Alexander Butwick, MBBS, MS
Professor
Anesthesia
School of Medicine

alexander.butwick@ucsf.edu

I study how we can close the gap between what we know and what we do in managing severe maternal complications such as postpartum hemorrhage. My research focuses on developing strategies to improve clinical preparedness, response, and decision-making in the prevention and management of postpartum hemorrhage.

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This work spans clinical, health services, and epidemiologic research, including studies on blood product use, peripartum coagulation dynamics, and the application of point-of-care technologies such as thromboelastography. I also examine population-level patterns in labor epidural analgesia use, investigating how clinical, demographic, and systemic factors shape access and decision-making, alongside research on maternal complications such as hypertensive disorders and peripartum mental health.

My research has been published in JAMA Pediatrics, Anesthesiology, and AJOG, and has contributed to both clinical practice and public dialogue, including features in The New York Times.

My work aims to generate evidence that improves maternal outcomes and informs policy, clinical practice, and education in obstetric anesthesiology.

Awards

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  • Hospital Commendation for Exceptional Clinical Care, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford, 2022
  • Best Data Analysis Study Abstract, Annual Research Meeting, Dept of Anesthesia, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine, Stanford, 2018
  • 3rd Prize, Best Scientific Paper, Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology Annual Meeting, 2018
  • Outstanding Interdepartmental Faculty Professor Award, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 2015
  • Gerard W. Ostheimer Lecture, Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology Annual Meeting, 2012
  • Outstanding Interdepartmental Faculty Professor Award, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 2011
  • Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence, Department of Anesthesia, Stanford University School of Medicine, 2008

Education & Training

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  • Obstetric Anesthesiology Stanford University School of Medicine 12/05
  • MS Epidemiology Stanford University 08/11
  • FRCA Anesthesiology Fellow of Royal College of Anaesthetists (UK) 07/03
  • MBBS Medicine St. George's Hospital Medical School 01/97

Interests

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  • Obstetric hemorrhage
  • Epidural labor analgesia
  • Transfusion
  • Obstetric epidemiology
  • Maternal morbidity

Websites

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Grants and Projects

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Publications (160)

Top publication keywords:
Labor, ObstetricPregnancyUterine InertiaOxytocicsPlacenta AccretaAnalgesia, ObstetricalMaternal HealthBlood CoagulationThrombelastographyAnesthesia, ObstetricalDelivery, ObstetricCesarean SectionAnesthesia, SpinalPostpartum HemorrhageAnalgesia, Epidural

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