Scientist profiles A-F

Dr. Barrett is the head of the maternal-fetal medicine program at Sunnybrook. In addition to providing general prenatal and obstetrical care, he also specializes in the care of women with high-risk twin and other multiple pregnancies. He is the founder and chair of the Southern Ontario Obstetric Network and of the Alliance for the Prevention of Preterm Birth and Stillbirth in Ontario.

Education:

• M.B.Bch., 1983, bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
• FRCOG, 1988, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, U.K.
• MD, 1992, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, U.K.
• FRCSC, 1995, Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada

Appointments and Affiliations:

• Senior scientist, Evaluative Clinical Sciences, DAN Women & Babies Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute (SRI)
• Co-director, Clinical Trials Services, Centre for Mother, Infant & Child Research, SRI
• Division chief, maternal-fetal medicine, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
• Fred Waks Chair in Maternal-Fetal Medicine Research, Sunnybrook
• Faculty, Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, University of Toronto
• Full professor, department of obstetrics and gynaecology, U of T
• Founder and chair, Southern Ontario Obstetric Network
• Member, maternal-fetal medicine fellowship committee, department of obstetrics and gynaecology, faculty of medicine, U of T
• Medical director, multiple pregnancy clinic, Women’s College Hospital
• Active staff, maternal-fetal medicine, Women’s College Hospital and Mount Sinai Hospital
• Lead, Obstetric Intervention at Borderline Viability Consensus Conference
• Lead of consensus meeting on the management of stroke in pregnancy, Heart & Stroke Foundation and Canadian Stroke Best Practice Recommendations
• Founder, Canadian Perinatal Surveillance System (CPSS)
• Lead of consensus meeting on maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity surveillance in Canada, CPSS
• Member, board of directors, SOGC
• Vice chair, SOGC
• President elect, Canadian Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine
• Nominated board member, Maternal, Infant, Child & Youth Research Network
• Expert advisory group member, Canadian Institute for Health Information
• Member, classifications advisory committee, Canadian Institutes of Health Research
• Member, maternal child transport committee, Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health
• Member, BORN: Better Outcomes Registry & Network, Maternal Newborn Outcome Committee
• Founder and chair, Greater Toronto Area-Obstetric (GTA-OBS) Network
• Lead, invasive placentation delphi survey, GTA-OBS Network
• Member, advisory board committee, healthy singleton birth committee, Assisted Reproduction Health Canada
• Board member, International Society for Twins
• Advisor, maternal health and mortality Group, World Health Organization
• Special advisor and board member, Toronto Parents of Multiple Birth Association

Research Foci:

• Preterm birth
• Multiple pregnancy
• Maternal morbidity and mortality

Research Summary:

Dr. Barrett’s contributions to research can be seen on local, national and international levels. In 1996, Dr. Barrett started the University of Toronto’s first specialized clinic for women with twin pregnancies. This local initiative translated into a national consensus conference on the care of women with multiple pregnancies. Dr. Barrett later led the Twin Birth Study, which slowed and, in some cases, reversed the rising trend of caesarean section in twin pregnancies––a health effect of international import.

His leadership role in convening Canada’s first working group on maternal mortality translated into a role as an advisor for the World Health Organization on maternal health and other health care initiatives in developing countries.

The formation of the Greater Toronto Area-Obstetric (GTA-OBS) Network and its quality of care dashboard has transformed the GTA landscape, which, while only regional, has more births per year than most provinces. The network has established common protocols on diabetes screening and preterm birth, and published work internationally on the optimal duration of diabetic pregnancies. The network is involved in two quality improvement projects on postpartum hemorrhage and shoulder dystocia, which will improve the health care of parturient women in the GTA and beyond.

Dr. Barrett’s appointment to the maternal newborn outcomes committee for the Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) Ontario, which produces a province-wide dashboard of key performance indicators, and to the maternal child transport committee for the Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health, allow the GTA-OBS Network’s work to disseminate through these provincial agencies to affect health care change for all Ontarians.

Selected Publications:

See current publications list at PubMed.

Download Dr. Barrett's full CV (PDF)

Related News and Stories

• The Alliance makes its move to reduce high stillbirth and preterm birth rates: Network of partners joins forces to ensure more women in Ontario carry their babies to full term (SRI Magazine, 2018)
• How to make multiple pregnancies safer: Research team is making inroads on reducing the risks for women carrying twins (or even more babies) (SRI Magazine, 2018)
• Improving care for subsequent pregnancies: Women expecting a child after a stillbirth need extra support (Oct. 21, 2015)
• Maternal-fetal medicine: an inside look: Student’s research contributes to clinical practice (July 31, 2015)
• Investing in the Future of Children: Gift bestows recognition on maternal-fetal medicine research (SRI Magazine, 2015)
• Philanthropic gift establishes chair in maternal-fetal medicine: Clinician-scientist aims to transform research and education in high-risk obstetrical care globally (Dec. 5, 2014)
• Skin-to-skin C-sections promote health, bonding: Clear benefits of immediate contact between mother and baby (May 7, 2014)
• Multiple Options: Globe-spanning trial settles question of which method of delivery is best for twins and expectant moms (SRI Magazine, 2012)
• Caesarean no safer than vaginal delivery for twins (The Globe and Mail, Feb. 25, 2013)
• Public Health, Private Lives (CBC News, Dec. 2, 2010)
• A new place to call home (Sep. 22, 2010)
• Managing Multiples: the quest to rewrite the rules of obstetric practice, two babies at a time (SRI Magazine, 2008)
• A Q&A with Dr. Jon Barrett (Oct. 1, 2007)

Related Links:

• Women & Babies Research Program
• Greater Toronto Area-Obstetric Network