The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Kimberly Fortner, MD

Professor
Fellowship Director
Director, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine; Vice Chair, Obstetric Operations and Quality
Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4208-1753

Research Focus

Respiratory illnesses are known to cause increased complications for pregnant women and their infants. The majority of studies on acute respiratory illness in pregnancy focus on influenza infection despite the fact that other viruses occur as commonly (rhinovirus, coronavirus and, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)). There are no current active surveillance networks in place and through collaboration with three distinct clinical sites, Dr. Fortner will collect data on pregnancy and respiratory illness among mothers and their infant(s). With emerging vaccines and therapies in development, particularly for RSV, the relevance of this research is significant.

Education

Medical School

Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia

Internship

Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland

Residency

Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland

Fellowship

Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina

Certification

American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Diplomate

American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Fellow

American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Subspecialty Diplomate in Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Current Publications

Cutland CL, Fortner K, Heine RP, Swamy GK..
Editorial: Vaccinations and women's reproductive health. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2023 Jul;162(1):1-3. doi: 10.1002/ijgo.14879.

Ehrlich SF, Maples J, Burnette S, Rand B, Zite N, Paudel A, Fortner K..
Individual-level determinants of COVID-19 vaccination in pregnant people in East Tennessee. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2023 Jul;162(1):6-12. doi: 10.1002/ijgo.14698. Epub 2023 Mar 11.

Spires B, Brewton A, Maples JM, Ehrlich SF, Fortner KB.
Vaccine hesitancy in women's health. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am. 2023 Jun;50(2):401-419. doi: 10.1016/j.ogc.2023.02.013.

Porreco R, Garite TJ, Combs CA, Maurel K, Huls CK, Baker S, Fortner KB, Longo SA, Nageotte M, Lewis D, Tran L; Obstetrix Collaborative Research Network.
Booster course of antenatal corticosteroids after preterm prelabor rupture of membranes: a double-blind randomized trial. Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM. 2023 May;5(5):100896. doi: 10.1016/j.ajogmf.2023.100896. Epub 2023 Feb 14.

Porreco R, Garite TJ, Combs CA, Maurel K, Huls CK, Baker S, Fortner KB, Longo SA, Nageotte M, Lewis D, Tran L; Obstetrix Collaborative Research Network.
Booster course of antenatal corticosteroids after preterm prelabor rupture of membranes: a double-blind randomized trial. Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM. 2023 May;5(5):100896. doi: 10.1016/j.ajogmf.2023.100896. Epub 2023 Feb 14.

Nieuwoudt C, Reeder CF, Moss HK, van Nes JB, Schoutko WW, Jeter JW, Fortner KB.
Vaccination uptake for pertussis and influenza vaccines in pregnancy among different practices at a single institution. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2023 Apr 20. doi: 10.1002/ijgo.14775. Online ahead of print.

Ehrlich S, Maples J, Burnette S, Rand B, Zite N, Paudel A, Fortner K.
Individual level determinants of COVID-19 vaccination in pregnant people in East Tennessee. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2023 Feb 21. doi: 10.1002/ijgo.14698. Online ahead of print.

Porreco R, Garite TJ, Combs CA, Maurel K, Huls CK, Baker S, Fortner KB, Longo SA, Nageotte M, Lewis D, Tran L.
Booster course of antenatal corticosteroids after preterm prelabor rupture of membranes, double-blind randomized trial. Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM. 2023 Feb 13:100896. doi: 10.1016/j.ajogmf.2023.100896. Online ahead of print.

Ehrlich SF, Rand B, Zite NB, Fortner KB, Paudel A, Peterson C, Maples JM.
Exploring the relationship between regular physical activity and the 24-hour glucose cycle in gestational glucose intolerance and gestational diabetes mellitus. The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2022 Sep 8;S0002-9378(22)00725-6.doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2022.09.004. Online ahead of print.

Ehrlich SF, Rand B, Zite NB, Fortner KB, Paudel A, Peterson C, Maples JM.
Exploring the relationship between regular physical activity and the 24-hour glucose cycle in gestational glucose intolerance and gestational diabetes mellitus. The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2022 Sep 8;S0002-9378(22)00725-6.doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2022.09.004. Online ahead of print.

Kors S, Kurdziel-Adams G, Towers C, Fortner K, Macfie J.
Sexual abuse as a risk factor for opioid misuse in pregnancy. J Child Sex Abus. 2022 Jul;31(5):538-549. doi: 10.1080/10538712.2022.2056104. Epub 2022 Apr 8.

Kors S, Kurdziel-Adams G, Towers C, Fortner K, Macfie J.
Sexual abuse as a risk factor for opioid misuse in pregnancy. J Child Sex Abus. 2022 Jul;31(5):538-549. doi: 10.1080/10538712.2022.2056104. Epub 2022 Apr 8.

Tinius RA, Maples JM, Schafer MA, Paudel A, Fortner KB, Zite NB, Nagpal TS.
To be active or to stop? A cross-sectional retrospective study exploring provider advice and patient fears surrounding physical activity in pregnancies complicated by fetal growth restriction. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 May 17;19(10):6076. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19106076.

Tinius RA, Maples JM, Schafer MA, Paudel A, Fortner KB, Zite NB, Nagpal TS.
To be active or to stop? A cross-sectional retrospective study exploring provider advice and patient fears surrounding physical activity in pregnancies complicated by fetal growth restriction. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 May 17;19(10):6076. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19106076.

Ehrlich SF, Maples JM, Barroso CS, Brown KC, Bassett DR Jr, Zite NB, Fortner KB.
Using a consumer-based wearable activity tracker for physical activity goal setting and measuring steps in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus: Exploring acceptance and validity. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. 2021 Jun 8;21(1):420.

Onaade O, Maples JM, Rand B, Fortner KB, Zite NB, Ehrlich SF.
Physical activity for blood glucose control in gestational diabetes mellitus: Rationale and recommendations for translational behavioral interventions. Clinical Diabetes and Endocrinology. 2021 Apr 25;7(1):7.

Maples JM, McCarley C, Blankenship MM, Yoho K, Johnson KP, Fortner KB, Tinius RA.
Metabolic flexibility and weight status may contribute to inter-individual changes in breastmilk lipid content in response to an acute bout of exercise: Preliminary findings from a pilot study. International Journal of Exercise Science. 2020 Dec 1;13(2):1756-1769. eCollection 2020. Available in PubMed: Jan 2021.

Current Presentations

Woods R, Kaak K, Lacy Young M, Shelton Z, Fortner KB, Morrison B, Edwards T, Cox J, Mastronardi A, Maples J, Zite NB. Access to permanent contraception in postpartum patients covered by children’s health insurance program in Tennessee at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. Presented at Tennessee Initiative for Perinatal Quality Care; 2024 March - 26; Franklin ,Tennessee.

Riley WL, Hunzicker A, Zite NB, Maples JM, Mastronardi AM, Paudel A, Purvis R, Fortner KB, Carter K. Prenatal diagnosis post-Dobbs in an abortion-banned state: A retrospective cohort study. Presented at 44th Annual Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine Pregnancy Meeting; 2024 Feb - 10; National Harbor.

Paudel A, Maples JM, Carter K, Szymanski L, Zite N, Tinius RA, Fortner KB. Fetal effects of maternal exercise on pregnancies with fetal growth restriction. Presented at 44th Annual Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine Pregnancy Meeting; 2024 Feb - 10; National Harbor .

Purvis R, Paudel AM, Riley W, Parker S, Fortner K, Lacy-Young M, Burnette T, Lattimore K. Association between neonatal abstinence syndrome and access to obstetric delivery facilities. Presented at 44th Annual Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine Pregnancy Meeting; 2024 Feb - 10; National Harbor.

Brewton A , Paudel AB, Mastronardi AM, Shore SV, Maples JM, Young ML, Zite NB, Fortner KB. The impact of gestational weight gain on total labor length among patients with obesity. Presented at Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine Annual Pregnancy Meeting ; 2024 Feb - 12; National Harbor .

Oyedeji F, Burnette S, Maples JM, Rand BJ, Olatt E, Fortner KB, Paudel AM, Zite NB, Ehrlich SF. Maternal perceptions of TDAP vaccination and dissonance between vaccine status and perception Presented at 2023 Infectious Disease Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology annual meeting; 2023 July-27; Denver, CO.

Paudel AM, Maples JM, Zite NB, Tinius RA, Fortner KB. Physician recommendations for physical activity in complicated growth restricted pregnancies Presented at 43rd Annual Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine Pregnancy Meeting; 2023 February - 11; San Francisco.

Fortner KB, Young ML. Maternal HealthCARE: Closing the black-white gap in maternal health outcomes Presented at UTGSM Health Disparities Awareness Month: Bridging the Gap Towards Equity; 2023 January - 9; Virtual .

McCarley CB, Maples JM, Blankenship M, Fortner K, Tinius RA. Maternal lipid metabolism is linked to neonatal anthropometric outcomes. Presented at American College of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting; 2021 Jun 1-5; Virtual.

McCarley CB, Brewton AE, Lacy MM, Fortner KB, Heidel RE, Zite NB. Impact of SARS-CoV-2 on rates of late or limited prenatal care. Presented at American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting; 2021 Apr 30 - May 2; Virtual.

Maples JM, Spires B, Heidel R, Fortner K. A comparison of vaccine education among Ob/Gyn residency programs in the US between 2014 and 2020. Presented at Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Association of Professors of Gynecology Annual Meeting; 2021 Mar 3-5; Virtual.

McCarley C, Maples JM, Blankenship M, Fortner KB, Tinius RA. Maternal lipid metabolism is linked to neonatal anthropometric outcomes. Presented at Southeast Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine Regional Conference; 2021 Feb 18-19; Virtual.