BERYL BENACERRAF

BENACERRAF--Dr. Beryl. Dr. Beryl Benacerraf, Pioneer in Women's Medical Imaging, Passes Away at 73. Beryl Benacerraf, M.D., whose pioneering work as a physician, scientist, entrepreneur, and educator in medical ultrasound helped save countless lives, died of advanced cancer on October 1, 2022 at age 73 at her home in Massachusetts. Named a "Giant in Obstetrics and Gynecology" in 2021, Dr. Benacerraf's discoveries - including the "Nuchal Fold Measurement" to suspect Down Syndrome - changed the lives of countless women, made pregnancy safer, and led to new and better ways to diagnose fetal abnormalities and gynecological conditions. Dr. Benacerraf held professorships in both Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology and Radiology at Harvard University and Brigham and Women's Hospital, dual senior posts uncommonly accorded to women at that time. She was intensely proud of her extended "medical family" of trainees and mentees globally. She published several books, voluminous scientific papers, and served as Editor in Chief of her discipline's major journal. Her medical practice, Diagnostic Ultrasound Associates, has served more than 350,000 women. Dr. Benacerraf examined patients in her office until the day before she could no longer stand unassisted. Dr. Benacerraf was born on April 29, 1949 in New York City to future Nobel Laureate in medicine Baruj Benacerraf and Annette Benacerraf (nee Dreyfus). She was educated at the Brearley School, Barnard College at Columbia University, and Harvard Medical School. She is survived her husband, Dr. Peter Libby, Mallinckrodt Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at Harvard Medical School; her daughter Brigitte Benacerraf Libby; her son Oliver Benacerraf Libby; and three grandchildren, Vivian, Lucie, and Brady. Donations can be made to the Beryl Benacerraf Fund for Visiting Fellowships in Women's Ultrasound at the Gottesfeld-Hohler Memorial Foundation. (info@gohofoundation.org).