Professor Roberto Romero, MD is professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Wayne State University and Chief of the Perinatology Research Branch of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health in Bethseda, Maryland.
Romero received his undergraduate degree in 1967 from San Vincente de Paul in Maracaibo Venezuela and his medical degree, magna cum laude, in 1974 from the University del Zulia, also in Maracaibo. He did his residency at Yale University, Connecticut and was chief resident in Obstetrics and Gynecology between 1978 and 1979. In 1979 he did a Fellowship in Gynecological oncology at Yale and in 1982 joined the Yale faculty as assistant professor. At the same time he also finished another fellowship training in maternal-fetal medicine, under the supervision of Professor John C. Hobbins. In 1992 he became director of the Perinatology Research Branch of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
Romero has been an outstanding researcher and teacher and has made substantial contributions to the world literature in areas of diagnosis of ectopic pregnancies, prenatal diagnosis, amniocentesis, fetal growth restriction, prematurity and in infection as a cause of pre-term birth and cerebral palsy, and prenatal molecular biology. He is the recipient of numerous awards over the years, including ISUOG Service Award presented by the International Society for Ultrasound Gynecologists from 1995 - 2000; the CAOG Young Investigator's Award presented in 1999; the Best Paper Award Oral Session E and I presented in 1999 by the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, the President's Achievement Award from the Society for Gynecologic Investigation, Research Excellence Awards from the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the Central Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Erich Saling Award from the World Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Ian Donald Gold Medal for contributions to Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and also, is the first obstetrician to receive the prestigious Asan Award in Medicine from the Asan Foundation in South Korea. In 2004, he recieved the Ian Donald Gold Medal, granted by the International Society of Ultrasound of Obstetrics and Gynecology, in recognition of Dr. Romero's long-standing contribution to the field of ultrasound.
An author of over 1000 peer-reviewed publications, he published a number of important books including the widely read "Preterm Labor" and "Prenatal Diagnosis of Congenital Anomalies". Dr. Romero’s work in premature labor has focused on the role of infection and inflammation in spontaneous preterm labor and delivery. His research team described the involvement of cytokines and chemokines in the initiation of human labor and the fetal inflammatory response syndrome, as well as the preterm parturition syndrome. The Perinatology Research Branch recently reported the results of a multinational randomized clinical trial demonstrating that vaginal progesterone administration to women with a sonographic short cervix reduced the rate of preterm birth by 45% and the rate of respiratory distress syndrome by 61%. It is estimated that universal screening of pregnant women to determine cervical length with ultrasound and the administration of vaginal progesterone would save the United States $500-$700 million per year. Romero participates as editor and a member of the editorial board for such publications as "Prenatal and Neonatal Medicine," "Journal of Perinatal Medicine," "Journal of Maternal Fetal Medicine", the "American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology" and "Journal of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation" among others. He also participates on numerous national committees as well, such as the Central Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Future Sites Committee; Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network steering committee of the National Institutes of Health; and International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology executive committee.
He is also the recipient of 16 Doctorate Honoris Causa and Honorary Professorships from universities worldwide, and is a member of the National Academy of Medicine. Trainees of Dr. Romero have attained prominent positions of leadership worldwide in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Maternal-Fetal Medicine.
Dr. Roberto Romero is presently Chief of the Perinatology Research Branch and Head of the Program for Perinatal Research and Obstetrics in the Division of Intramural Research of NICHD. The branch is currently housed at Wayne State University School of Medicine/Detroit Medical Center in Detroit, Michigan.
Friends and Colleagues of Dr Romero from Yale where he started his prominent career.
