The Section of Maternal-Fetal Medicine focuses on the care of the high-risk mother and fetus. The section is also responsible for all antepartum admissions to their high-risk service as well as medical, surgical and other obstetrical complications of pregnancies.
Howard T. Strassner, Jr., MD received his undergraduate and MD degrees from the University of Chicago and the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. His postdoctoral clinical training includes a four-year residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, the Sloan Hospital for Women in New York, and a two-year fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine at the Women's Hospital, the University of Southern California/Los Angeles County Medical Center. He is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology and in maternal-fetal medicine. He is the John M. Simpson Professor and Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He is also director of the Section of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and co-director of the Rush Perinatal Center and the Rush Regional Perinatal Network. His clinical and research interests include premature rupture of membranes, preterm labor, cervical ripening, medical disorders in pregnancy and preconception counseling.
Dr. Strassner has received two gubernatorial appointments to statewide bodies: the Infant Mortality Reduction Advisory Board and the Governor's Task Force on AIDS in Healthcare. In 2001, Chicago magazine featured Dr. Strassner as one of Chicago's top doctors.
Michael Hussey, MD, is an attending physician and assistant professor in the Section of Maternal-Fetal Medicine. He is also director of the obstetrics and gynecology medical student education program at Rush Medical College. Dr. Hussey is board certified in maternal-fetal medicine.
He received his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine and completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Loyola Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois. In 1993, Dr. Hussey completed a fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine at Rush. He also completed a year of research in obstetrical ultrasound at the University of Colorado in Denver. During that year, his focus was the study of fetal abnormalities, including central nervous system abnormalities.
His current clinical interests include central nervous system abnormalities, Level II targeted ultrasound and fetal growth abnormalities. Additional research interests include use of ultrasound in diagnosing fetal chromosomal abnormalities. Dr. Hussey is active in many professional organizations, including the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine and the International Society for Prenatal Diagnosis.
Xavier Pombar, DO, completed his training at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1986. He completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Lutheran Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, in 1991. He served as a clinical director for obstetrics and gynecology at Union and Saint Barnabas Hospitals in the Bronx. During this time he was also the educational coordinator for obstetric medical students at New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. In 1994, Dr. Pombar completed a fellowship in maternal-fetal Medicine at Rush. Dr. Pombar has also completed a year of research in obstetrical ultrasound at the University of Colorado in Denver. His current clinical interests include diabetes in pregnancy, Level II targeted ultrasound and prenatal diagnosis. Additional research interests include premature rupture of membranes and the use of ultrasound during the first trimester and in labor. Dr. Pombar is active in many professional organizations and is currently on the Board of Ethics for the American Institute of Ultrasound Medicine.
Jacques Abramowicz, MD, is a graduate of the Sackler School of Medicine of Tel- Aviv University in Tel-Aviv, Israel. He served as physician of an armored division and later as head physician of the Israeli Defense Forces Draft Committee.
He completed his residency through the Scientific Committee of the Israel Medical Association at Sapir Medical Center in Kfar-Saba, Israel, affiliated to Sackler School of Medicine and King's College Hospital in London. He did a special fellowship in the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA.
Board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology both in Israel and the U.S., Dr. Abramowicz is Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Director of Ultrasound in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Rush University Medical Center. He is also the co-director of the Rush Fetal and Neonatal Medicine Program. He is a member of numerous professional societies. He is currently on the Board of Governors of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine and Chair of its Bioeffects Committee as well as the Chair of the Bioeffects and Safety Committee of the International Society for Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
He has more than 145 scientific publications, including 16 chapters in medical books and was coeditor of 2 textbooks. He has been included in "Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare" since the First Edition in 1997, "Who's Who in America" since 2000, "Who's Who in Sciences," since 2002, "Who's Who in the World" in 2003, 2004 and "Who's Who in American Education" in 2004. In addition, he was named one of the Top Doctors in America in Ob/Gyn Ultrasound by the American Consumers Association in 2004-05.
Dr. Abramowicz's expertise is in prenatal diagnosis of fetal anomalies and gynecological ultrasound (ovarian cancer screening, pelvic masses, pelvic pain abnormal bleeding). His research interests include 3D ultrasound, safety of ultrasound, ultrasound contrast agents and ovarian cancer screening.
Robert N. Blatman, MD, was educated at the University of Virginia School of Medicine and trained in OB/GYN at the New York Hospital/Cornell University Medical College. His Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellowship was at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
Ramkrishna Mehendale, MD, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, was a Clinical Instructor and Fellow of Maternal-Fetal Medicine in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at University Of Illinois at Chicago. He received his MD from Lokmaya Tilak Municipal Medical College in Bombay, India and his PhD from Kent State. Dr. Mehendale completed his residency training at the University of Illinois at Chicago. His clinical and research interests are preeclampsia and smoking in pregnancy. His clincial interests include hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, prenatal diagnosis, and diabetes in pregnancy, and preconceptual counseling. His current research interests are pre-eclampsia and premature labor. Dr. Ramkrishna Mehendale's procedural specialties are level II ultrasound, amniocentesis, fetal echocardiography, and 3D/4D ultrasound.
