Professor and chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology, University of Perugia, Italy

“My passion for understanding, building upon, and sharing my knowledge of maternal-fetal medicine has driven my work with pregnant patients, clinical research, and teachings to medical students. I enjoy the constant challenge of treating patients with complicated cases and strive to help each woman have a successful pregnancy using the most innovative solutions.”

— Dr. Gian Carlo Di Renzo

Career Highlights

Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Perugia, Italy, 1992–present, and Department Chair, 2004–present
Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the I.M. Sechenov First State University of Moscow, 2019–present
Director of the Reproductive and Perinatal Medicine Center, Perugia, Italy, 2002–present
Founder of the Permanent International and European School of Perinatal and Reproductive Medicine (PREIS) in Florence
Honorary Professor and Doctor Honoris Causa at 16 universities in Europe, Asia, South America, and the United States
General Secretary of the Women’s Library of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), 2012–2018
Advisory Board Member for the March of Dimes Foundation, New York
Fellow ad eundem of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), Honorary Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and International Conference on Obstetrics and Gynaecology (ICOG), academic member of the Romanian and Russian Academy of Sciences, and member of the World Health Organization’s Committee on Maternal and Perinatal Health
Multiple positions in publishing, including Founder & Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine and Corresponding Editor of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Received six awards for work in human reproduction and maternal-infant health, scientific research, and teaching
Organized more than 300 international congresses and courses, including Diabetes in Pregnancy: DIP; Birth; World Congress of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine; TWINS, and more
Invited to speak at over 1,500 national and international congresses and meetings and academic courses in over 110 countries
Published over 1,300 papers, more than 400 of which have been published in peer-reviewed international journals and books

Education

PhD in Perinatal Medicine at the University of Messina, Italy
Residency at the School of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Messina, Italy
Degree in Medicine from the University of Padua, Italy, graduated cum laude

Featured Publications

“Micronized vaginal progesterone to prevent miscarriage: a critical evaluation of randomized evidence.” American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, vol. 223, no. 2, Aug 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2019.12.006
“Induction of the apoptotic pathway by oxidative stress in spontaneous preterm birth: Single nucleotide polymorphisms, maternal lifestyle factors and health status.” Biomedical Reports, vol. 9, no. 1, Jul 2018, doi: 10.3892/br.2018.1103
“Risk factors for the completion of the cold loop hysteroscopic myomectomy in a one-step procedure. A post-hoc analysis.” BioMed Research International, special issue “Uterine Fibroids: From Molecular Oncology to Reproduction,” vol. 20, May 2018, doi: 10.1155/2018/8429047

My Journey in Medicine

When I was choosing my residency in the ‘80s, I decided to go into the field of perinatal medicine, also known as maternal-fetal medicine, because I had always been fascinated by the undiscovered world (at that time) of the fetus. I witnessed this branch of medicine develop from the ground up, and I have contributed to it quite a bit through my clinical practice, research, speeches, and teachings at various universities.

Each day, my curiosity and dedication to teaching drive me in my work. I’m passionate about educating and training new resident doctors and sharing my expertise of the specialty with them so they can go on to become the best possible health care practitioners for their patients.

As I care for expectant patients who have complicated or high-risk pregnancies, I am continually challenged professionally to find new ways to treat difficult cases in order to bring about a positive result. It’s very gratifying to be able to provide high-quality and evidence-based care to help my patients have healthy pregnancies.

My career has taken me all around the world, starting from the very beginning. After completing my medical degree in my home country of Italy, I trained at university hospitals in Lausanne, Switzerland; London, UK; Dallas, USA; and Nijmegen in the Netherlands. To this day, I enjoy traveling regularly to give lectures to medical students and present at international conferences.

In my research, I have focused on prenatal diagnosis, prostaglandins and childbirth, amniotic fluid, fetal lung maturity, childbirth organization, fetal monitoring, preterm labor, and gynecologic endocrinology. Since 1984, I’ve been the principal investigator of several research projects for the National Research Council, the Ministries of University and Health of Italy, and the European Union, and I have published widely in the field.

Flo is a very useful tool to help women everywhere learn about their health and manage their pregnancies, and I’m happy to contribute as part of the excellent team of medical experts here.

Fun Facts

In addition to Italian, I am fluent in English, Spanish, and French.

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