Soundeffects news | Interview with Dr Daniel Rolnik

Dr Daniel Rolnik | OBSTETRICS | AUS

Assoc Prof of Obstetrics and Gynaecology | Monash University

Daniel Rolnik is an Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Monash University and Director of the Perinatal Care Centre at Monash Medical Centre. He completed his medical training and a master’s degree at the University of São Paulo, Brazil, before undertaking further research at King’s College Hospital and the Fetal Medicine Foundation in London, where he completed a Diploma in Fetal Medicine and a PhD.

Daniel has led significant research in obstetric ultrasound, including the ASPRE trial, a large-scale randomised study on the use of low-dose aspirin to prevent pre-eclampsia as part of a first-trimester screening program. He has published over 165 peer-reviewed scientific papers and recently completed a Master of Public Health degree in Epidemiology at Harvard University.

At ASA2025, Daniel will discuss advancements in pre-eclampsia screening, the evolving role of ultrasound in risk assessment, and the ways sonographers can contribute to improving early detection. In this interview, he shares insights on these topics, the value of professional conferences, and what led him to specialise in obstetrics.

Pre-eclampsia screening has evolved significantly in recent years. Where do we currently stand in terms of ultrasound’s role in risk assessment, and how can sonographers contribute to earlier and more accurate detection?

For many decades, the traditional approach to pre-eclampsia screening has been the use of risk-factor-based checklists, with a list of binary (yes/no) questions asked of all pregnant women. Women with one or more ‘major’ risk factors or two or more ‘moderate’ risk factors are considered high risk. Examples of risk factors are age > 35 years (yes/no), obesity (yes/no), kidney disease, etc. This approach is simple but also very simplistic. Needless to say, it does not work well. There is nothing magical that happens on the night a woman turns 35 that makes her suddenly become high risk, when yesterday she was low risk.

How do you think attending conferences like ASA2025 helps sonographers grow professionally?

Attending the ASA2025 will help sonographers stay up-to-date with recent advances in the field, see state-of-the-art imaging techniques, and hear from renowned world experts the latest research and their approach to the use of ultrasound in many areas that, ultimately, will help improve the care of our patients.

What inspired you to specialise in obstetrics?

This is a good question. Very early in medical school I realised that I was not very good with dealing with bad news, and often patient suffering also made me suffer personally.

This was a long time ago, but I can still remember vividly and I will never forget the first birth I attended. It is kind of magical, nature at its best and likely one of the most supreme moments anyone can witness.

Despite practising obstetrics for over 15 years, I still often find myself emotional and teary when delivering babies.

And although as a maternal-fetal medicine doctor I do have to deliver bad news often, obstetrics is good news and reassurance most of the time. Even when things go wrong, guiding patients through that difficult journey, and sometimes looking after them in the next pregnancy when things go well, can be very rewarding.

Explore Dr Daniel Rolnik’s ASA2025 Program

SESSION | PRESENTATION

FRI 1:30 – 2:20pm | Sound Stage: First trimester fetal heart and brain

FRI 3:00 – 4:50pm | Pre-eclampsia screening – Where are we at?

SUN 9:00 – 10:20am | NIPT: Wonders and pitfalls

SUN 11:30am – 12:50pm | FGR – diagnosis, monitoring and management