Doctoral students

Completed doctoral studies: 2018

Prof Priya Soma-Pillay

PhD in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Pretoria

Title:  Maternal health after having survived a potentially life-threatening complication in pregnancy

Supervisors: Prof RC Pattinson

Publications:

Soma-Pillay P, Moodley J, Pattinson RC, Fawcus S, Gebhardt S, Niit R. The effect of the first wave of Covid-19 on use of maternal and reproductive health services and maternal deaths in South Africa. In Obstetrics and Gynaecology Forum 2020 Dec 1 (Vol. 30, No. 4, pp. 38-46). In-House Publications. https://journals.co.za/content/medog/30/4/ejc-medog-v30-n4-a10

Articles:

https://www.medicalbrief.co.za/call-for-more-action-as-one-premature-baby-born-every-two-seconds-globally/

Soma-Pillay* P, Macdonald Ap. Remembering What The Doctor Said: Use Of Patient Information Leaflets Given During O&G Consultation. O&G Forum 2019;29:30-32.

Soma-Pillay* P, Pattinson*Rc. Symphysiotomy In Munro Kerr Obstetrics. 13th Edition Editors: Sabaratnam A, Robson M. Elsevier 2019.

Soma-Pillay* P, Pattinson*Rc. Destructive Operations In Munro Kerr Obstetrics. 13th Edition Editors: Sabaratnam A, Robson M. Elsevier 2019.

Completed doctoral studies: 2019

Dr Sarie Oosthuizen

PhD in Family Medicine, University of Pretoria

Title: Respectful treatment of women in the Midwife Obstetric Units: An interventional study to improve clinical care in Tshwane District, South Africa

Supervisors: Prof RC Pattinson. Study leader: Dr Anne-Marie Bergh.

Publications:

  • Oosthuizen, S.J., Bergh, A.M., Grimbeek, J. and Pattinson, R.C., 2019. Midwife-led obstetric units working ‘CLEVER’: Improving perinatal outcome indicators in a South African health district. South African Medical Journal, 109(2), pp.95-101.
  • Oosthuizen, S.J., Bergh, A.M. and Pattinson, R.C., 2018. Systems thinking: A turning point for improving respectful obstetric care in South African health districts. South African Medical Journal, 108(11), pp.910-914.
  • Oosthuizen, S.J., Bergh, A.M., Pattinson, R.C.  and Grimbeek, J., 2017. It does matter where you come from: mothers’ experiences of childbirth in midwife obstetric units, Tshwane, South Africa. Reproductive health, 14(1), pp.151.

Dr Tina Lavin

PhD in Perinatal Epidemiology, University of Western Australia

Title: Investigating Stillbirths in South Africa

Supervisors: Prof RC Pattinson, Prof. David Preen (University of Western Australia), Dr Lee Nedkoff (University of Western Australia)

Prof Emma Allanson

Consultant Gynaecologic Oncologist

Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women

Western Australian Gynaecologic Cancer Service (WAGCS)

 Completed doctoral studies: 2022

Dr Tsakane Hlongwane

PhD in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Pretoria

Title: The effects of introducing Basic antenatal care Plus and Umbiflow on antenatal care and Perinatal mortality

Supervisors: Prof RC Pattinson

Publications:

  • Hlongwane TM, Botha T, Nkosi BS, Pattinson RC. Preventing antenatal stillbirths: An innovative approach for primary health care.  S Afr Fam Pract 2022 Aug 64(1):15487. DOI: 10.4102/safp.v64i1.5487 https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/5487
  • T Hlongwane, T Cronje, S Nkosi, R Pattinson. Use of umbilical artery Doppler to prevent unexplained stillbirths in low-risk pregnancies. BJOG-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY 128, 92-93 06 June 2021. DOI/10.1111/1471-0528.7_16715
  • Hlongwane TM, Cronje T, Nkosi BS, Pattinson RC. The prevalence of abnormal Doppler's of the umbilical artery in a low-risk pregnant population in South Africa. EClinicalMedicine. 2021 Mar 18:100792. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2021.100792
  • Hlongwane TM, Bozkurt B, Barreix MC, Pattinson R, Gülmezoglu M, Vannevel V, Tunçalp Ö. Implementing antenatal care recommendations, South Africa. Bull World Health Organ. 2021 Mar 1;99(3):220-227. doi: 10.2471/BLT.20.278945. Epub 2021 Jan 21. PMID: 33716344; PMCID: PMC7941100. doi: https://doi.org/10.2471/BLT.20.278945

Currently registered doctoral students:

Dr Reuben Musarandega

PhD in epidemiology, University of Pretoria

Title: Analytic study of the Epidemiology of maternal mortality in Zimbabwe

Supervisors: Prof RC Pattinson (University of Pretoria); Prof Stephen Manjanja (University of Zimbabwe); Dr. Rhoderick Machekano (Stellenbosch University)

Publications:

  • Musarandega R, Ngwenya S, Murewanhema G, Machekano R, Magwali T, Nystrom L, Pattinson R, Munjanja S. Changes in causes of pregnancy-related and maternal mortality in Zimbabwe 2007-08 to 2018-19: findings from two reproductive age mortality surveys. BMC Public Health. 2022 May;22(1):1-1 DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13321-7
  • Musarandega R, Machekano R, Munjanja SP, Pattinson R. Methods used to measure maternal mortality in Sub‐Saharan Africa from 1980 to 2020: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics. 2022 Feb;156(2):206-15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.13695
  • Musarandega R, Machekano R, Pattinson R, Munjanja SP, Zimbabwe Maternal and Perinatal Mortality Study (ZMPMS) group. Protocol for analysing the epidemiology of maternal mortality in Zimbabwe: A civil registration and vital statistics trend study. PloS one. 2021 Jun 3;16(6):e0252106.  https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.02521…

Ms Marlene Gilfillian

PhD in Human Nutrition, University of Pretoria

Title: The influence of changing maternal body composition on intrauterine growth and birth outcome in a cohort of HIV infected RVD exposed women and HIV uninfected women in the South of Tshwane.

Supervisors: Prof Friede Wenhold (Human Nutrition, University of Pretoria); Prof Ute Feucht (Paediatrics, University of Pretoria)

Dr Phumudzo Tshiambara (Mamphwe)

PhD in Human Nutrition, University of Pretoria

Title: Growth, infant feeding and haemoglobin levels in 6 to 12-month old infants exposed and unexposed to maternal HIV status in a Peri-Urban area in Gauteng Province, South Africa

Supervisors: Dr Marinel Hoffman (Food Sciences, University of Pretoria); Prof Ute Feucht (Paediatrics, University of Pretoria)

Publications:

  • Phumudzo Tshiambara, Marinel Hoffman, Heather Legodi, Tanita Botha, Helen Mulol, Pedro Pisa, Ute Feucht - Comparison of Feeding Practices and Growth of Urbanized African Infants Aged 6–12 Months Old by Maternal HIV Status in Gauteng Province, South Africa https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15061500
  • Mamphwe P, Hoffman M, Feucht* U. Association between anaemia, anthropometric status and feeding practices in 6-12 month old infants living in an HIV-exposed environment. Poster presentation. 14th International SAAFECS conference. 3-5 March 2020, Pretoria, South Africa.
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Ms Louise du Toit

PhD in Medical Immunology, University of Pretoria

Title: Metabolic alterations in HIV-infected and -uninfected mothers and their infants.

Supervisors: Prof Theresa Rossouw (University of Pretoria); Prof Roan Louw (North-West University)

Publications:

  • du Toit LDV, Prinsloo A, Steel HC, Feucht U, Louw R, Rossouw TM. Immune and Metabolic Alterations in Children with Perinatal HIV Exposure. Viruses. 2023 Jan; 15(2):279. https://doi.org/10.3390/v15020279
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Andrea Prinsloo

PhD in Medical Immunology, University of Pretoria

Title:  The effects of in-utero HIV and antiretroviral therapy exposure on infant T-cell and monocyte  activation, function and regulation of immune-modulatory pathways

Supervisors:  Prof Theresa Rossouw & Dr Helen Steel (University of Pretoria)

Publication:

  • Immune and metabolic alterations in children with perinatal HIV exposure. du Toit, L.D.V.; Prinsloo, A.; Steel, H.C.; Feucht, U.; Louw, R.; Rossouw, T.M. Immune and Metabolic Alterations in Children with Perinatal HIV Exposure. Viruses 2023, 15, 279. https://doi.org/10.3390/v15020279

Sanja Nel

PhD in Dietetics, University of Pretoria

Title:  Postnatal growth and body composition up to two years of age of infants with intrauterine growth restriction, placental insufficiency and/or small size for gestational age at birth

Supervisor:  Prof Ute Feucht and Prof Wenhold  (University of Pretoria)

Publication:

  • Nel S, Feucht UD, Mulol H, Wenhold FAM.  Association of Prenatal Placental Function with Anthropometry and Body Composition through 2 years of Age in South African Infants: The UmbiBaby Study. The Journal of Nutrition. 2023; 153:958-969. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.02.007
  • Nel S, Feucht UD, Nel AL, Becker PJ, Wenhold FA. A novel screening tool to predict severe acute malnutrition through automated monitoring of weight‐for‐age growth curves. Maternal & Child Nutrition. 2022 May 19:e13364.  https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13364.
  • Nel S, Feucht UD, Nel A, Becker PJ, Wenhold FA. The ability of an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) to Predict Paediatric Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) from Routine Growth Curves. Available at SSRN 3728572.

Mr Mothusi Nyofane

PhD in Nutrition, University of Pretoria

Title: Growth and neurodevelopmental outcomes of 18-month-old children with in-utero growth restriction due to placental insufficiency as measured by umbilical artery Doppler examination during pregnancy, and as modified by maternal HIV status

Supervisors: Dr Marinel Hoffman (Food Science, University of Pretoria) and Prof Ute Feucht (Paediatrics, University of Pretoria)

Publications:

  • Nyofane, M.; Hoffman, M.; Mulol, H.; Botha, T.; Vannevel, V.; Pattinson, R.; Feucht, U. Early Childhood Growth Parameters in South African Children with Exposure to Maternal HIV Infection and Placental Insufficiency. Viruses 2022 Dec 14, 2745. https://doi.org/10.3390/v14122745

Dr Felicia Molokoane

PhD in Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Title: The impact of maternal HIV status and antiretroviral treatment on foetal growth, uteroplacental blood flow and pregnancy outcomes

Promoters:  Prof UD Feucht and Prof RC Pattinson

Prof Jeané Cloete

PhD in Paediatrics

Supervisors: Prof Ameena Goga (Paediatrics), Prof Ute Feucht (Paediatrics, UP), Prof Theresa Rossouw (UP Immunology)

Publication:

  • Paediatric hospitalisations due to COVID-19 during the first SARS-CoV-2 omicron (B.1.1.529) variant wave in South Africa: a multicentre observational study. The Lancet. Child & Adolescent Health, 18 Feb 2022, 6(5):294-302. DOI: 10.1016/s2352-4642(22)00027-x 
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Ms Tsholofelo Adelekan

PhD in Public Health

Provisional title:  Development of a Framework to Improve Maternal and Neonatal Patient Safety and Outcomes using a Human Factor Systems Approach in Gauteng Province, South Africa

Supervisors:  Prof Ute Feucht (Paediatrics, UP), Prof Lekan Ayo-Yusuf (Public Health, UP)

Prof Jeané Cloete

PhD in Paediatrics

Supervisors: Prof Ameena Goga (Paediatrics), Prof Ute Feucht (Paediatrics, UP), Prof Theresa Rossouw (UP Immunology)

Publication:

  • Paediatric hospitalisations due to COVID-19 during the first SARS-CoV-2 omicron (B.1.1.529) variant wave in South Africa: a multicentre observational study. The Lancet. Child & Adolescent Health, 18 Feb 2022, 6(5):294-302. DOI: 10.1016/s2352-4642(22)00027-x