Dr. Andreea Creanga, Chair of Epidemiology at UMSOM, has been reappointed to the WHO Advisory Group on Maternal Mortality. Discover how her work impacts moms worldwide.

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Dr. Andreea Creanga Reappointed to WHO Advisory Group: A Global Win for Maternal Health

In the world of global health, few missions are as vital—or as deeply personal—as ensuring that every mother survives childbirth. It is a mission defined by data, driven by compassion, and led by a handful of the world’s most dedicated scientists.

Recently, the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) announced a significant milestone in this journey: Andreea Creanga, MD, PhD, the Simon and Bessie Grollman Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, has been reappointed to the World Health Organization (WHO) Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on Maternal Mortality and Maternal Cause of Death Estimation.

This isn't just a title or an academic achievement. It is a testament to Dr. Creanga’s lifelong dedication to saving lives by transforming how we measure, understand, and prevent maternal mortality on a global scale.

Who is Dr. Andreea Creanga?

To understand the weight of this reappointment, one must look at the woman behind the research. Dr. Creanga is not just a scientist; she is a visionary whose career has bridged the gap between complex data and real-world clinical change.

Before taking the helm as Chair at UMSOM in late 2025, Dr. Creanga served as a Professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her resume reads like a roadmap of maternal health advocacy:

·         CDC Veteran: Spent six years as an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Officer and researcher, leading the national Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System.

·         Award Winner: Received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE)—the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outstanding scientists and engineers in the early stages of their independent research careers.

·         Global Leader: Currently serves as the Principal Investigator for the National NIH Maternal Health Data Innovation and Coordination Hub, supporting research centers across the United States.

The Mission of the WHO Advisory Group

The World Health Organization’s Technical Advisory Group (TAG) is the "brain trust" behind the scenes of global maternal health statistics. When you hear a statistic like "one woman dies every two minutes from pregnancy-related causes," that data has likely been touched, verified, and refined by the TAG.

Dr. Creanga first joined this group in 2020. Her reappointment ensures that her expertise remains at the forefront of:

1.      Accurate Estimation: Refining the mathematical models used to estimate maternal mortality ratios (MMR) in countries where data might be scarce or unreliable.

2.      Standardizing Causes of Death: Ensuring that a maternal death in Maryland is classified using the same rigorous standards as a death in Mumbai or Nairobi.

3.      Tracking Progress: Monitoring the world's progress toward Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.1, which aims to reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030.

Why Measurement Matters: The Human Touch

It might seem counterintuitive to talk about "data" and "human touch" in the same breath, but for Dr. Creanga, they are inseparable. As she has often noted in her research, behind every statistic is a family, a community, and a life cut tragically short.

"Measurement is the first step toward prevention," Dr. Creanga has often emphasized. If we cannot count the deaths, we cannot understand why they happened. If we don't know the cause—be it hemorrhage, hypertension, or healthcare inequities—we cannot build the "patient safety bundles" needed to stop it from happening again.

In Maryland, Dr. Creanga leads the MDMOM (Maryland Maternal Health Innovation) program. This initiative isn't just about spreadsheets; it’s about training over 5,000 healthcare providers to recognize bias, improving telehealth for rural moms with preeclampsia, and ensuring that every birthing hospital in the state is a safer place for mothers of color, who statistically face much higher risks.

The Global and Local Connection

The beauty of Dr. Creanga’s work lies in its "Glocal" (Global + Local) impact.

·         At the WHO level, she influences the strategies used by the United Nations and the World Bank to allocate resources to the world's most vulnerable regions.

·         At the Maryland level, she is on the ground, working with the 32 birthing hospitals in the state to ensure that "data innovation" translates into "better outcomes" for a mom in Baltimore or a family on the Eastern Shore.

FAQs: Understanding Maternal Mortality & Dr. Creanga’s Work

Q: What exactly is maternal mortality? A: According to the WHO, it is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of the termination of pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management.

Q: Why is maternal mortality rising in the U.S. while dropping elsewhere? A: It’s a complex issue. Factors include an increase in chronic conditions like heart disease and obesity, lack of access to postpartum care, and significant racial disparities. Dr. Creanga’s research suggests that while we are getting better at identifying these deaths, there is still much work to do in preventing them.

Q: What is a "Patient Safety Bundle"? A: It is a standardized set of evidence-based guidelines and tools that hospitals use to treat specific complications. For example, a "Hemorrhage Bundle" ensures that every nurse and doctor knows exactly what to do—step-by-step—if a woman begins to bleed too much after birth.

Q: How does the WHO use Dr. Creanga's advice? A: She provides independent evaluation of the scientific methods used to track deaths. Her advice helps the WHO decide which research to prioritize and how to help countries improve their own civil registration and vital statistics systems.

Q: Can maternal mortality really be prevented? A: Yes. The WHO estimates that nearly 95% of maternal deaths are preventable with the right access to quality healthcare, skilled birth attendants, and timely intervention.

A Vision for the Future

As Dr. Creanga continues her tenure at the University of Maryland and her work with the WHO, the goal remains clear: Zero preventable deaths. Her reappointment to the WHO Advisory Group is more than an honor for the University of Maryland School of Medicine; it is a signal to the world that the fight for maternal health is in capable, compassionate hands. Through her leadership, we are moving closer to a world where "one shot every four years" isn't about the Olympics—it's about making sure every mother gets the one shot she deserves at a long, healthy life with her child.

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Keywords: Andreea Creanga maternal mortality, WHO Advisory Group reappointment, UMSOM Epidemiology Chair, global maternal health statistics, Maryland Maternal Health Innovation

Hashtags: #MaternalHealth #PublicHealth #WHO #Epidemiology #UMSOM.