Obesity/Weight Management Experts
Mary Dawn Koenig
Expert on: Perinatal nutrition, maternal morbidities, breast/chest feeding
Dr. Mary Dawn Koenig is an associate professor in the Department of Human Development Nursing Science and director of the PhD program at the UIC College of Nursing. A certified nurse-midwife and nationally recognized expert in maternal and child health, Dr. Koenig has more than 16 years of experience conducting research among pregnant and breast/chest feeding populations. Her NIH-funded work focuses on maternal morbidities—particularly obesity—and their impact on pregnancy, birth, and infant outcomes, with a specific emphasis on iron metabolism and the effects of inflammation on iron bioavailability. She was the first to demonstrate impaired placental iron transfer in obese pregnancies using stable iron isotopes and is pioneering alternative, scalable interventions—including probiotics, oral lactoferrin, and time-restricted eating—to improve maternal nutrition, reduce anemia, and promote cardiometabolic health. Dr. Koenig also conducts research on breast/chest feeding, with a focus on human milk composition and the biological, behavioral, and social determinants of lactation, especially in high-risk populations. Her innovative, equity-driven work continues to shape prenatal care practices and improve maternal and infant health outcomes in the U.S. and globally.