In Honor of Menachem Miodovnik, MD, Who Devoted His Career to Improving Lives

Menachem Miodovnik, MD

It is with profound sorrow and deep admiration that we, the organizing committee of the Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group of North America (DPSG-NA), dedicate this issue to the life and legacy of our dear friend and colleague, Dr. Menachem Miodovnik. His passing is a tremendous loss to the field of maternal–fetal medicine, to the academic community, and to all of us who had the privilege of knowing him—not only as a brilliant physician-scientist but as a man of extraordinary character, warmth, and vision.

In 1998, Dr. Miodovnik, the late Oded Langer, MD, PhD, and E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, decided to form DPSG-NA to advance collaboration and research that would improve the lives of those affected by diabetes in pregnancy. Since its inception, DPSG-NA has brought together hundreds of experts whose work touches upon research, education, and clinical care in this field, catalyzing new research directions and launching careers of young investigators. In 2019, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award—a recognition of his decades-long commitment to the organization and its mission.

Born in Jerusalem, he studied philosophy, Arabic, and international relations, aspiring to become Israel's first ambassador to Egypt. However, his service as a medic and paratrooper during the “6-day” and “Yom Kippur” wars profoundly shaped his worldview and inspired him to pursue medicine—a decision that would ultimately benefit generations of women and children across the globe.

After earning his medical degree from the Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, He completed his fellowship in maternal–fetal medicine at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. From there, he embarked on a distinguished academic career, holding professorships at the University of Cincinnati, Columbia University, Georgetown University, and the University of Maryland. He served as Chair of Women's Services at Washington Hospital Center and later as a medical officer at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Even in retirement, he continued to consult and mentor young investigators, most recently at the Inova Health System.

He was a pioneer in studying the effects of type 1 diabetes on pregnancy outcomes. His multi-decade NIH-funded longitudinal research followed women with type 1 diabetes through pregnancy and into the lives of their children and grandchildren—an unprecedented effort that provided critical insights into maternal and fetal health. His work helped define clinical guidelines for managing diabetes in pregnancy, influencing how obstetricians and maternal–fetal physicians monitor and treat high-risk patients. His research spanned the continuum of bench-to-bedside, investigating mechanisms underlying high-risk pregnancies, the interplay between maternal metabolism and fetal development, and the transgenerational effects of glycemic control in pregnancy. He was deeply concerned over the global obesity epidemic and the concomitant increase in pregestational diabetes, pushing for more research on the longer-term effects on the health of women and children—the six trimesters of pregnancy, as he called it. He was a master collaborator, engaging epidemiologists, neonatologists, endocrinologists, biostatisticians, and others, reflecting a deep commitment to depth, rigor, and interdisciplinary science.

He authored hundreds of peer-reviewed publications and was a scholar of the highest order, but he was also a mentor, a builder of institutions, and a connector of people. He was passionate about bringing younger physicians and researchers into the fold, always generous with his time and deeply committed to their professional growth. He has mentored countless physicians and scientists over his long career and was actively planning our 2025 DPSG-NA meeting, including a poster session for early-career investigators, at the time of his passing. In addition to the DPSG-NA Lifetime Achievement Award, he has been recognized by the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Nutrition's Pediatric Award, the National Perinatal Association Models of Care Award, and the American Association of Birth Centers' Collaborating Physician Award, among other honors.

On a personal level, he was a treasured friend. He challenged conventional thinking, pushed for excellence, and was not afraid of a lively debate. He was intellectually rigorous, passionate, and unapologetically honest. He was also a man of deep personal conviction.

Above all, he was devoted to his family. His beloved wife Victoria, their children Ayal, Amir, Jason, Christina, and Matt, and their grandchildren Olivia, Ella, Ariella, Gabriel, and Jonathan were the center of his world.

We have lost a giant in our field, but we have gained a legacy that will endure. His life was a masterclass in purpose, compassion, and excellence. His work lives on in the patients he cared for, the professionals he mentored, the colleagues he inspired, and the family he cherished.

Publication History

Article published online:
06 November 2025