Donna Baird

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Donna Baird
Donna Baird.jpg
Alma mater Macalester College (B.A.)
University of Minnesota (Ph.D.)
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (M.P.H.)
Scientific career
FieldsWomen's reproductive health
Institutions National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Donna Day Baird is an American epidemiologist and evolutionary-population biologist. She is a senior investigator at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. She is known for her research in reproductive health through NIEHS.

Contents

Early career and education

Baird completed a bachelor of arts in biology, Phi Beta Kappa, at Macalester College in 1968. From 1968 to 1969, she was a laboratory technician in the department of anatomy at University of Minnesota (UMN). Baird was a research analyst for the American Rehabilitation Foundation from 1969 to 1972. She was a research and teaching assistant in the department of ecology at UMN from 1972 to 1976. [1]

Baird was trained as an evolutionary/population biologist in the Ecology Department at UMN. [2] From 1978 to 1979, Baird was an instructor in the departments of ecology and anthropology at UMN. She earned a Ph.D. in evolutionary ecology from UMN in 1980. Her dissertation was titled Dispersal in Microtus pennsylvanicus. In 1980, Baird was a post-doctoral fellow at the Northern Illinois University Center for Biopolitical Research. From 1981 to 1982, Baird was a staff associate for biological sciences curriculum study in Boulder, Colorado. In 1983, she was a graduate teaching assistant in the department of epidemiology at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. [1]

Baird's post-doctoral work at the University of North Carolina provided the opportunity for train in reproductive epidemiology. [2] She earned a M.P.H. in epidemiology from University of North Carolina in 1984. Her thesis was titled Cholesterol change during menopause. [1]

Career

Baird joined the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in 1984 as a senior staff fellow. In 1990, she became an epidemiologist, senior investigator, and principal investigator. At NIEHS, Baird began by studying fertility and developing epidemiologic methods for studying it. She has longstanding interest in hormones and fertility as well as early pregnancy events (implantation, corpus luteum rescue, the luteal placental shift in support of the pregnancy, as well as pregnancy complications and pregnancy outcomes). More recently, Baird developed a research program in uterine fibroid epidemiology. She mentors people at all levels. [2]

Research

Baird's research has focused on women's reproductive health, especially understudied conditions. One of her most significant research projects is her study of the measure of uterine fibroids in African Americans. Through this, they discovered that vitamin D may be important for maintaining fibroids. In addition, getting a fibroid ultrasound can be indicative of a needing a procedure in the future. [3] In addition to research in specific content areas, she is interested in developing new methodologies including techniques for data collection and analysis. [2]

Awards and honors

In 2008, Baird was awarded the Pearl Memorial Lecturer from the Human Biology Association. [4] Then, in 2010, Baird was elected to the American Epidemiological Society. [1]

Selected publications

  1. Baird DD, Wilcox AJ. Cigarette smoking associated with delayed conception. JAMA. 1985 May 24–31;253(20):2979-83. PMID 3999259.
  2. Baird DD, Dunson DB, Hill MC, Cousins D, Schectman JM. High cumulative incidence of uterine leiomyoma in black and white women: ultrasound evidence.(external link) Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2003;188(1):100-7.
  3. Peddada SD, Laughlin SK, Miner K, Guyon JP, Haneke K, Vahdat HL, Semelka RC, Kowalik A, Armao D, Davis B, Baird DD. Growth of uterine leiomyomata among premenopausal black and white women.(external link) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008;105(50):19887-92.
  4. Baird DD, Hill MC, Schectman JM, Hollis BW. Vitamin d and the risk of uterine fibroids.(external link) Epidemiology. 2013;24(3):447-53.

Related Research Articles

Dilationand curettage (D&C) refers to the dilation of the cervix and surgical removal of part of the lining of the uterus or contents of the uterus by scraping and scooping (curettage). It is a gynecologic procedure used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, and is the most commonly used method for first-trimester miscarriage or abortion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Epidemiology</span> Study of health and disease within a population

Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution, patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population.

Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB), previously known as menorrhagia or hypermenorrhea, is a menstrual period with excessively heavy flow. It is a type of abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB).

Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB), also known as (AVB) or as atypical vaginal bleeding, is vaginal bleeding from the uterus that is abnormally frequent, lasts excessively long, is heavier than normal, or is irregular. The term dysfunctional uterine bleeding was used when no underlying cause was present. Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy is excluded. Iron deficiency anemia may occur and quality of life may be negatively affected.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vaginal bleeding</span> Medical condition

Vaginal bleeding is any expulsion of blood from the vagina. This bleeding may originate from the uterus, vaginal wall, or cervix. Generally, it is either part of a normal menstrual cycle or is caused by hormonal or other problems of the reproductive system, such as abnormal uterine bleeding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uterine fibroid</span> Medical condition with benign tumors of uterus

Uterine fibroids, also known as uterine leiomyomas or fibroids, are benign smooth muscle tumors of the uterus. Most women with fibroids have no symptoms while others may have painful or heavy periods. If large enough, they may push on the bladder, causing a frequent need to urinate. They may also cause pain during penetrative sex or lower back pain. A woman can have one uterine fibroid or many. Occasionally, fibroids may make it difficult to become pregnant, although this is uncommon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uterine myomectomy</span> Surgical removal of uterine fibroid

Myomectomy, sometimes also called fibroidectomy, refers to the surgical removal of uterine leiomyomas, also known as fibroids. In contrast to a hysterectomy, the uterus remains preserved and the woman retains her reproductive potential. It still may impact hormonal regulation and the menstrual cycle.

Dame Valerie Beral AC DBE FRS FRCOG FMedSci was an Australian-born British epidemiologist, academic and a preeminent specialist in breast cancer epidemiology. She was Professor of Epidemiology, a Fellow of Green Templeton College, Oxford and was the Head of the Cancer Epidemiology Unit at the University of Oxford and Cancer Research UK from 1989.

Genital leiomyomas are leiomyomas that originate in the dartos muscles, or smooth muscles, of the genitalia, areola, and nipple. They are a subtype of cutaneous leiomyomas that affect smooth muscle found in the scrotum, labia, or nipple. They are benign tumors, but may cause pain and discomfort to patients. Genital leiomyoma can be symptomatic or asymptomatic and is dependent on the type of leiomyoma. In most cases, pain in the affected area or region is most common. For vaginal leiomyoma, vaginal bleeding and pain may occur. Uterine leiomyoma may exhibit pain in the area as well as painful bowel movement and/or sexual intercourse. Nipple pain, enlargement, and tenderness can be a symptom of nipple-areolar leiomyomas. Genital leiomyomas can be caused by multiple factors, one can be genetic mutations that affect hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. Moreover, risk factors to the development of genital leiomyomas include age, race, and gender. Ultrasound and imaging procedures are used to diagnose genital leiomyomas, while surgically removing the tumor is the most common treatment of these diseases. Case studies for nipple areolar, scrotal, and uterine leiomyoma were used, since there were not enough secondary resources to provide more evidence.

Female genital disease is a disorder of the structure or function of the female reproductive system that has a known cause and a distinctive group of symptoms, signs, or anatomical changes. The female reproductive system consists of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, vagina, and vulva. Female genital diseases can be classified by affected location or by type of disease, such as malformation, inflammation, or infection.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Baird, Donna. "CV" (PDF). NIEHS.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Principal Investigators". NIH Intramural Research Program. Retrieved July 3, 2019.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  3. Baird, Donna D.; Patchel, Stacy A.; Saldana, Tina M.; Umbach, David M.; Cooper, Tracy; Wegienka, Ganesa; Harmon, Quaker E. (September 2020). "Uterine fibroid incidence and growth in an ultrasound-based, prospective study of young African Americans". American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 223 (3): 402.e1–402.e18. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2020.02.016. ISSN   1097-6868. PMC   8039858 . PMID   32105679.
  4. "Human Biology Association - Pearl Memorial Lecture". humbio.org. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
PD-icon.svg This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Institutes of Health.