Stephanie L. Merhar, MD, MS
- Attending Neonatologist, Perinatal Institute, Neonatology and Pulmonary Biology
- Research Director, NICU Follow Up Clinic
- Principal Investigator, Cincinnati site, NICHD Neonatal Research Network
- Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
- stephanie.merhar@cchmc.org
- Board Certified
About
Biography
Since I was 12 years old, I knew that I wanted to be a pediatrician. What could be better than being a doctor who gets to work with kids? During my pediatric residency at Cincinnati Children’s, I was drawn to neonatology because it offered me the opportunity to care for acutely ill babies and build long-term relationships with families through the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) follow-up clinic.
As a neonatologist who cares for sick and preterm babies, I have a special interest in babies with brain injury and those exposed to substances such as opioids.
In my practice, I listen carefully to families. I know that I don't have all of the answers and that parents know their child best. In the NICU and our follow-up clinic, we collaborate with families and other care providers, such as neurologists, pulmonologists, therapists, nutritionists and nurses.
The research I do focuses on how the newborn brain can bounce back from insults including brain injury and substance exposure. I am also interested in using MRI as a tool to predict and improve the outcomes of term and preterm babies with brain injury. I am honored every time someone is interested in the research my team is doing.
MD: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 2005.
Residency: Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 2005-2008.
Fellowship: Neonatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 2008-2011.
Certification: Pediatrics, 2008; Neonatal / Perinatal Medicine, 2011.
Interests
Infants with perinatal brain injury; neonatal follow up.
Services and Specialties
Interests
Follow-up outcomes; advanced neuroimaging to predict outcomes in infants with brain injury and prenatal substance exposure
Research Areas
Additional Languages
French
Insurance Information
Cincinnati Children's strives to accept a wide variety of health plans. Please contact your health insurance carrier to verify coverage for your specific benefit plan.
Publications
Neonatal Morbidities, Neurodevelopmental Impairments, and Positive Health among Children Surviving Birth before 32 Weeks of Gestation. The Journal of Pediatrics. 2025; 277:114376.
Maternal Perception of Infant Sleep and Bonding in Opioid Use Disorder. Journal of Addiction Medicine. 2025; 19:83-88.
Motivations for and against Participation in Neonatal Research: Insights from Interviews of Diverse Parents Approached for Neonatal Research in the United States. The Journal of Pediatrics. 2024; 275:113923.
Prenatal tobacco smoke exposure and risk for cognitive delays in infants born very premature. Scientific Reports. 2024; 14:1397.
Host factors are associated with vaginal microbiome structure in pregnancy in the ECHO Cohort Consortium. Scientific Reports. 2024; 14:11798.
The HYdrocortisone for Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Respiratory and Developmental (HYBRiD) outcomes study: protocol for a longitudinal cohort study. BMC Pediatrics. 2024; 24:737.
Infant Feeding and Weight Trajectories in the Eat, Sleep, Console Trial: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA pediatrics. 2024; 178:976-984.
Infant and early childhood physical health assessments in the HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. 2024; 69:101414.
Surgical Necrotizing Enterocolitis and Spontaneous Intestinal Perforation Lead to Severe Growth Failure in Infants. Annals of Surgery. 2024; 280:432-443.
Developmental characteristics and accuracy of autism screening among two-year-old toddlers in the ECHO program. Pediatric Research. 2024; 96:1052-1061.
From the Blog
Newborn Brains Are Smaller When Exposed to Opioids During Gestation
Stephanie L. Merhar, MD, MS4/10/2025
‘Eat, Sleep, Console’ Approach Slashes ICU Stays for Opioid-Exposed Newborns
Stephanie L. Merhar, MD, MS5/1/2023
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