Recently, Brenda Ross, MD, a maternal fetal medicine specialist at UCR Health, suggested that a patient with underlying health conditions have her pregnancy managed at a larger hospital with more in-house specialists. When the patient refused, Ross agreed to work with her. Ross recalled the patient being consistent with her prenatal care until a work obligation resulted in her missing a dose of her medication, likely leading to a health issue that harmed the fetus. She delivered successfully, but her baby passed away after six days.

To Ross’ surprise, the patient viewed the experience positively. “In her mind, that was a successful pregnancy outcome,” she said. Ross explained that for the patient, having six days to hold and breastfeed the baby was a better result than her first pregnancy, where the child died in utero. “Going back through the challenges and the complications of her pregnancy with her helped me to understand that her perspective was very different from mine,” said Ross. “That was very rewarding for me and it helped me to see things in a totally different light."

The experience didn’t change the way Ross works with her patients, but it did help her better recognize the different views women may have of their pregnancy outcomes compared to their physicians. “Although this woman was very motivated, and very much desired this pregnancy, she was also human,” Ross said. “All we can do is the best that we can do, whether you're the mom or the doctor.”

Empowering pregnant women

Ross originally planned to specialize in pediatrics for her career but found working with sick children to be difficult, especially when they were victims of abuse. She soon shifted her focus to obstetrics and gynecology. “All pregnant patients deserve the opportunity to have as uncomplicated a pregnancy as possible,” she said. “Helping women achieve that was always very fulfilling for me.”

Ross grew up in Los Angeles and attended UC Riverside as an undergraduate before moving to Washington, DC for medical school and her residency. Later in her career, she directed the HIV and Pregnancy program at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. There, she worked with women with limited access to healthcare who carried the stigma of their diagnosis and displayed a wariness of the medical establishment.

“It was critical to help them understand that they did still have power; the fact that they were HIV-positive didn't mean that they were not valuable or powerless,” said Ross, explaining that educating and encouraging the women to undergo treatment made it possible for them to have healthy, HIV-negative babies. “Bringing that background with me to Riverside gives me a broader scope of the importance of helping women understand and exercise their power during pregnancy,” she added. “Well-informed patients can stand in their power and proclaim the expectation of superb healthcare from well-informed providers.” 

At UCR Health, Ross applies this experience less to HIV and more to the local common issue of diabetes. “I focus on motivating patients who have diabetes to exercise their power to impact the pregnancy outcome by making sure that they follow the recommended diet regimen,  exercise regularly, and keep their blood glucose levels under control,” she said. Patient education is a primary focus. “Frequently, patients don’t recognize the impact of poorly controlled blood sugars on their pregnancy outcome,” Ross explained.

She also works to make services more accessible for pregnant women in the Inland Empire, which she noted has fewer healthcare options than urban communities like Los Angeles. In particular, Ross is one of just a few perinatologists (specialists in high-risk pregnancies) in the area. “The fact that we are accessible without having to go to a large university center and that we have consistently good reviews makes our office more appealing,” she said.

Ross added that despite working with many patients with health conditions that could complicate a pregnancy, her UCR Health clinic usually sees positive outcomes. “Our clinic is small, we can give our patients more attention, [and] consequently, we are able to provide more comprehensive care and see fewer poor outcomes,” she said. “That has been exciting for me to see.”

Improving pregnancies through research

Besides working with patients directly, Ross is also resuming her research to help improve pregnancy outcomes in the Inland Empire and overall. “It is clear that the only way medicine moves forward is by research, and I want to be part of that process,” she said.

Her current projects include evaluating the quality of breast milk in women who get varied amounts of sleep and examining rates of vaccine uptake among pregnant people before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Ross is also investigating the potential of AI-powered bassinets to calm babies and help mothers get more sleep in the immediate postpartum period, which may reduce rates of postpartum depression.

Roopa Viraraghavan, MD, a health sciences clinical associate professor and UCR Health pediatrician, is a co-investigator with Ross on the breast milk and bassinet studies. “It is critical to detect the causes of breast milk production abnormalities, and by finding these connections mothers can improve their and their children’s health outcomes and breastmilk production through health education,” Viraraghavan explained. She added that she has enjoyed working with Ross. “Dr. Ross is a clear-headed clinician, a patient mentor, and a capable researcher,” she said.

Ross noted that her research areas are global issues, but that the challenges are magnified in the Inland Empire. “Helping patients know what's going on at the forefront of obstetrics and have access to the same things that their peers have in other larger communities is important,” she said.

Of all her efforts, Ross said she is most proud of her work with UCR SOM students. “Our medical students are exceptional--they are enthusiastic, bright, and committed to the call of medicine,” she said. “They understand the barriers our patients face and are committed to helping them overcome those challenges.”

Brooke Malone, class of 2026, is one SOM student who has collaborated with Ross on research. “Dr. Ross epitomizes a wealth of expertise coupled with a genuine willingness to impart it to others,” said Malone, who is interested in pursuing OBGYN.

Ross hopes to continue training future physicians while supporting pregnant people. “Pregnancy can be a very exciting and scary time in a woman's life, but we can eliminate some of the unnecessary fears just by making sure that the patient is appropriately educated,” Ross said. “We’re here to provide superb healthcare delivered by committed providers and help our patients feel confident that they can experience their power as a pregnant person capable of creating and shaping members of future generations.”