Reproductive Infectious Disease Spotlights Gender Inequity in Health Care

Yasaswi Kislovskiy, MD, MSc was first drawn to obstetrics and gynecology out of a “real desire to work on gender equity and to reduce marginalization that communities experience all the time.”

“Reproductive infectious disease was a fantastic opportunity,” Kislovskiy said, explaining that the specialty combines public health, infectious disease, and antimicrobial stewardship, “and thinks about those issues from the lens of gender equity.”

Even today, women, pregnant people, and people with a uterus are excluded from health care considerations. Kislovskiy and her team at Allegheny Health Network advocate for people who experience marginalization, working to mitigate health disparities, especially related to sexually transmitted diseases.

“Historically, pregnant people have been excluded from major trials,” said Kislovskiy. “What we absolutely should do is study infections as they impact pregnant people and the baby, and ideally help reduce the complications that might happen.”

Kislovskiy emphasized that for people with a baby on the way, what should be an exciting time can be dampened by concerns over reproductive infectious disease.

“It can be a challenging and confusing time to deal with an infection while you’re also pregnant,” Kislovskiy said. “I think finding a healthcare provider that you feel like you can trust and help you navigate the data to help you make a decision that’s right for you is also really, really, important. Because there are a lot of therapies and tools out there to help you overcome whatever you’re experiencing.”

Yasaswi Kislovskiy, MD MSc, is a board-certified OB/Gyn. She is also certified with the American Academy of HIV Medicine and completed a fellowship in Reproductive Infectious Disease. Kislovskiy works with the Allegheny Health Network to care for people living with HIV, peripartum challenges, and severe gynecologic infections.