Catherine L Haggerty

Contributions to Public Health

• I have established expertise in the role of the vaginal microbiome and emerging pathogens in pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), infertility and adverse pregnancy outcomes.  My research group published the first prospective data linking Mycoplasma genitalium with PID and the first prospective study to demonstrate that several newly recognized bacterial vaginosis (BV) -associated bacteria including Sneathia spp., bacterial vaginosis-associated bacteria 1 (BVAB1), and Atopobium vaginae are associated with PID and failure of CDC-recommended treatment to eliminate short-term endometritis, recurrent PID, and infertility.
  • Yu B, Nguyen EB, McCartney S, Proll S, Strenk S, ValintD, Liu C, Haggerty CL, Fredricks DN.  Vaginal bacteria elicit acute inflammatory response in fallopian tube organoids: a model for pelvic inflammatory disease.  Reprod Sci. 2024 Feb;31(2):505-513. doi: 10.1007/s43032-023-01350-5. Epub 2023 Sep 19. PMID: 37726587.
  • Haggerty CL, Totten PA, Farooq F, Tang G, Ko D, Fielder TL, Srinivasan S, Astete SG, Fredricks DN. Presence and concentrations of select bacterial vaginosis-associated bacteria are associated with increased risk of pelvic inflammatory disease. Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 2020 May; 47(5):344-346.; PMCID: PMC7167351.
  • Haggerty CL, Totten PA, Tang G, Astete SG, Ferris MJ, Norori J, Bass DC, Martin DH, Taylor BD, Ness RB. Identification of novel microbes associated with pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility.  Sexually Transmitted Infections. 2016 Sep; 92(6):441-6. PMID: 26825087.
  • Haggerty CL, Totten PA, Astete SG, Lee S, Hoferka SL, Kelsey SF, Ness RB. Failure of cefoxitin and doxycycline to eradicate endometrial Mycoplasma genitalium and the consequence for clinical cure of pelvic inflammatory disease. Sex Transm Infect. 2008 Oct;84(5):338-42. PMCID: PMC2572206.
• A current major area of my research is focused on identifying and addressing perinatal and child health inequities across racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic lines and among rural populations.  As co-lead of the Healthy Environments and Strong Bodies Collaborative of The Pittsburgh Study, a community-partnered research initiative designed to determine and address root causes of child and adolescent health inequities in our region, we are conducting environmental intervention studies among at-risk communities.  At the global level, I co-lead the Longitudinal Indian Family hEalth (LIFE) Study, conducted in collaboration between the University of Pittsburgh, the MediCiti Institute of Medical Sciences, and Science Health Allied Research & Education (SHARE) India.  We are examining environmental, infectious, lifestyle, and metabolic factors that impact birth outcomes and early childhood health and development among a population-based cohort in Telangana State, India.  In a series of studies conducted utilizing Pennsylvania birth records, my research team has identified rural-urban geographical disparities in accessibility and distance to care and in health indicators including breastfeeding, smoking, initiation of early prenatal care, low birth weight, preterm birth, and adolescent birth rates to guide development of interventions focused on improving access to and reducing distance to obstetric and gynecologic care. 
  • Minion SC, Krans EE, Mendez DD, Brooks MM, Haggerty CL.  Driving distance to delivery hospitals and risk of adverse perinatal outcomes and maternal morbidity.  Obstet Gynecol.  2022 Nov 1;140(5):812-819. PMID: 36201778.
  • Ettinger AK, Landsittel D, Abebe KZ, Bey J, Chavis V, Navratil J, Friedman FS, Miller E, and the Pittsburgh Study Committee Co-leads.  Pittsburgh Study Committee Co-leads (alphabetical): Abernathy P, Bogen D, Catov J, Delestienne E, Dubowitz T, Fuhrman B, Garland R, Gradeck R, Haggerty CL, Huguley J, Krishnamurti T, Malen A, Mayers-Snyder V, Moye S, Naccarti-Chapkis M, Ohmer M, Pierson-Brown T, Ray K, Shaw D, Shirriel J, Wanless S, Wilson D, Wolynn T.  THRIVE Conceptual Framework and Study Protocol: A Community-Partnered Longitudinal Multi-Cohort Study to Promote Child and Youth Thriving, Health Equity, and Community Strength.  Front. Pediatr., 04 February 2022
  • Gondwe T, Betha K, Kusneniwar GN, Bunker CH, Tang G, Simhan H, Reddy PS, Haggerty CL.  Maternal factors associated with mode of delivery in a population with a high cesarean section rate.  Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health. 2019 Dec; 9(4):252-258. PMID: 31854166.
  • Kusneniwar GN, Whelan RM, Betha K, Robertson JM, Ramidi PR, Balasubramanian K, Kamasamudram V, Haggerty CL, Bunker CH, Reddy PS. Cohort Profile: The Longitudinal Indian Family hEalth (LIFE) Pilot Study, Telangana State, India. Int J Epidemiol 2017 Jun 1; 46(3):788-789j. PMID: 27649805.
• I am strongly committed to mentoring across the continuum, serving as a Faculty Mentor for the Pitt Public Health Undergraduate Scholars Program and as mentor of over 50 predoctoral fellows, master’s students, postdoctoral fellows, and medical fellows.  I developed and lead the School of Public Health Faculty Mentoring Program and am the Project Lead of the Training Component of a new University of Pittsburgh Maternal Health Center of Excellence.  I have significant experience directing training grants, through service as Co-PI of a D43 Fogarty International Training Grant, Co-Director of a University of Pittsburgh Reproductive, Perinatal and Pediatric Epidemiology T32.