Medical Expert - Medge D. Owen, MD

Dr. Owen is the president and founder of Kybele, Inc., an organization that partners with healthcare facilities around the world to promote and improve childbirth conditions for mother and baby. She has traveled extensively to improve childbirth conditions for women in developing countries. She established Kybele, Inc., in 2001 to promote education in obstetric anesthesia and neonatal resuscitation. "Kybele" was the goddess of childbirth in ancient Anatolia, now modern day Turkey. Owen was a Fulbright Scholar in Turkey (1997-1999) and helped establish an obstetrical anesthesia service at Uludug University. In September 2004, Owen will return to Turkey with a delegation of eight obstetric anesthesiologists from prestigious universities throughout the U.S. and U.K. to teach regional anesthesia for childbirth. She also co-authoredthe first textbook of obstetric anesthesia to be published in Turkey. In addition to her efforts in Turkey, Owen has taught neonatal resuscitation in Brazil, Croatia, and Ghana. She also chairs the Committee on International Outreach for the Society of Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP). Dr. Owen received the Innovation in Education Award, a teaching recognition award from the International Anesthesia Research Society, for her outstanding career contributions made toward improving safe childbirth worldwide.