How can we make pregnancy and childbirth safer for every family? Led by Dr. Brock E. Polnaszek a board-certified subspecialist in maternal fetal medicine and public health at the Medical College of Wisconsin, our lab studies how management decisions, interventions, and systems of care shape outcomes for parents and their babies. Our work spans before pregnancy, during pregnancy, labor and delivery, fetal monitoring, newborn health, and the ways geography and social conditions influence pregnancy outcomes.
We ask questions that matter for clinicians and patients alike and study how the answers can improve pregnancy care, with a focus on reducing unanticipated complications for parents and their babies. In a project supported by a 2026 Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Momentum Grant, Dr. Polnaszek leads a team working on developing, implementing and expanding a workforce model for second stage cesarean delivery, with the goal of improving outcomes when a cesarean is needed late in labor.
Dr. Polnaszek brings experience in high-risk obstetrics together with training in clinical research and public health. For students, trainees, and collaborators, the lab offers the chance to pursue meaningful research questions, providing the clinical perspective and aims to help provide evidence to advance the care of families not only locally, but at a state and national level.
Handrich, Chloe
Clinical Research Coordinator - Dr. Brock Polnaszek’s Lab
Amnioinfusion's Protective Effects on Respiratory and Longitudinal Pediatric Outcomes After Intrapartum Thick Meconium Exposure (PEARL)
A Randomized Trial of Amnioinfusion’s Protective Effects on Respiratory and Longitudinal Pediatric Outcomes After Intrapartum Meconium Exposure.
Funded by the Gerber foundation, the main goal is to determine whether a warm amnioinfusion during labor reduces short-term breathing problems in newborns exposed to meconium-stained amniotic fluid.
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Amnioinfusion for Chorioamnionitis: A Randomized Trial Targeting Neonatal Brain Injury Biomarkers (AMNIO-BRAIN)
Funded by the Timarac Science in Action Award, the AMNIO-BRAIN Trial is designed to investigate whether intrapartum amnioinfusion, administered during labor, for patients with clinical chorioamnionitis can reduce molecular biomarkers of neonatal brain injury at birth.
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Prospective Evaluation of PDGF-BB as a Biomarker for Postpartum Hemorrhage Risk
Funded by Research Affairs Committee, the goal of this project is to prospectively evaluate PDGF-BB as a biomarker for PPH risk and determine whether it improves prediction beyond standard clinical risk assessment.
Implementing and Scaling a RE-AIM-Guided Workforce Model for Second Stage Cesarean Delivery
Funded by Advancing Healthier Wisconsin Momentum Grant (00005634,) the goal of this project is to develop and implement a multidisciplinary workforce model for second stage cesarean delivery, when the fetal head is deeply engaged in the pelvis, creating workforce developmental material that can be expanded, shared, and replicated to other hospitals statewide.
Fueling Labor: Protein Supplementation for Intrapartum Glucose Control
A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of High-Protein Supplementation During Labor to Improve Glucose Control in Insulin-Treated Diabetes Using Continuous Glucose Monitoring
This project is being done to evaluate whether protein supplementation in labor improves maternal blood glucose control.
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INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN OUR RESEARCH STUDIES?
Our aim is to improve outcomes and quality of care for mothers and babies. We are looking for research volunteers to participate in our studies and help us improve women’s health. We provide compensation for your time participating in research.
Please reach out to our research team at (414) 955-2376.
| Principal Investigator | Title of Research Study Awards / Publications / Presentations |
|---|---|
| Polnaszek, Brock E., MD, MPH | Intrauterine temperature: Implications for neonatal morbidity *Grant funded by National Institute of Health Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Loan Repayment Program |
| Polnaszek, Brock E., MD, MPH | Amnioinfusion's Protective Effects on Respiratory and Longitudinal Pediatric Outcomes After Intrapartum Thick Meconium Exposure *Grant funded by Gerber Foundation Research |
| Polnaszek, Brock E., MD, MPH | AMNIO-BRAIN: Amnioinfusion for Chorioamnionitis: A Randomized Trial Targeting Neonatal Brain Injury Biomarkers *Grant funded by Timarac Science in Action |
| Polnaszek, Brock E., MD, MPH | Implementing and scaling a RE-AIM Guided Workforce Model for Second Stage Cesarean Delivery *Grant funded by Advancing Healthier Wisconsin (AHW) |
| Polnaszek, Brock E., MD, MPH | Prospective Evaluation of PDGF-BB as a Biomarker for Postpartum Hemorrhage Risk *Grant funded by Research Affairs Committee |