Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
Assistant Chair of Research and Academic Affairs, Women’s and Children’s Institute
Director of Quality and Safety, Graduate Medical Education, Geisinger
LOCATION(S)
Geisinger Medical Center
100 North Academy Avenue
Danville, PA 17822
570-271-8160
Fax: 570-214-9029
admackeen@geisinger.edu
A. Dhanya Mackeen, MD, MPH, FACOG, CPE
Research Interests
Dr. A. Dhanya Mackeen is a maternal-fetal medicine subspecialist and serves as the assistant chair of research and academic affairs for the Women’s and Children’s Institute and the graduate medical education quality and safety director. Dr. Mackeen completed a dual BA/MD program at Rutgers University and the University of Medicine and Dentistry in New Jersey (UMDNJ) – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. After completion of her BA, she was accepted into a second accelerated dual degree MD/MPH program. She graduated as valedictorian (magna cum laude) of the UMDNJ – School of Public Health with an MPH (epidemiology concentration). After graduation from medical school summa cum laude, she completed her obstetrics and gynecology residency training at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington and her maternal-fetal medicine fellowship training at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. After completion of her fellowship training, she joined Geisinger in 2012.
Dr. Mackeen is a professor of obstetrics and gynecology for Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. Her primary focus as a clinician-scientist is to improve maternal and infant health outcomes by contributing to evidence-based practice. She has an established track record in developing best practice of care for pregnant patients. Her research portfolio includes work on teaching appropriate gestational weight gain to decrease pregnancy morbidity, decreasing opioid use postpartum, decreasing wound morbidity post-cesarean delivery, decreasing infectious morbidity in the setting of prelabor rupture of membranes, and optimizing evaluation of the growth-restricted fetus to decrease fetal loss. She has published more than 50 related peer-reviewed manuscripts.
Dr. Mackeen has served as a reviewer for the highest impact journals in the obstetrics field and is an editor for the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Maternal-Fetal Medicine (AJOG MFM) and the American Journal of Medical Quality (AJMQ). Dr. Mackeen has received numerous accolades for teaching, leadership and research. Her 2018 Green Journal study, entitled “Foley plus oxytocin compared with oxytocin for induction after membrane rupture: a randomized controlled study,” won the prestigious Roy M. Pitkin award from the Obstetrics and Gynecology journal. Additionally, Dr. Mackeen has written the cesarean chapters in the top obstetric text (“Gabbe Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies”) and one of the top maternal-fetal medicine texts (“Berghella’s evidence based guideline series”). Due to her expertise, she was invited to the World Health Organization’s Working Group on Cesarean Section. Dr. Mackeen is an expert in evidence-based obstetric practices, especially with regards to cesarean delivery, labor management and improving maternal outcomes.
Currently Dr. Mackeen directs the OB-GYN residency and MFM fellowship research curricula that she instituted several years ago for Geisinger residents, fellows, and interested faculty mentors. The curricula are designed to increase trainee involvement in research with the optimization of patient care and outcomes at the core of the clinical research efforts.
Select Publications
1. Mackeen AD, Khalifeh A, Fleisher J, Vogell A, Han C, Sendecki J, Pettker C, Leiby B, Baxter JK, Sfakianaki A, Berghella V. Suture compared with staple skin closure after cesarean delivery: a randomized controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol, 2014 June, vol 123(6): 1169-1175. PMID: 24807325.
2. Mackeen AD, Khalifeh A, Fleisher J, Han C, Leiby B, Berghella V. Pain associated with cesarean delivery skin closure: secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol, 2015 Oct, vol 126(4): 702-7. PMID: 26348166.
3. Schuster M, Madueke-Laveaux OS, Mackeen AD, Feng W, Paglia MJ. The effect of the MFM obesity protocol on cesarean delivery rates. Amer J Obstet Gynecol, 2016 Oct, vol 215(4): 492.e1-6. PMID 27177524.
4. Mackeen AD, Durie DE, Lin M, Huls CK, Qureshey E, Paglia MJ, Sun H, Sciscione A. Foley plus oxytocin versus oxytocin for induction after membrane rupture: a randomized trial. Obstet Gynecol, 2018 Jan, vol 131(1): 1-8. PMID: 29215519.
5. Symons Downs D, Pauley AM, Leonard KS, Satti M, Cumbo N, Teti I, Stephens M, Corr T, Roeser R, Deimling T, Legro RS, Pauli JM, Mackeen AD, & Bailey Davis L. Obstetric physicians’ beliefs and knowledge on guidelines and screening tools to reduce opioid use after childbirth. Obstet Gynecol, 2021 Feb 1; 137(2): 325-333. PMID: 33416288.
6. Mackeen AD, Quinn S, Movva V, Berghella V, Ananth CV. Intracervical balloon catheter for labor induction after rupture of membranes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Obstet Gynecol, 2021 Jun; 224(6): 624-28. [Epub 2021 Mar 6]. PMID: 33689751.
7. Mackeen AD, Young AJ, Lutcher S, Hetherington V, Mowery J, Symons Downs D; Bailey-Davis L. Encouraging appropriate gestational weight gain in high-risk gravida: a randomized controlled trial. Obesity Science & Practice, 2021 Sep 12:1-11.
8. Satti MS, Reed EG, Wenker ES, Mitchell SL, Schulkin J, Power M, Mackeen AD. Factors that shape pregnant women’s perceptions regarding the safety of cannabis use during pregnancy. J Cannabis Res, 2022 Apr 6; 4(1): 16. PMID: 35387682.
9. Mackeen AD, Vigh RS, Bailey-Davis L, Satti M, Cumbo N, Pauley AM, Leonard KS, Stephens M, Corr TE, Roeser R, Deimling T, Legro RS, Pauli JM, Symons Downs D. Obstetricians’ prescribing practices for pain management after delivery. Pain Management, 2022 Jul; 12(5): 645-652. PMID: 35289656.
10. Mackeen AD, Sullivan MV, Schuster M, Berghella V. Suture compared with staples for skin closure after cesarean delivery: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Obstet Gynecol, 2022, Aug 1: 140(2): 293-303. PMID 35852281.
11. Angras K, Boyd VE, Gray C, Young AJ, Paglia MJ, Mackeen AD. Retrospective application of algorithms to improve identification of pregnancy outcomes from the electronic health record. J Perinatol, 2023 Jan; 43(1): 10-14. PMID: 36050515.
12. Pauley AM, Leonard KS, Cumbo N, Teti IF, Pauli JM, Satti M, Stephens M, Corr T, Roeser RW, Legro RS, Mackeen AD, Bailey-Davis L, Symons Downs D. Women's beliefs of pain after childbirth: Critical insight for promotion behavioral strategies to regulate pain and reduce risks for maternal mortality. Patient Educ Couns, 2023 Feb; 107. PMID: 36410313.
13. Gillenwater J, Rep M, Troy AB, Power ML, Vigh RS, Mackeen AD. Patient satisfaction with telemedicine experience in Maternal-Fetal Medicine and patient characteristics associated with enhanced satisfaction. Telemed J E Health, [Epub 2023 Jul 19]. PMID: 37466478.
14. Sullivan M, Young AJ, Pawar P, Mackeen AD, Paglia MJ. Induction of labor with prostaglandins for pregnancies with small for gestational age neonates. AJOG MFM, 2023 Nov; 5(11): 101169. PMID: 37777069.
Education
MPH, University of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Public Health, 2001-2003
MD, University of Medicine and Dentistry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 2001-2005
Ob/Gyn Residency, University of Connecticut Health Center, 2005-2009
Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 2009-2012
Select Awards
Maternal-Fetal Medicine Research Award (TJUH), 2012
Faculty Teaching Award (Geisinger), 2013, 2016, 2017
Faculty Award for Leadership, 2021
Faculty Award for Research Mentorship, 2023