Rebecca Pfender

Rebecca Pfender, CNM, is a Lecturer in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at the University of Maryland. She is affiliated with the Midwifery Division, offering prenatal care, gynecologic services, and labor management at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), collaborating with resident physicians and students.

• Education: University of Wisconsin-Madison (Bachelor of Science in French with studies in Senegal); University of Pennsylvania (Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing in Midwifery and Women's Health, with clinical training in Auckland, New Zealand).

Her research and clinical interests span midwifery, labor and birth support, breastfeeding/lactation assistance, global health, and alternative therapies in obstetric care. Her international experience includes work in Senegal (West Africa) and New Zealand.

Rebecca’s publications reflect interdisciplinary engagement, with a 2006 neuroscience study on epilepsy and chromatin regulation and a 2016 clinical guide on opioid use disorders in pregnancy. These works highlight her dual focus on maternal health and broader medical research.

She works closely with medical residents and students, integrating her expertise into clinical training. Prior to joining the University of Maryland, she spent 3 years providing care at a community hospital and federally qualified health center in West Virginia.