Of the more than 7,000 babies born at Mount Sinai Hospital each year, nearly two-thirds are from pregnancies deemed high-risk.

Pre-existing health issues in patients who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant are among the factors that can heighten pregnancy risk. New medical concerns can also emerge in otherwise healthy individuals after they conceive.

From cancer to heart disease, obesity, neurological disorders or rare blood conditions, our maternal-fetal medicine specialists are experts in navigating the complexities of treatment when the health of pregnant patients and their babies hang in balance.

Supporting the leadership of Sinai Health’s maternal-fetal medicine team, the newly established Canerector Foundation Research Chair in Medical Disorders in Pregnancy will advance research, education, and patient care in these and other pregnancy complications.

Dr. John Kingdom, the inaugural chairholder, specializes in complications associated with the placenta — the organ responsible for nourishing the baby and ensuring successful pregnancy progression.

Supported by many grateful patients, Sinai Health’s Placenta Clinic provides expert assessment, monitoring and delivery planning to minimize pre-term birth and the life-threatening risks associated with fetal growth restriction, high blood pressure in pregnancy (pre-eclampsia) or premature placental separation (abruption).

Some placental conditions require expert surgical management during Caesarian-section delivery, to restrict life-threatening blood loss or other complications. A generous contribution from Jordan Prokopy and Matthew Killi supports Sinai Health’s unique Fellowship program in Complex Obstetric Surgery, which is training the next generation of experts from across Canada and around the world in this important and growing field.