Dr. Allison Bryant Mantha, MD, MPH, Visits CSW
As part of an ongoing effort to bring Women in STEM speakers to campus, math teacher Liz Nee invited Dr. Allison Bryant Mantha, MD, MPH, for a lunchtime conversation with students on Wednesday, May 9.
As part of an ongoing effort to bring Women in STEM speakers to campus, math teacher Liz Nee invited Dr. Allison Bryant Mantha, MD, MPH, for a lunchtime conversation with students on Wednesday, May 9.
Dr. Mantha is Vice Chair for Quality, Equity, and Safety in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). She received degrees in biology, public health and medicine from Harvard University, where she also completed training in Obstetrics and Gynecology and fellowships in Maternal/Fetal Medicine and Minority Health Policy. She was a member of the faculty at the University of California, San Francisco from 2005 to 2010 and served on the advisory board of California’s Black Infant Health Program and the San Francisco Department of Health Women’s Health Advisory Board. In addition to her current role at MGH, she currently serves as a member of several regional and national efforts such as the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Perinatal Advisory Committee and Maternal Mortality Review Committees and the Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine’s Disparities and Workforce Diversity Task Force. Her research explores disparities in obstetric care and outcomes in low-income and minority women, with emphasis on healthcare use between pregnancies and on birth spacing.
Dr. Mantha is Vice Chair for Quality, Equity, and Safety in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). She received degrees in biology, public health and medicine from Harvard University, where she also completed training in Obstetrics and Gynecology and fellowships in Maternal/Fetal Medicine and Minority Health Policy. She was a member of the faculty at the University of California, San Francisco from 2005 to 2010 and served on the advisory board of California’s Black Infant Health Program and the San Francisco Department of Health Women’s Health Advisory Board. In addition to her current role at MGH, she currently serves as a member of several regional and national efforts such as the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Perinatal Advisory Committee and Maternal Mortality Review Committees and the Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine’s Disparities and Workforce Diversity Task Force. Her research explores disparities in obstetric care and outcomes in low-income and minority women, with emphasis on healthcare use between pregnancies and on birth spacing.
In her presentation to students, Dr. Mantha went through some of the racial and ethnic disparities that exist in obstetrics and gynecology, such as higher infant and maternal mortality rates and increased risk of complications at birth. She talked about the importance of starting with research and data to determine the origins of problems and disparities before trying to implement a solution. Dr. Mantha also explored the impacts of poverty, racism, and associated stresses on health, and acknowledged the implicit bias that many health providers have when it comes to providing care.
Thank you, Dr. Mantha, for an engaging and informative conversation!
The Cambridge School of Weston is a progressive high school for day and boarding students in grades 9–12 and PG. CSW's mission is to provide a progressive education that emphasizes deep learning, meaningful relationships, and a dynamic program that inspires students to discover who they are and what their contribution is to their school, their community and the world.