Melissa Morgan

I am currently a Clinical Fellow in neonatology at UCSF, with a research focus on neonatal implementation research in sub-Saharan Africa and India. In developing countries, prematurity and severe infections account for a substantial proportion of neonatal deaths. Pumwani Hospital is the main maternity facility in Nairobi, Kenya, providing care to approximately 22,000 women and their babies annually in a resource-constrained setting. Pulse oximetry is a simple, cost-effective tool that can determine the need for oxygen in sick newborns in whom oxygen may be life saving. Further, pulse oximetry can be used to titrate oxygen to provide the optimal ‘dose’ for neonates, thereby reducing the risk of hyperoxia-associated toxicity.  In December 2013, I received a UCSF Resource Allocation Program Global Health Policy Award for $40,000 to support the implementation of neonatal pulse oximetry at Pumwani Hospital through a 2-phase study. Phase 1 will establish the normal range for oxygen saturation measurements among clinically well term, preterm, and low birth weight neonates born at an altitude of 1,800 meters. Phase 2 will measure the efficacy of training hospital staff and mothers to provide tailored oxygen therapy to sick newborns. If this approach proves successful, it could be widely disseminated in resource-limited settings. In addition to my research endeavors in neonatal global health, I also work in the Intensive Care Nursery at UCSF. I take care of critically ill neonates with a wide range of medical and surgical needs. I also supervise and teach pediatric residents and medical students when they rotate through the Intensive Care Nursery.