I’m Dr. Mark Zakowski, Chief of Obstetric Anesthesiology for over 18 years at nationally recognized hospitals in New York City and Los Angeles. I have been in charge of over 100,000 deliveries, giving me unique and valuable insights on how to best ensure a happy mom, a healthy baby, and a safe delivery.

Dr. Zakowski has been working to improve patient safety, especially for new mothers and babies, for nearly two decades. He has learned patterns of common medical errors, in all types of birthing scenarios. Based on his extensive experience and knowledge, Dr. Zakowski has an upcoming book due out in late 2009 that can be purchased on his website:

• Safe Baby System
  

He has served on the Board of Directors for the National Society of Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology and the California Society of Anesthesiologists. He has published nearly 30 technical papers on anesthesiology and pregnancy and 38 abstracts related to birthing and anesthesiology. He has peer-reviewed several articles for many scientific journals. This journalistic experience is demonstrated in his ongoing series of Special Reports on such timely topics as the benefits of fish oil during pregnancy and the risks of swine flu.

Dr. Zakowski has been an honored lecturer both nationally and internationally on a wide range of subjects, including: Cardiac Disease in Pregnancy, Neurologic Complications of Obstetric Anesthesia, Decision Making in High Risk Obstetric Patients, Anesthesia in Pregnancy, and more than a dozen other topics related to pregnancy and labor. He currently offers his expertise via teleseminars on various topics for ensuring a safe pregnancy including:

• Advice for birthing partners and new dads
  
• Overcoming fear during pregnancy and delivery
  
• Advice on avoiding a c-section.
  

His academic accomplishments include a BS with distinction in Biology from Stanford University and an MD from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He has served as Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at New York University Medical Center. He currently serves as Associate Professor of Anesthesiology at a nationally prominent medical center in Los Angeles.

Dr. Zakowski has two teenage girls and a wonderful wife. They live in Los Angeles with their dog, Harry. In his free time, Mark enjoys reading, hiking, and the occasional sailing adventure.