Janice Henderson, M.D.

The Obesity in Pregnancy Research Group (OPRG)

The Maternal-Fetal Medicine Department at Johns Hopkins University established this multidisciplinary group in the fall of 2011.

OPRG partners with the Welch Center, the Bloomberg School of Public Health and Johns Hopkins Health Care. Participants also include representatives from the WIC program, nutrition, a multitude of medical specialties (internal medicine, obstetrics, pediatrics and psychiatry), and nursing.

This group is interested in studying the problem of obesity in pregnancy through a multidisciplinary approach.

Current research interest has focused on the following:

1. Biomarkers to predict pregnancy outcomes in obese patients

2. The effect of specific interventions on short and long term outcomes for the maternal/fetal diad

3. Sleep apnea and its effect on the obese pregnant patient and her fetus

4. Reducing costs while continuing to improve the quality of care

5. Improving compliance with GDM screening both prenatally and post-partum

Webinar: Nutrition: Before, During and After Pregnancy 

The Nutrition in Pregnancy Clinic (NIP)

To meet the needs of the growing population of obese obstetrical patients at Johns Hopkins Hospital (JHH), a specialized clinic was initiated at JHH in the fall of 2011. Both in the short and long term, obese women and their offspring have significant health risks.

Patients with a BMI > 30 but without significant co-morbidities receive intensive nutrition counseling and other indicated testing in a clinic with dedicated registered dieticians, social workers and Maternal-Fetal Medicine attendings. Patients with significant co-morbidites are seen in the High Risk Obstetric Clinic.

The purpose of the clinic is to: 1) provide comprehensive prenatal care to this population, recognizing their risks in pregnancy 2) provide teaching to trainees (medical students and residents) in an attempt to heighten their awareness of this often neglected problem and its consequences, and 3) to establish a cohort of patients who may be invited to participate in research protocols with the ultimate aim of setting standards of care for management of obesity in pregnancy that are evidence based.

Consultations or referrals for ongoing or shared care are welcomed.