About the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and its many faculty members and researchers, are dedicated to providing women and their families with the most advanced care available anywhere. From routine and complex gynecology and obstetrics to advanced gender-specific care in all areas of health, the Department is transforming care for women around the world.

A teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, we are renowned for our expertise and have been a trusted name in women’s health for more than 180 years. Our vision is that each woman will receive care that is informed by a deep understanding of sex and gender differences in biology, physiology, and response to disease, with the goal of better health and quality-of-life. The Department supports women through all stages of life and works collaboratively with specialists – in cardiovascular medicine, orthopedics, arthritis and neurology, to name a few – to provide collaborative care.

The comprehensive services we provide are delivered with the care and compassion you would expect from an organization that has been consistently ranked as one of America’s best hospitals on the U.S.News & World Report® Honor Roll, and as one of the top women’s health providers in the country.

Our Center for Women and Newborns at the Mary Horrigan Connors Center for Women’s Health is the hub of our obstetrical and neonatal care and dedicated to the most comprehensive state-of-the-art obstetrical services under one roof.

Expertise Steeped in History

The Mary Horrigan Connors Center for Women’s Health has been the site of important advances in women’s health. Beginning with the 1832 opening of our predecessor hospital, the Boston Lying-In Hospital (one of the nation’s first maternity hospitals), milestones include:

  • Anesthesia administered during childbirth for the first time;
  • Development of non-invasive fetal heart monitoring, enabling physicians to more safely and accurately detect fetal distress during labor;
  • In 1976 our researchers launched the landmark Nurses' Health Study, one of the largest and longest-running studies of women ever conducted. This study, that enrolled 122,000 women, has led to groundbreaking research that has changed the way we view women’s health and the way women are cared for in every area of health.

Patient and Family Focused Care

We understand that each patient has personal and unique concerns. This is why we encourage our patients - and those close to them - to be active participants in care, and we work with each family to meet their needs. Through each step, we clearly explain every aspect of care – discussing all appropriate options to help the patient and their family make the best decisions.

Commitment to Quality and Safety

Brigham and Women’s Hospital is committed to providing our patients with the safest, highest-quality, most-satisfying care possible. The safety of our patients and newborns is our top priority.

Nawal Nour, MD, chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, describes the department’s wide range of specialized services and programs from common to the most complex conditions. Dr. Nour discusses the multidisciplinary team-based approach to care and enhanced collaboration between clinical specialists throughout the hospital to ensure the patients and their family have the best possible outcome.

Learn more about Brigham and Women's Hospital


For over a century, a leader in patient care, medical education and research, with expertise in virtually every specialty of medicine and surgery.

About BWH