Jerzy W. Stanek, MD, PhD

Intrauterine hypoxia takes place when the uterus does not have an adequate supply of oxygen. Once this occurs, intrauterine growth restriction could occur and damage the brain and spinal cord. This condition may lead to a higher mortality rate, including sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). As such, it is essential to pursue scientific research into in utero-fetal hypoxia and other perinatal complications.

My primary research interests are in placental and perinatal pathology. In particular, I want to refine the placental diagnostic criteria of in utero-fetal hypoxia and perinatal complications.

At the beginning of my career, I was an obstetrician, gynecologist, reproductive endocrinologist and clinical perinatologist in Poland. In 1994, I came to Cincinnati Children’s as a perinatal and placental pathologist.

In the field of gynecology, I developed a new approach for operative treatment of female urinary incontinence. In the discipline of placental pathology, I described multiple placental hypoxia-related lesions, including:

• Chorionic microcysts of placental membranes and chorionic disc
• Increased amount of extravillous trophoblasts, occult placenta accreta and perivascular stem edema
• Laminar necrosis of placental membranes

My recognitions include receiving five residency teaching awards from the University of Cincinnati and an award from the President of the Washington State Society of Pathologists.

I am an author of more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and 100 abstracts. In addition, I am a co-author of three academic textbooks on clinical perinatology. Some respected journals that have published my studies include Pediatric and Developmental Pathology: The Official Journal of the Society for Pediatric Pathology and the Paediatric Pathology Society, Placenta, Journal of Medical Primatology and Archives of Pathology, and Laboratory Medicine.