Benova Lenka

Lenka Benova is a Professor and Unit Head in Reproductive and Maternal Health at the University of Antwerp. Her research focuses on health-seeking behavior, maternal health, and healthcare equity in low- and middle-income countries. She holds advanced degrees from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (MSc Demography/Health, PhD Population Health) and an MA in Middle East Studies from the American University in Cairo.

Dr. Benova has extensive field experience, including roles with Médecins Sans Frontières and leadership in eldercare startups. Her work emphasizes methodological innovation, such as using geospatial tools to assess healthcare access and analyzing large-scale demographic datasets. She actively contributes to global health policy through evidence-based research on maternal mortality, violence against women, and the impacts of climate change on perinatal outcomes.

Her publications span over 180 peer-reviewed articles, with recent focus areas including emergency obstetric care access, stillbirth mortality patterns, and the intersection of intimate partner violence with maternal mental health. She supervises PhD students and teaches on Masters programs, emphasizing translational research that bridges academic inquiry with real-world health system challenges.