Beatrice Lechner is a neonatologist with a special interest in perinatal palliative care, neonatal bioethics, breastfeeding in the NICU and global neonatal health. She obtained her MD degree from the University of Frankfurt, Germany in 1997. After completing her residency training at Yale University-Bridgeport Hospital and her fellowship training as well as an NIH-funded Pediatric Scientist Development Program fellowship at Brown University Women & Infants Hospital, she joined the Brown faculty in 2006.
| Underhill LA, Barbarita C, Collis S, Tucker R, Lechner BE. "Association of Maternal Versus Fetal Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Status with Poor Pregnancy Outcomes." Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.), 2022. |
| Czynski AJ, Souza M, Lechner BE. "The Mother Baby Comfort Care Pathway: The Development of a Rooming-In-Based Perinatal Palliative Care Program." Advances in neonatal care : official journal of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses, vol. 22, no. 2, 2022, pp. 119-124. |
| Adams SY, Tucker R, Lechner BE. "The new normal: parental use of online health communities in the NICU." Pediatric Research, vol. 91, no. 7, 2022, pp. 1827-1833. |
| Winters R, Hennigan CM, Tucker R, Clark MA, Hawes K, Lechner BE. "Words matter: exploring communication between parents and neonatologists." Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association, vol. 42, no. 6, 2022, pp. 745-751. |
| Adams SY, Davis TW, Lechner BE. "Perspectives on Race and Medicine in the NICU." Pediatrics, vol. 147, no. 3, 2021. |
| Pantham P, Armstrong DL, Bodnariuc J, Haupt O, Johnson AW, Underhill L, Iozzo RV, Lechner BE, Wildman DE. "Transcriptomic profiling of fetal membranes of mice deficient in biglycan and decorin as a model of preterm birth†." Biology of Reproduction, vol. 104, no. 3, 2021, pp. 611-623. |
| Deshommes T, Nagel C, Tucker R, Dorcélus L, Gautier J, Koster MP, Lechner BE. "A Quality Improvement Initiative to Increase Hand Hygiene Awareness and Compliance in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Haiti." Journal of tropical pediatrics, 2020. |
| Bowen R, Lally KM, Pingitore FR, Tucker R, McGowan EC, Lechner BE. "A simulation based difficult conversations intervention for neonatal intensive care unit nurse practitioners: A randomized controlled trial." PLoS ONE, vol. 15, no. 3, 2020, pp. e0229895. |
| Valcin J, Jean-Charles S, Malfa A, Tucker R, Dorcélus L, Gautier J, Koster MP, Lechner BE. "Mortality, morbidity and clinical care in a referral neonatal intensive care unit in Haiti." PLoS ONE, vol. 15, no. 10, 2020, pp. e0240465. |
| Hawes K, Goldstein J, Vessella S, Tucker R, Lechner BE. "Providing Support for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Health Care Professionals: A Bereavement Debriefing Program." American journal of perinatology, 2020. |
| Underhill LA, Avalos N, Tucker R, Zhang Z, Messerlian G, Lechner B. "Serum Decorin and Biglycan as Potential Biomarkers to Predict PPROM in Early Gestation." Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.), 2020. |
| Adams SY, Tucker R, Clark MA, Lechner BE. "Quality of life”: parent and neonatologist perspectives." Journal of Perinatology, vol. 40, no. 12, 2020, pp. 1809-1820. |
| Lechner BE. "Neonatal Organ Donation. Reply." New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 380, no. 8, 2019, pp. 798. |
| Underhill LA, Avalos N, Tucker R, Zhang Z, Messerlian G, Lechner B. "Serum Decorin and Biglycan as Potential Biomarkers to Predict PPROM in Early Gestation." Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.), 2019, pp. 1933719119831790. |
| Lechner BE. "Of Tragedies and Miracles - Neonatal Organ Donation." New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 379, no. 22, 2018, pp. 2089-2091. |
| Gharib S, Fletcher M, Tucker R, Vohr B, Lechner BE. "Effect of Dedicated Lactation Support Services on Breastfeeding Outcomes in Extremely-Low-Birth-Weight Neonates." Journal of human lactation : official journal of International Lactation Consultant Association, 2017, pp. 890334417741304. |
| Lechner, Beatrice E., Vohr, Betty R. "Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Preterm Infants Fed Human Milk: A Systematic Review." Clinics in Perinatology, vol. 44, no. 1, 2017, pp. 69-83. |
| de Miranda de Araujo LB, Horgan CE, Aron A, Iozzo RV, Lechner BE. "Compensatory fetal membrane mechanisms between biglycan and decorin in inflammation." Mol. Reprod. Dev., vol. 82, no. 5, 2015, pp. 387-96. |
| Shelkowitz E, Vessella SL, O'Reilly P, Tucker R, Lechner BE. "Counseling for personal care options at neonatal end of life: a quantitative and qualitative parent survey." BMC Palliative Care, vol. 14, 2015, pp. 70. |
| Samsel, C, Lechner, B E. "End-of-life care in a regional level IV neonatal intensive care unit after implementation of a palliative care initiative." Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association, vol. 35, no. 3, 2015, pp. 223-228. |
| Lechner BE, Shields R, Tucker R, Bender GJ. "Seeking the best training model for difficult conversations in neonatology." Journal of perinatal medicine, 2015. |
| Horgan CE, Roumimper H, Tucker R, Lechner BE. "Altered decorin and Smad expression in human fetal membranes in PPROM." Biology of Reproduction, vol. 91, no. 5, 2014, pp. 105. |
| Wu Z, Horgan CE, Carr O, Owens RT, Iozzo RV, Lechner BE. "Biglycan and decorin differentially regulate signaling in the fetal membranes." Matrix biology : journal of the International Society for Matrix Biology, vol. 35, 2014, pp. 266-75. |
| Amenta AR, Creely HE, Mercado ML, Hagiwara H, McKechnie BA, Lechner BE, Rossi SG, Wang Q, Owens RT, Marrero E, Mei L, Hoch W, Young MF, McQuillan DJ, Rotundo RL, Fallon JR. "Biglycan is an extracellular MuSK binding protein important for synapse stability." Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 32, no. 7, 2012, pp. 2324-34. |
| Wu Z, Aron AW, Macksoud EE, Iozzo RV, Hai CM, Lechner BE. "Uterine dysfunction in biglycan and decorin deficient mice leads to dystocia during parturition." PLoS ONE, vol. 7, no. 1, 2012, pp. e29627. |
| Calmus ML, Macksoud EE, Tucker R, Iozzo RV, Lechner BE. "A mouse model of spontaneous preterm birth based on the genetic ablation of biglycan and decorin." Reproduction (Cambridge, England), vol. 142, no. 1, 2011, pp. 183-94. |
| Lechner BE, Gottlieb AS, Taylor LE. "Effectively mentoring physician-mothers." Academic Medicine, vol. 84, no. 12, 2009, pp. 1643-4. |
| Mercado ML, Amenta AR, Hagiwara H, Rafii MS, Lechner BE, Owens RT, McQuillan DJ, Froehner SC, Fallon JR. "Biglycan regulates the expression and sarcolemmal localization of dystrobrevin, syntrophin, and nNOS." The FASEB Journal, vol. 20, no. 10, 2006, pp. 1724-6. |
| Lechner BE, Lim JH, Mercado ML, Fallon JR. "Developmental regulation of biglycan expression in muscle and tendon." Muscle & nerve, vol. 34, no. 3, 2006, pp. 347-55. |
| Steinbron A, Günes H, Lechner B, Halberstadt E. "[Secretion of inflammatory cytokines and prostaglandins by fetal trophoblast cells induces uterine contraction and labor onset]." Gynakologisch-geburtshilfliche Rundschau, vol. 35 Suppl 1, 1995, pp. 83-7. |
Perinatal palliative care
Of children that die in the United States, over half are infants and of those, over 65% are neonates. Most neonates and infants who die do so in the intensive care unit setting. Thus, a significant number of neonates in the NICU require palliative care services - services that aim to improve the quality of life of infants faced with life-threatening or life-limiting illness. While the numbers of pediatric palliative care programs in the US are increasing in response to the need, dying neonates are receiving less palliative care than pediatric patients and little is known about neonatal palliative care programs or interventions. Furthermore, since neonatologists are the medical providers for most of these neonates, they regularly engage in difficult conversations with parents about therapeutic choices at the limits of viability, redirection of care goals and devastating long-term outcomes. Because of this, it is imperative that neonatologists are skilled in delivering difficult news and knowledgeable about evidence-based communication strategies in conflict situations.Thus, our work has focused on studying various aspects of perinatal palliative care and family centered care, including developing guidelines for the NICU as well as developing a simulation based communication skills workshop for neonatology fellows and supporting breastfeeding in the NICU.
Neonatal global health
The St. Damien Collaborative is a group of 14 North American academic pediatric medical centers that partner with St. Damien Pediatric Hospital in Port au Prince, Haiti, to improve pediatric medical care by providing bidirectional exchange for residents and faculty to improve education, research and patient care. We provide opportunities for trainees to work clinically and perform research with the neonatal team at St. Damien.
"The Role of Biglycan in Reproduction", NICHD K08, 2009-2013
"The Structural and Signaling Roles of Biglycan and Decorin in Gestation", NCRR/NIH COBRE in Perinatal Biology, Pilot Project Investigator 2011-2013
"Biglycan and Decorin’s Contributions to Fetal Membrane Mechanical Properties", Oh Zopfi Professorship Seed Grant 2012-2013
“The Development of a Novel Model for Maternal-Fetal Divergent Genotype Gestation”, Oh Zopfi Professorship Seed Grant 2015-2016
"Role of the Extracellular Matrix in Preterm Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes", NCRR/NIH COBRE in Perinatal Biology, Pilot Project Investigator 2015-2016
"Biglycan and Decorin in PPROM - Mouse Model and Human Disease Biorepository", Oh Zopfi Professorship Seed Grant 2016-2017
"Role of the Extracellular Matrix in Preterm Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes". NCRR/NIGMS COBRE in Perinatal Biology. Pilot Project Investigator 2016-2017
"Extracellular Matrix Mechanisms of PPROM", COBRE for Women’s Reproductive Health. NCRR/NIGMS. Target Investigator 2017-2022
"Development of a biomarker panel for risk assessment of preterm premature rupture of fetal membranes", Oh Zopfi Professorship Seed Grant 2017-2018
"Needs Assessment to Improve Neonatal Intensive Care at St. Damien Children’s Hospital in Tabarre, Haiti", Brown University Global Health Initiative MHIRT grant mentor travel support 6/2017
| Year | Degree | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | MD | University of Frankfurt |
| Education in Palliative and End of Life Care (EPEC) Pediatric Train the Trainer Course | 2014-2015 |
AOA Honor Society 2021
NICHD Pediatric Scientist Development Program Fellowship 2003-2006
Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award, NIH Training Grant 2002-2003
Konrad Adenauer Foundation Scholarship, Frankfurt, Germany 1991-1997
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Bender, G | Adjunct Associate Professor of Pediatrics |
| Hai, Chi-Ming | Professor Emeritus of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology and Biotechnology |
| Hawes, Katheleen | Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics |
| McGowan, Elisabeth | Associate Professor of Pediatrics |
| Messerlian, Geralyn | Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine |
| Vohr, Betty | Professor of Pediatrics |
American Academy of Pediatrics
Society for Pediatric Research
Eastern Society for Pediatric Research
St. Damien Collaborative
| board certification in neonatal-perinatal medicine | American Board of Pediatrics, Neonatal-perinatal medicine | 2008-2021 | |
| board certification in pediatrics | 2002-2021 |
| Director of Perinatal Palliative Care. Brown University & Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, 2020- |
| Associate Editor - Palliative Care and Ethics. Pediatric Research, 2020- |
| Associate Director of Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship Program. Brown University & Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, 2020- |
