):30-4. DOI:10.5430/jha.v9n3p30

KU School of Medicine

University of Kansas Medical Center
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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