Birgit Pfaller-Eiwegger

Birgit Pfaller-Eiwegger is a Clinical Associate Professor and Senior Physician (Oberärztin) in the Department of Internal Medicine 1 at the University Hospital St. Pölten, affiliated with the Karl Landsteiner Private University of Health Sciences. She specializes in internal medicine, nephrology, and obstetric medicine, with a strong focus on women's health and long-term cardiovascular and renal risks following pregnancy complications. She leads the PRECARE-FEM research initiative to improve postpartum care for high-risk women.

• Medical University of Vienna – Medical Degree
• Danube University Krems – Master of Science
• Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto – Fellowship in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (MotherRisk Program)
• Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto – Clinical Fellowship in Obstetric Medicine
• Toronto General Hospital – Research Fellowship in Cardiology under Prof. Candice K. Silversides

Dr. Pfaller-Eiwegger’s research centers on identifying and managing long-term health risks in women who have experienced complications such as preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, and obesity during pregnancy. She emphasizes that pregnancy acts as a physiological stress test, revealing latent cardiovascular and metabolic vulnerabilities. Her work bridges clinical care and translational research, aiming to implement preventive strategies through early detection and follow-up. She has developed specialized outpatient clinics and care pathways, including a fact sheet for peripartum management, and collaborates across disciplines including gynecology, pediatrics, biostatistics, and nutrition.

Her recent publications highlight trends in maternal cardiometabolic risk, postpartum follow-up barriers, and the long-term impact of hypertensive disorders. These studies are part of the PreCareFem cohort, which investigates cardiovascular and metabolic markers in women and their offspring. Her research is increasingly focused on using pregnancy complications as early warning signs for chronic disease, advocating for structured postpartum monitoring programs.

• Best Poster Award (2025)
• Award for Best Master’s Thesis in Gynecology and Obstetrics (2024)
• Science Prize of the Lower Austrian Medical Society (2021)

Dr. Pfaller-Eiwegger supervises students and leads multiple research projects funded by the Karl Landsteiner University’s Research Impulses program. She has secured grants for seed funding and research time-out (RTO) to build dedicated clinics and conduct longitudinal studies. She actively collaborates with national and international institutions, including the University of Toronto, and works closely with Dr. Susanne Schubert (Gynecology) and Prof. Sascha Klee (Biostatistics). Her team includes researchers, physicians, and data scientists focused on improving women’s health outcomes through evidence-based interventions.

She leads the PRECARE-FEM clinic, a postpartum follow-up program for women with adverse pregnancy outcomes, and is expanding this into a translational research platform. The clinic collects clinical, metabolic, and cardiovascular data to identify early biomarkers and develop personalized care plans. Future goals include extending the cohort to study children of affected mothers and identifying intergenerational health risks.