Catharine Spong

Dr. Catherine Y. Spong is a tenured Professor and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, where she also serves as Chief of the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and holds the Paul C. MacDonald Distinguished Chair in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

A renowned physician-scientist, Dr. Spong is internationally recognized for her work in maternal and child health, particularly in areas such as prematurity, fetal complications, and improving outcomes for mothers and infants.

She earned her medical degree from the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Medicine and completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, followed by a fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine at Georgetown University Hospital. She is board-certified in both obstetrics and gynecology and maternal-fetal medicine.

Before joining UT Southwestern in 2018, Dr. Spong spent over two decades at the National Institutes of Health, primarily at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. She held several leadership roles there, including Acting Director, Deputy Director, and Director of the Division of Extramural Research. She also led the Pregnancy and Perinatology Branch and chaired a federal task force focused on research related to pregnant and lactating women.

Dr. Spong has led numerous landmark research initiatives, including the Human Placenta Project, and holds multiple patents for neuroprotective agents intended to prevent fetal injury. Her research has spanned topics such as stillbirth, fetal surgery, Zika virus in pregnancy, and placental development. She is also a vocal advocate for greater inclusion of women and underrepresented groups in clinical research.

She has authored over 300 peer-reviewed articles and is an editor of several key obstetrics texts, including Williams Obstetrics, Management of High-Risk Pregnancy, and Stillbirth: Prediction, Prevention and Management. Her contributions have been recognized with awards from leading medical and research institutions, and she is a frequent media commentator on issues related to women’s health and pregnancy.