Professor John R. Higgins is a practicing Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH). He specialises in High Risk pregnancy. He is the Professor and Head of Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in University College Cork. He is Clinical Director of CUMH and of Maternity Services in the region.

John’s subspecialty clinical and research interests are in the area of Maternal Fetal medicine. He has published widely on a range of topics including pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure in pregnancy), folic acid and pregnancy, twin pregnancy, and haemostatic alterations (changes in blood clotting) in pregnancy. In particular, he has explored the relationship between abnormal blood clotting and pregnancy complications including miscarriage, pre-eclampsia, fetal growth restriction, stillbirth and placental abruption. He has co-authored the National Guideline on Prevention of Venous Thrombosis in Pregnancy (2013) and is currently writing the guideline for Treatment of Venous Thrombosis in pregnancy. His expertise and experience primarily focusses on all types High Risk or complicated pregnancy. He runs a preconceptual clinic for women with previous poor pregnancy outcome or pre-existing medical disorders. He has an outreach clinic in South Tipperary General Hospital for couples who have suffered recurrent miscarriage or pregnancy loss.

John trained initially in internal medicine (MRCPI 1991). He commenced clinical and academic training in Obstetrics & Gynaecology at the Rotunda Hospital and the TCD Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology (MRCOG 1996, MD 1996). He undertook a fellowship in Maternal Fetal medicine at the University of Melbourne Perinatal Medicine Department at the Royal Women’s Hospital Melbourne. He was appointed Senior Lecturer at the University of Melbourne and Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist at the Mercy Hospital for Women in 2000. He was awarded the FRANZCOG in 2000, FRCPI in 2003, FRCOG in 2007 and FACOG 2016. He was awarded the Andrew Phippard award for his research by the Australasian Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy, the Blair Bell Lectureship by the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists and the Ella McKnight Lectureship by the Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Obstetrician & Gynaecologists.

When he first returned to Ireland John’s main task was to lead the amalgamation of three maternity units in Cork to form CUMH. He believes that clinical practice should be integrated with research, teaching and training to achieve the highest standards. He wants CUMH to be a leader in research for women and new-born infants. He also wants CUMH to be a leader in ensuring safety of mothers and babies during pregnancy.

John is married to Ann; they have six children.

Dr Mairead O’Riordan graduated from Medical School in University College Cork in 1995. She became a member of member of the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecologists in 2001. She pursued higher specialist training in the Rotunda Hospital, St. James’s Hospital, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital and The National Maternity Hospital in Dublin and In the Unified Maternity Services (proceeded Cork University Maternity Hospital) and the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital in Cork.

In 2006 she took a training post in the Department of Maternal Fetal Medicine in National Women’s Hospital and was appointed a Senior Lecturer in the University of Auckland. She took up her current post in UCC/CUMH in 2008. She has taken a central role in the delivery of medical education within the university. She is the lead in the provision of undergraduate obstetrics and gynaecology. Year head for GEM3/ DEM4 and a module coordinator (Maternal Medicine) within the MSc programme in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and a contributor to the other modules.

Her research interests include perinatal asphyxia and maternal medicine – diabetes, Vitamin D and long-term maternal health outcomes. She also has an interest in patient quality and safety and the interface of technology and clinical medicine and education.

Her clinical practice is undertaken at the Cork University Maternity Hospital and at Cork Obstetrics and Gynaecology Associates. She works in the Perinatal Medicine Service (includes diabetes). She is the clinical lead in the area of Quality and Patient Safety and is also the Clinical lead in the labour ward (deliveries approx 9,000/ annum).

Dr John Coulter is a practicing Gynaecological Oncologist at Cork Obstetrics and Gynaecology Associates, Cork. A UCC graduate in 1989, he underwent general surgical training for 3 years and attained Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (FRCSI). After general training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology from 1993 to 1998 both in Cork and The Coombe Womens and Infants University Hospital, Dublin, he travelled to Australia and completed a 3 year RANZCOG Fellowship training scheme in Gynaecological Oncology and is a certified Gyanecological Oncologist (CGO). He is currently a consultant in Cork and is chairman of the Cork Gynaecological Oncology Group Multidisciplinary Team. He is a member of the National Cancer Control Program guideline committee on hereditary gynaecological cancers.

Dr. Zibi Marchocki MD, MSc, MRCPI, MRCOG, is a passionate Gynecological Oncologist trained at Princess Margaret and Odette Cancer Center and Toronto General Hospital, ranked fourth among the world’s best hospitals in a global ranking in 2022.

Gynaecologic Oncology Fellowship at the University of Toronto is recognized as one of the most prestigious programs in Gynaecologic Oncology worldwide with highly competitive entry.

During his three-year fellowship training that Dr. Marchocki undertook at the University of Toronto, he gained expertise in complex surgeries of the female reproductive tract using open, laparoscopic, and Da Vinci robotic approaches.

After graduating from Warsaw Medical University with first-class honors, Dr. Marchocki trained in Obstetrics and Gynaecology with the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (Basic and Higher Specialist Training). During that time, he was awarded first-class honors for his MSc in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at University College Cork. Subsequently, he was working as a Clinical research fellow and academic lecturer at St James’s Hospital in Dublin and Trinity College Dublin. Dr. Marchocki was awarded a Doctor of Medicine degree at Trinity College Dublin for his work on recurrent cancer-associated thrombosis. Following his fellowship training, he was appointed as a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Cork University Maternity Hospital and Cork Obstetrics and Gynaecology Associates where he currently practices.

Dr. Marchocki is a certified British Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (BSCCP) colposcopist, and a member of the European, Canadian, and International Gynaecologic Cancer Societies (ESGO, GOC, IGCS). He holds both the Membership of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (MRCPI) and the Membership of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of the United Kingdom (MRCOG).

Dr. Marchocki has been active both in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and research. He has actively published in leading peer-reviewed journals worldwide (PubMed). Dr. Marchocki keeps up to date with the latest research by attending national and international conferences and strongly believes in delivering safe, friendly, and cutting-edge care to his patients.