Beryl R. Benecerraf, M.D.
The GOHO Foundation grieves the loss of an exceptional faculty member. Dr. Benacerraf was a giant in the field of OB/GYN ultrasound and improved the way gynecologic disorders are detected with ultrasound. Among her many accomplishments, Dr. Benacerraf was among the first physicians to recognize the correlation between Down syndrome and physical signs, including an extra fold of skin on the fetus’s neck, as observed during an ultrasound.
Preeclampsia is responsible for significant maternal and neonatal morbidity and is associated with a substantial economic burden. Aspirin has been shown to be effective in decreasing the risk of preterm preeclampsia; however, there is no consensus on the target population for aspirin prophylaxis.
In May 2018, the Gottesfeld-Hohler Memorial Foundation organized a working group meeting with the goal of identifying the optimal preeclampsia risk-assessment strategy and consequent intervention in the United States. The meeting brought together experts from the leading professional societies. We discussed available literature and trends in preeclampsia risk assessment, current professional guidelines for identifying women at risk for preeclampsia, prophylactic use of aspirin in the United States and Europe, cost-effectiveness data, and feasibility of implementation of different assessment tools and preventive strategies in the United States.
We identified specific knowledge gaps and future research directions in preeclampsia risk assessment and prevention that need to be addressed before practice change.
At a think tank bringing together experts on fetal neuroimaging, obstetric infectious diseases, and public health, we discussed trends in all of these areas for Zika virus. There is a wide variety of imaging findings in affected fetuses, influenced by timing of infection and probably host factors.
The resources for diagnosis and interventions also vary by location with the hardest hit areas often having the fewest resources. We identified potential areas for both research and clinical collaboration as the Zika virus epidemic continues to evolve.
