About

Shauna F. Williams, MD, is an Associate Professor of Clinical Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Health at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. She is a Maternal-Fetal Medicine subspecialist who manages pregnancies with medical complications and serves as the program director for the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship Program. Dr. Williams completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Biological Basis of Behavior, and her medical degree at UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School. She completed her residency and fellowship training at the same institution, specializing in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and subsequently in Maternal-Fetal Medicine. She is board certified in both Obstetrics and Gynecology and Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Her clinical interests include medical complications in pregnancy, management of labor and delivery, and preterm labor. Dr. Williams's research focuses on high-risk pregnancies, particularly medical complications such as hypertensive disorders and diabetes, and she has participated in industry-sponsored clinical trials addressing treatment options for these conditions. She is affiliated with University Hospital in Newark and participates in various insurance networks.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Obstetrics
• Pediatrics
• Gynecology
• Internal medicine

Selected publications

• Extracellular Vesicles from Healthy Placenta Stem Cells Restored the Immune Licensing Function of Preeclamptic Placenta Stem Cells

  International Journal of Translational Science · 2026-02-17

  articleOpen access

  Preeclampsia (PE) contributes to pregnancy-related morbidity and mortality, with enhanced inflammation. Healthy placenta stem cells (P-MSCs) can be licensed into immune suppressor cells to mitigate inflammation. Since PE is associated with inflammation, the question is why the associated P-MSCs cannot suppress the response. PE P-MSCs have been shown to be dysfunctional with respect to decreased anti-inflammatory response, cell cycle dysregulation, and reduced production of immune suppressive cytokines. Aspirin (ASA) treatment partly reversed these dysfunctions via epigenetic reprogramming. We tested the hypothesis that extracellular vesicles (EVs) from healthy P-MSC could reset PE P-MSCs to a healthy phenotype, including cell cycle dysregulation and anti-inflammatory licensing. EVs from healthy MSCs were collected and the number of particles quantified. The isolated EVs were added to PE P-MSCs. Control cultures treated the PE P-MSCs with 1 mM ASA. The treated cells were assessed for the epigene regulator TDG and cell cycle linked CDK4, p21, and p53 by western blot, or assessed as third-party suppression in a one-way mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). EV- and ASA-treated PE P-MSC suppressed MLR, similar to healthy P-MSCs. However, an evaluation of p21, CDK4, p53, and TDG suggested that EVs impart a more stable restoration of PE P-MSCs when exposed to healthy EVs. This study provides insights into the method by which healthy P-MSCs can function to restore PE P-MSCs, and in vivo microenvironmental restoration.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• When the path is blocked: A case of a transverse vaginal septum diagnosed in labor

  International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics · 2025-11-14

  articleOpen access

  Transverse vaginal septa are rare, with incidence estimated to be between 1 in 30 000 to 1 in 84 000 people. Despite much literature in the gynecologic setting, there is little guidance about how to manage them when diagnosed in labor. A 23-year-old G1P000 patient presented to Labor and Delivery at 40 weeks 0 days with contractions and vaginal bleeding. A sterile bimanual exam found a blind vaginal ending, with no identifiable cervix. A point of care transvaginal ultrasound showed a transverse septum that measured 0.39 cm in thickness, with a normal cervix behind the septum. The patient was offered an exam under anesthesia with possible septum resection or primary cesarean delivery. She elected for an exam under anesthesia, which revealed a small area of dimpling on the septum. This was bluntly dissected along the scar of the previous resection, without hemorrhage or other complications. Subsequently, the cervix was identified, and the exam was 5 cm dilated, 80% effaced. The patient progressed to an uncomplicated vaginal delivery with no hemorrhage noted in the antepartum or postpartum period. Though there is no consensus or official recommendation for how to manage transverse vaginal septa during labor, there is a concern that a transverse vaginal septum during labor can lead to bleeding or obstructed labor, which can potentially result in uterine rupture. Our patient was diagnosed via transvaginal ultrasound, allowing for blunt dissection and ultimately an uncomplicated vaginal delivery; and this option should be considered for such patients identified in the intrapartum period.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Cascade of Care for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Latent Tuberculosis Infection in an Inner-City Hospital Prenatal Clinic

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2025-01-01

  preprintOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Outpatient treatment of Hypertensive Urgency in Pregnant and Postpartum Patients

  Journal of the National Medical Association · 2025-09-01

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Usability and acceptability of a mobile application prototype for managing hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: A mixed methods evaluation

  Preventive Medicine Reports · 2025-05-15

  articleOpen access

  Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) contribute to maternal mortality and morbidity globally. Mobile health technologies may improve HDP management through patient education, facilitating patient-provider communication, and supporting blood pressure self-monitoring through tailored feedback and reminder prompts. Our objective was to understand the digital health needs of women with HDP from low-socioeconomic backgrounds. An interactive HDP management digital prototype was developed and evaluated through usability and acceptability testing. Participants included nine pregnant or postpartum women with diagnosed HDP and three maternal-fetal medicine specialists, recruited from two clinics in a predominantly low-income city, Newark, N.J., in 2024 The Technology Acceptance Model was used to guide the assessment of the prototype's acceptability and usability. Data were collected from interviews, a digital literacy questionnaire, and a system usability questionnaire, with quantitative data analyzed descriptively and qualitative data through content analysis. The median gestational age among pregnant women was 22.0 (17.0, 29.0) weeks, with 89 % identifying as Black/African American. Most women (78 %) reported moderate or high digital health literacy. The mean System Usability score was 81 ± 17, indicating good usability. Three themes were identified: high acceptability and usability, the importance of tailored feedback, and the need for real-time provider-patient communication to support treatment decisions. These findings indicate a high acceptability and usability of a digital application for HDP management and home blood pressure monitoring among pregnant and postpartum women diagnosed with HDP and their providers in a low-income urban setting. • We used person-centered testing for a hypertensive disorders of pregnancy application. • Our app prototype for HDP demonstrated high acceptability and usability. • Timely and tailored feedback on BP readings contributed to app acceptability. • Interoperability with electronic health records is key for an effective HDP app. • HDP apps can enhance but not replace vital provider-patient communication and care.

  PublisherDOI

• Cascade of care for the diagnosis and treatment of latent tuberculosis infection in an inner-city hospital prenatal clinic

  Journal of Clinical Tuberculosis and Other Mycobacterial Diseases · 2025-04-18

  articleOpen access

  Treating latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is a core intervention in reducing the burden of tuberculosis. Treatment for LTBI is challenging due to the many steps in the process, collectively termed the cascade of care. In pregnant patients with LTBI, these challenges are heightened due to the medical and social intricacies introduced by pregnancy. In this study, we evaluate the effectiveness of a screening intervention for LTBI in the prenatal clinic of an inner-city hospital in the United States, and analyze the cascade of care to identify areas for improvement. Of the n = 99 patients who had a positive QuantiFERON Gold Test (QFN), 96.7 % had a chest x-ray (CXR) ordered by their provider, 95.6 % completed the CXR, 82.8 % were referred to the TB clinic, 44.4 % scheduled an appointment with the TB clinic, 23.2 % attended an appointment at the TB clinic, 21.2 % started medical treatment of LTBI, and 17.2 % completed LTBI treatment. Together this data shows that majority of patients in the prenatal clinic with a positive QFN do not complete LTBI treatment. Most patients are lost during the steps that transition them from obstetric care to the care of the TB clinic. Improving the cascade of care for LTBI will require increased education of patients on the importance of treating LTBI, and improving the process that transitions patients from obstetric care to the care of the TB clinic.

  PublisherDOI

• Association of Mean Arterial, Systolic, and Diastolic Blood Pressure Trends in Early Pregnancy With Superimposed Preeclampsia With Severe Features in Pregnancies Complicated by Chronic Hypertension

  O&G Open · 2025-10-16

  articleOpen access

  OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of longitudinal systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) in early pregnancy with later development of superimposed preeclampsia with severe features in pregnancies complicated by mild chronic hypertension. METHODS: This secondary analysis used data from the CHAP (Chronic Hypertension and Pregnancy) trial, a multicenter randomized controlled trial that involved pregnant individuals with chronic hypertension. Participants were categorized based on the development of superimposed preeclampsia with severe features. Longitudinal blood pressure measurements from enrollment to the development of superimposed preeclampsia with severe features or delivery were assessed using regression models. Separate models were created for SBP, DBP, and MAP to evaluate their associations with the primary outcome. Predictive performance was assessed using area under the curve (AUC) values, the integrated calibration index, and a Brier score. RESULTS: Of 2,316 individuals with chronic hypertension, 600 (25.9%) developed superimposed preeclampsia with severe features. Higher SBP, DBP, and MAP all were associated with superimposed preeclampsia with severe features, with MAP demonstrating the strongest association. Adjusted hazard ratios (HR) indicated that increased MAP, SBP, and DBP were significantly associated with the risk of superimposed preeclampsia with severe features (eg, adjusted HR 1.1556 [95% credible interval: 1.1332–1.1784] per mm Hg increase in MAP). Although MAP showed slightly better predictive metrics compared with SBP and DBP, overall predictive precision remained moderate. The lowest Brier score and highest AUC values were observed for MAP models, though differences among blood pressure metrics were minimal. CONCLUSION: In pregnancies complicated by chronic hypertension, longitudinal MAP trends provide a stronger association with superimposed preeclampsia with severe features compared with SBP or DBP. Although predictive performance was only moderate, these findings support the consideration of MAP as an important component of vital sign monitoring in prenatal care. Further research is warranted to refine risk prediction models through the integration of additional clinical and biomarker data. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02299414.

  PublisherDOI

• Relationship Between Third-Trimester Low Maternal Blood Pressure and Small-for-Gestational-Age Birth Weight in Pregnant Individuals With Mild Chronic Hypertension

  Obstetrics and Gynecology · 2025-07-10

  article

  OBJECTIVE: To estimate the association between third-trimester maternal low blood pressure (BP) and delivery of a neonate with small-for-gestational-age (SGA) birth weight in patients treated for mild chronic hypertension. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of the CHAP (Chronic Hypertension and Pregnancy) study, which randomized pregnant participants with mild chronic hypertension to treatment to achieve goal BP below 140/90 mm Hg compared with usual care. We calculated mean systolic and diastolic BPs between 28 and 34 weeks of gestation and excluded those with systolic BP of 140 mm Hg or higher or diastolic BP of 90 mm Hg or higher. We defined low BP as mean systolic BP below 110 and mean diastolic BP below 70 mm Hg or mean arterial pressure below 80 mm Hg and compared those individuals with participants with mean systolic BP of 110-139 mm Hg or mean diastolic BP of 71-89 mm Hg or both or mean arterial pressure of 80 mm Hg or higher. Our primary outcome was delivery of a neonate with SGA birth weight (birth weight below the 5th percentile). Logistic regression estimated the association between low BP and SGA birth weight, and adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% CIs were reported. RESULTS: Of 2,408 CHAP participants, 1,205 (50.0%) met analysis criteria. Of those 1,205, 31 (2.6%) had low BP and 1,174 (97.4%) had mean BP 110/70-139/89 mm Hg; 33 (2.7%) had mean arterial pressure below 80 mm Hg, and 1,172 (97.3%) had mean arterial pressure of 80 mm Hg or higher. Having a neonate with SGA birth weight below the 5th percentile occurred in 62 participants (5.1%): 1 of the 31 (3.2%) with BP below 110/70 mm Hg and 1 of the 33 (3.0%) with mean arterial pressure below 80 mm Hg. There was no significant association between delivery of a neonate with SGA birth weight less than the 5th percentile and low BP by either mean systolic BP and mean diastolic BP (aOR 0.46, 95% CI, 0.06-3.58) or mean arterial pressure (aOR 0.53, 95% CI, 0.07-4.01). We found a nonlinear relationship between mean arterial pressure and delivery of a neonate with SGA birth weight less than the 5th percentile, and, as mean arterial pressure decreased, there was lower probability of having a neonate with SGA birth weight ( P =.02). CONCLUSION: Pharmacologic treatment of mild chronic hypertension infrequently results in low BP and does not appear to be associated with delivery of a neonate with SGA birth weight less than the 5th percentile for birth weight.

  PublisherDOI

• A Machine Learning Framework to Quantify Postprandial Glucose Responses in Gestational Diabetes

  Diabetes Technology and Obesity Medicine · 2025-03-01 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  Objective: To develop a machine learning (ML) framework to identify postprandial glucose responses (PPGR) automatically from continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) data in pregnant adults with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods: Pregnant adults diagnosed with GDM or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) wore blinded CGMs and logged mealtimes for up to three 14-day time periods after enrollment. A random forest ML algorithm was applied to identify morning PPGRs from daily CGM profiles, and its performance compared against PPGRs derived using self-reported mealtimes. Results: Twenty-one participants provided analyzable data. Relative to self-reported mealtime, the ML algorithm’s predicted mealtimes had an absolute error of a median 30 (interquartile range [IQR]: 20–45) min. Comparing 1-h and 2-h PPGR values from the CGM using self-reported and ML-predicted mealtimes showed a median difference of 8.7 (IQR: 0–22.7) mg/dL and 3.3 (IQR: 0–13.2) mg/dL, respectively, for the two timepoints. Conclusions: A random forest ML algorithm accurately identified PPGRs from CGM data in persons with GDM, enabling an automated and convenient approach to monitoring postprandial dysglycemia in this population.

  PublisherDOI

• Pulse Pressure and Adverse Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes in Patients With Mild Chronic Hypertension During Pregnancy

  O&G Open · 2025-10-01

  articleOpen access

  OBJECTIVE: To evaluate associations among antepartum pulse pressure and maternal and perinatal outcomes in women with mild chronic hypertension. METHODS: Secondary analysis of the CHAP (Chronic Hypertension and Pregnancy) trial, an open-label randomized controlled trial of antihypertensives (vs none) for mild chronic hypertension (blood pressure below 160/105 mm Hg). Patients without pulse pressure information or outcomes were excluded. The exposure was mean pulse pressure using clinic measurements after enrollment but before delivery, and the primary analysis assessed whether mean pulse pressure was associated with an adverse composite outcome. This composite included preeclampsia with severe features, medically indicated preterm birth (PTB) before 35 weeks of gestation, placental abruption or fetal or neonatal death, and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) birth weight. Logistic regression models were adjusted for randomization assignment. RESULTS: Two thousand three hundred twenty-five patients were eligible. The mean (SD) pulse pressure among patients was 50.2 (7.9) mm Hg. Increasing mean antepartum pulse pressure was associated with an increasing frequency of the adverse composite outcome (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] per 5 mm Hg 1.1; 95% CI, 1.0-1.2), preeclampsia with severe features (aOR 1.2; 95% CI, 1.0-1.1), and indicated PTB before 35 weeks of gestation (aOR 1.1; 95% CI, 1.0-1.2). Conversely, increasing pulse pressure was associated with decreasing rates of SGA birth weight below the 5th percentile (aOR 0.9; 95% CI, 0.9-1.0) but was not associated with SGA birth weight below the 10th percentile (aOR 0.9; 95% CI, 0.9-1.0). CONCLUSION: Increasing pulse pressure was modestly associated with an adverse composite, specifically preeclampsia with severe features and indicated PTB before 35 weeks of gestation, but it was negatively associated with SGA birth weight less than the 5th percentile. The role of antepartum pulse pressure in reducing adverse pregnancy outcomes in patients with chronic hypertension should be further investigated.

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Joseph J. Apuzzio

  Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

  217 shared

• Matthew P. Romagano

  Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono

  72 shared

• Lisa Gittens‐Williams

  Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

  67 shared

• Krunal Patel

  Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre

  49 shared

• George Guirguis

  University of Toronto

  38 shared

• Kaila Krishnamoorthy

  St. Joseph’s University Medical Center

  34 shared

• Robyn T. Bilinski

  Hackensack University Medical Center

  24 shared

• Lisa Gittens

  Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

  24 shared

Education

• B.A., Biological Basis of Behavior

  University of Pennsylvania, College of Arts and Sciences

  1998

• M.D.

  UMDNJ - New Jersey Medical School

  2002

• M.D., Obstetrics and Gynecology

  UMDNJ - New Jersey Medical School

  2006

• M.D., Maternal-Fetal Medicine

  UMDNJ - New Jersey Medical School

  2009