Improving Reproductive Outcomes for Girls and Young Women
Researchers in the Cincinnati Children’s Division of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology work to improve reproductive outcomes for girls and young women. Our team leads and participates in collaborative and multi-site projects focused on clinical and quality improvement studies.
We participate in regional, national and international networks focused on many reproductive issues, such as:
- Care for anorectal and urogenital anomalies
- Care for differences in sex development
- Care for reproductive anomalies
- Endometriosis management
- Fertility preservation during cancer and other treatments
- Ovary-sparing surgery for adnexal masses
We evaluate how to treat these conditions in childhood, and we follow our patients into early adulthood to assess their long-term outcomes and learn how we can improve quality of life.
Our Research
Our collaborative approach is evidenced by our many multidisciplinary projects with other divisions at Cincinnati Children’s, including:
- Adolescent Medicine
- Dermatology
- Endocrinology
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology
- General and Thoracic Surgery, including Colorectal Surgery
- Human Genetics
- Hematology
- Oncology
- Urology
These partnerships—and our long-standing pediatric and adolescent gynecology service—help to inform research to improve patient outcomes.
Areas of research interest include:
- Optimizing care for individuals with differences of sex development
- Quality of life for people with colorectal, reproductive and urogenital anomalies
- Optimizing medical and surgical outcomes related to Pelvic Reconstructive surgery
- Diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life related to vulvar skin conditions (lichen sclerosus, vulvar Crohn’s disease)
- Quality improvement in perioperative care (Enhanced Recovery after Surgery)
Whenever possible we translate our work into care that matters. We work with these and other programs:
- Colorectal Center to provide innovative, experienced care for complex colorectal conditions.
- Comprehensive Fertility Care and Preservation Program to protect fertility during treatments for cancer and other conditions. This program is one of the oldest of its kind at a pediatric institution.
- Differences of Sex Development Center to improve the physical health, psychosocial health and quality-of-life outcomes for patients.
- MRKH Care Center to provide integrated management for people with an underdeveloped uterus, cervix and upper vagina. About half of the people with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) also have conditions affecting the kidneys and spine.
- Urogenital Center to offer treatments for complex conditions, including anorectal malformations and urogenital conditions.
Our research faculty maintain memberships in several groups to collaborate on research, share knowledge and stay on the leading edge of advancements in pediatric and adolescent gynecology. Our memberships include:
- Disorders of Sex Development Translational Research Network, a national consortium of pediatric hospitals working to standardize care for patients across the country.
- Midwest Pediatric Surgery Consortium and the Midwest Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Consortium, two groups of U.S. pediatric hospitals collaborating on research related to the health of the female reproductive system for babies, children and adolescents.
- Pediatric Colorectal and Pelvic Learning Consortium, an international consortium of surgeons, scientists and other specialists researching anorectal malformations and colorectal and pelvic disorders.
Research By the Numbers
Our faculty and their research teams take part in many collaborations and partnerships to advance gynecologic care for babies, children, teens and young women.
