Dr. Mahmoud A. Ismail, MD

Expert Publications

• West Nile virus encephalitis during pregnancy.
• Blood protein profiles of infants born before 28 weeks differ by pregnancy complication.

Media Releases

Get to know Obstetrician-Gynecologist Dr. Mahmoud A. Ismail, who serves patients in Chicago, Illinois.

A trusted obstetrician-gynecologist, Dr. Ismail sees patients at the University of Chicago Medical Center. He is an expert in high-risk obstetrics, maternal-fetal medicine and infectious diseases in obstetrics, with a special interest in infections in pregnancy, twin-to-twin transfusion, and mono-mono twins.

The University of Chicago Medical Center is a nationally ranked academic medical center located in Hyde Park on the South Side of Chicago. It is the flagship campus for the University of Chicago Medicine system and was established in 1898.

Alongside his clinical practice, Dr. Ismail is a Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the section of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. 

In the past, he has held positions such as Section Chief for Maternal Fetal Medicine at UCH, Program Director of Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellowship Program at UCH, and Co-Director of the University of Chicago Perinatal Network.

An Egypt native, Dr. Ismail earned his medical degree from the Faculty of Medicine at Cairo University. After relocating to the United States, he completed his internship at the Advocate Christ Medical Center and his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the Wayne State University Medical Center. In 1982, he completed his fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine with University of Chicago Medicine.

As a testament of his continued education, he is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology & maternal-fetal medicine by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG). The mission of the ABOG is to define standards, certify obstetricians and gynecologists, and facilitate continuous learning to advance knowledge, practice, and professionalism in women’s health.

On a professional level, Dr. Ismail is a member of the American Medical Society, the American Arab Medical Association, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Chicago Gynecological Society, the Illinois Medical Society, the Infectious Disease Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the International Infectious Disease Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Society of Perinatal Obstetricians.

Actively involved in several areas of basic and clinical research, he is studying the clinical outcomes of vaginal birth after cesarean section and breech vaginal birth versus cesarean section. He is also interested in bacterial infections in obstetrics, the immunology of pregnancy, and pregnancy after bariatric surgery.

Obstetrics and Gynecology is the medical specialty that encompasses the two subspecialties of obstetrics and gynecology. An obstetrician-gynecologist, or OB-GYN, is a healthcare professional who specializes in female reproductive health.

Throughout his illustrious career, Dr. Ismail has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including America’s Top Doctors Award, Chicago Magazine’s Top Doctor Award for 6 years, and the University of Chicago Excellence in Teaching Award, Golden Apple Teaching Award, Distinguished Clinician Award, and Senior Faculty Scholar of the Bucksbaum Institute for Clinical Excellence.

A popular guest speaker, he has lectured at scientific meetings and universities around the world. He has contributed to many book chapters and is a reviewer for several medical publications including Obstetrics and Gynecology, International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Journal of Reproductive Medicine. 

On a more personal note, he devotes much of his leisure time to community service and is the founder and trustee of Aqsa School, an Islamic girls’ school in Bridgeview, Illinois.

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