UPMC Newborn Medicine Program Welcomes New Neonatologist, Paris Ekeke, MD, MS

The UPMC Newborn Medicine Program is pleased to welcome its newest faculty member, Paris Ekeke, MD, MS. Dr. Ekeke joins the UPMC Newborn Medicine Program effective May 1. 

Dr. Ekeke earned her medical degree from The Ohio State University, followed by a pediatric residency at Northwestern University and the Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. Dr. Ekeke then traveled to Pittsburgh, where she completed her neonatal-perinatal fellowship at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. While at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Ekeke also earned a master’s degree in epidemiology from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health.

Prior to returning to UPMC Children’s, Dr. Ekeke was a practicing neonatologist at Akron Children’s Hospital in Ohio.

“What initially attracted me to the neonatal-perinatal fellowship in the UPMC Newborn Medicine Program was its volume of cases and patient acuity. Having as broad a range of cases in my training as possible was highly important so that when I eventually went out into practice, I had the experience and confidence to handle any clinical scenario that presented itself,” says Dr. Ekeke “My experience as a fellow, the quality of my education, and the relationships and resources available to clinicians and researchers practicing and studying at UPMC Children’s was what led me to come back. I’m excited to return to Pittsburgh and my clinical practice and research priorities.”

Dr. Ekeke’s research interests are largely devoted to better understanding health care disparities, the social determinants of health, and the effects of prenatal stress on neonatal outcomes. 

A portion of Dr. Ekeke’s research at UPMC Children’s will involve epidemiologic studies to understand determinants and consequences of adverse pregnancy outcomes as part of the Pittsburgh Study.

About The Pittsburgh Study

The Pittsburgh Study is a community-partnered study to find out what works to help children thrive. The study will follow children in Allegheny County from birth through high school. The goal of this ambitious, longitudinal investigation is to determine optimal ways to provide children the support they need to graduate from high school on time, healthy, and thriving.

Ultimately, it is the hope that the Pittsburgh Study leads to programs and systems that parents, teachers, and service providers can use to improve children’s lives – in Pittsburgh and beyond.
This is the largest community-partnered intervention study to follow children over time.

The Pittsburgh Study will identify strengths in children, families, schools, and neighborhoods by partnering with communities and community organizations. The study will measure health and social influences on child well-being. With a history of cutting-edge research and a fast-growing technology sector, Pittsburgh is the ideal location for a study to transform children’s health. The Pittsburgh Study is made possible by the generous support of The Shear Family Foundation, The Grable Foundation, and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics.