Katharine O’Connell White, MD MPH
Professor, Obstetrics & Gynecology
Biography
Dr. White is the Chief of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Boston Medical Center. She is also Professor and Chair of OB/GYN at the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. She is the Site PI for the NICHD Contraceptive Clinical Trials Network at Boston University, and has been the PI on randomized clinical trials, cohort studies and cross-sectional surveys. Dr. White’s interests span quantitative analysis, qualitative studies, and implementation science. She is the PI of the Partners In Contraceptive Choice and Knowledge (PICCK) program, a quality improvement project for contraceptive services at Massachusetts birth hospitals, with a focus on training clinicians in shared decision-making around contraceptive counseling. Dr. White is particularly interested in shared decision-making, miscarriage management, and sexual wellness/dysfunction. She frequently lectures locally and nationally on a number of topics related to reproductive health. Dr. White is also the author of Your Guide to Miscarriage and Pregnancy Loss and Your Sexual Health, both published by Mayo Clinic Press.
Other Positions
- Chief and Chair, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
- Vice-Chair of Academics, Boston Medical Center
Education
- University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, MD
- Columbia University School of Public Health, MPH
- Duke University, BS
Publications
- Published on 2/10/2025
Allen RH, Song S, Weir GM, White KO. "Stop Gaslighting Your Patients": A Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of User Experiences of IUDs on TikTok. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2025 Feb 10. PMID: 39938712.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 12/5/2024
Schildroth S, Bond JC, Wesselink AK, Abrams J, Calafat AM, Cook Botelho J, White KO, Wegienka G, Hatch EE, Wise LA. Associations between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and female sexual function in a preconception cohort. Environ Res. 2025 Feb 01; 266:120556. PMID: 39644984.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 10/25/2024
Acton LW, Lerner NM, White KO, Johns SL, Dill D, Janiak E. Development, Implementation, and Formative Evaluation of a Social Needs Screening Tool. Health Promot Pract. 2024 Oct 25; 15248399241291865. PMID: 39454025.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 10/5/2024
Bond JC, Heaton B, White KO, Abrams JA, Kuohung W, Fisher RR, Wesselink AK, Fox MP, Wise LA. Female sexual function and distress and time-to-pregnancy in a prospective preconception cohort. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2025 Apr; 232(4):375.e1-375.e24. PMID: 39374749.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 7/24/2024
White KO, Treder KM, Fico P, Raskin E, Lerner NM. Development and Evaluation of a Novel Approach to Patient-Centered Contraceptive Counseling. Womens Health Issues. 2024; 34(5):473-479. PMID: 39048462.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 9/20/2023
Lee EM, O'Connor SK, Pancholi R, White KO, Woodhams E, Patton EW. "Meeting Patients Where They're at": Clinician Perspectives on Integration of Family Planning Services into Office-Based Addiction Treatment. J Addict Med. 2023 Nov-Dec 01; 17(6):702-707. PMID: 37934535.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 9/20/2023
Lee EM, O'Connor SK, Pancholi R, White KO, Woodhams E, Patton EW. "Meeting Patients Where They're at": Clinician Perspectives on Integration of Family Planning Services into Office-Based Addiction Treatment. J Addict Med. 2023 Sep 20. PMID: 37729005.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 9/6/2023
Sausjord IK, Acton LW, White KO, O'Connor SK, Lerner NM. Breastfeeding and Hormonal Contraception: A Scoping Review of Clinical Guidelines, Professional Association Recommendations, and the Literature. Breastfeed Med. 2023 Sep; 18(9):645-665. PMID: 37672571.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 9/1/2023
Bond JC, Wise LA, Fox MP, Garcia RI, Murray EJ, White KO, Rothman KJ, Hatch EE, Heaton B. Preconception Periodontitis and Risk of Spontaneous Abortion in a Prospective Cohort Study. Am J Epidemiol. 2023 Sep 01; 192(9):1509-1521. PMID: 37339008.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 6/16/2023
Tancioco V, Pancholi R, Schechter-Perkins E, Drainoni ML, White K. Emergency department staff perspectives on caring for patients experiencing early pregnancy loss (Boston, Massachusetts 2021). Contraception. 2023 Sep; 125:110091. PMID: 37331465.
Read at: PubMed
View 60 more publications: View full profile at BUMC