As a high-risk pregnancy specialist, Moeun Son, MD, says keeping her patients informed is one of her top goals.
“I think fear becomes bigger when you don’t understand or know what is going on. My job is to give families as much information as possible and help them understand complex situations so I can guide them,” Dr. Son explains. “Of course, the treatment and management plan is important, but we really need to help families talk through things to help them feel like they’re making the best decisions for themselves and for their babies.”
Dr. Son takes care of women who have chronic health problems or have had complications during prior pregnancies, as well as women who face new challenges, including early labor or high blood pressure. She delivers babies at Yale New Haven Hospital.
“We’re taking care of at least two patients at the same time, which is especially challenging if the best interests of each are not always in line with one another,” Dr. Son says. “In maternal-fetal medicine, we help families navigate these complexities.”
Dr. Son’s research interests include examining the rate of Cesarean sections in the U.S. “Almost one in three women will deliver by C-section in this country. Sometimes, it is needed and very appropriate,” Dr. Son says. “But there’s more data showing that even though the rate has increased, it hasn’t correlated with improved outcomes for mothers or babies. My research has focused on ways to safely reduce the C-section rate.”
