Penn Medicine’s Samuel Parry, MD, awarded 2026 Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine Lifetime Achievement Award
Samuel Parry, MD, the Franklin Payne Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the department’s vice chair for Faculty Affairs at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, has been awarded the Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine (SMFM)’s 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award.
The award honors “individuals who have made lasting, significant contributions to the field of maternal fetal medicine through research, education, leadership, and clinical excellence” according to SMFM. Sindhu K. Srinivas, MD, MSCE, president of the SMFM and a professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Penn, gave the award to Parry at the annual SMFM Pregnancy Meeting last week in Las Vegas. Parry is the 37th person to ever receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.
“Across decades of service to maternal‑fetal medicine, Sam Parry has embodied the very best of academic medicine: rigorous scholarship, thoughtful leadership, and a deep commitment to improving outcomes for pregnant patients without ever seeking credit,” Srinivas said. “His research has advanced the field in meaningful, lasting ways, shaping how clinicians think, how trainees learn, and how care is delivered. I’m incredibly grateful for his support as a fellow physician over the last 25 years. This award is extremely well deserved.”
“Sam is a dynamic faculty leader, passionate mentor, and attentive clinician who has been a key member of our department since day one," said Elizabeth A. Howell, MD, MPP, chair of the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. “We are very proud of him and are thankful for his contributions to the department and our field.”
A leader in obstetric care and maternal fetal research
Internationally recognized for his scientific impact, Parry has led a highly successful NIH‑funded research program at Penn focused on viral infections and placental function, as well as the causes and prevention of preterm birth. He began a clinical fellowship in Maternal Fetal Medicine at Penn in 1994 and has worked at Penn ever since. Parry directs a March of Dimes–funded Prematurity Research Center and serves as a principal investigator in the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development’s Maternal–Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) Network, contributing to pivotal studies that have shaped evidence‑based clinical practice in obstetrics.
Beyond his scientific and clinical achievements, Parry has inspired scores of trainees and early‑career investigators, fostering a culture defined by excellence, curiosity, and collaboration. As a former recipient of SMFM research support, he has been a driving force behind efforts to broaden SMFM’s impact of the next generation and to cultivate a strong, sustainable pipeline of future physician‑scientists.
Parry is also a member of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Gynecological and Obstetrical Society, the Philadelphia Perinatal Society, and the Society for Reproductive Investigation. He serves on the board of directors for the Foundation for SMFM.
The Society for Maternal‑Fetal Medicine (SMFM) is a professional organization representing more than 6,000 physicians, researchers, nurses, and other specialists dedicated to improving outcomes for high‑risk pregnancies. Founded in 1977, SMFM promotes excellence in clinical care, advances cutting‑edge research in maternal‑fetal health, and supports education and advocacy initiatives aimed at making pregnancies healthier worldwide. Through its annual Pregnancy Meeting, clinical guidelines, research awards, and public health leadership, SMFM serves as a central resource for clinicians caring for pregnant patients with complex medical needs.