Hot topics & controversies in feto-maternal medicine – 2nd edition (26-28 November 2020)

Prof. Zarko Alfirevic is Professor of Fetal and Maternal Medicine at the Liverpool Women’s Hospital, one of the largest maternity  hospitals in Europe with more than 8,300 births per annum. He is Head of Department of Women’s and Children’s Health at the University of Liverpool.

His main research interests are evidence based medicine and clinical trials in high risk obstetrics.

He is the Editor of the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group  and was Chair of the Clinical Standards Committee for the International Society for Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology until 2013.

Notable Publications:

He has more than 170 publications listed in PubMed.

Country: UK

Field: Obstetrics

Specialties: Maternal and fetal Doppler, Preterm delivery; research synthesis; pre-term births; fetal growth restriction.

Languages: English; Croatian

Dr Roee Birnbaum is an obstetrician and gynecologist, focusing on fetal ultrasound and prenatal diagnosis of fetal malformations, including early diagnosis. He is currently working in the OB-GYN Ultrasound division at the Tel Aviv medical center, focusing on fetal brain malformations, and early diagnosis of fetal anomalies. Previously, he was working under the direct instruction of Prof. Dario Paladini, at the Istituto Giannina Gaslini pediatric hospital, Genova, Italy, focusing on fetal heart and brain malformations. He is a faculty member of several teaching courses worldwide. His main research focus is the fetal brain (normal and pathology), and early brain development.  

Notable publications

Birnbaum R, Ben-Sira L, Lerman-Sagie T, Malinger G. The use of fetal neurosonography and brain MRI in cases of cytomegalovirus infection during pregnancy: A retrospective analysis with outcome correlation. Prenat Diagn. 2017 Dec;37(13):1335-1342.

Birnbaum R, Parodi S, Donarini G, Meccariello G, Fulcheri E, Paladini D. The third ventricle of the human fetal brain: Normative data and pathologic correlation. A 3D transvaginal neurosonography study. Prenat Diagn. 2018 Aug;38(9):664-672

Country: Israel

Field: Obstetrics; Gynecology

Specialties: Fetal anomaly screening T1 & T2; fetal heart; fetal anomalies screening; fetal anomalies; 3D/4D ultrasound; neurosonography and brain malformations

Language:  Hebrew, English

Prof. Dr Rabih Chaoui, was born and schooled in Beirut, Lebanon. His medical studies and specialisation in obstetrics and gynecology were undertaken at the Charité Medical School, Humboldt University, in Berlin, Germany. Between 2001 and 2004, he was professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Charité University Hospital, Berlin and since 2004 he has worked at the Center of Prenatal Diagnosis and Human Genetics in Berlin. An ISUOG member since 1994, he has been a Board member from 2003 to 2013, including two terms as Chair of the Education Committee, and received the Stuart Campbell Award for Education in 2018.

Prof. Dr Chaoui has written three books on fetal ultrasound and more than 250 papers and monographies. Since 1986, his major interest has been in fetal ultrasound to include fetal heart, fetal 3D, first trimester ultrasound, ultrasound in genetic diseases and high-resolution ultrasound.

Congress Plenary Lecture: Should CPR be used in the management of term pregnancy? 

•    Head of Fetal-Maternal Medicine at Hospital Clinic (Barcelona) and Full Professor of the University of Barcelona.  
•    Research interest in Fetal Growth Restriction and Preeclampsia: ~285 authored articles in indexed journals (~700 Impact Factor). H-index 57. 
•    Principal Investigator of 9 public-funded competitive research projects. 
•    Master Degree in Health Methodology by the University Autonomous of Barcelona.
•    Postgraduate Degree in Public Health by the University of Edinburgh.