Martha Werler
Profiles

Martha M Werler, DSc

Professor, Epidemiology - Boston University School of Public Health

(617) 358-3728
werler@bu.edu
Talbot
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Biography

Dr. Werler is Professor of Epidemiology. She is a perinatal epidemiologist whose NIH- and CDC- supported research focuses on the impact of pregnancy exposures on birth outcomes, including congenital malformations, fetal growth, and neurodevelopment. She has studied medication use in pregnancy, including analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-emetic, anti-depressant, and anti-epileptic drugs. Her recent work explores prescription opioid use and treatments for opioid use disorder among pregnant women. She has published over 200 papers and book chapters, served as President of the Society for Epidemiology Research (2018-2021), been recognized for her mentorship of doctoral students by the Society for Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiologic Research, been honored for her research on congenital anomalies by the Teratology Society Fraser Award and the National Birth Defect Prevention Network Oakley Award; and served on numerous NIH advisory and review boards. Dr. Werler is an Assistant Editor for the Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology journal. Dr. Werler directed the BU Reproductive, Perinatal, and Pediatric Epidemiology training program for pre-doctoral candidates in Epidemiology and teaches Design and Conduct of Case-Control Studies.

Education

  • Boston University, DSc Field of Study: Epidemiology
  • University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, MPH Field of Study: Epidemiology
  • Boston College, BS Field of Study: Biology

Websites

Classes Taught

  • SPHEP722
  • SPHEP858
  • SPHEP911
  • SPHEP980

Publications

  • Published on 5/19/2025

    Iannella N, Momper J, Mirochnick M, Suhandynata RT, Saia K, Werler M, Jones HE, Wachman EM. Pharmacokinetics of Oral and Extended-release Naltrexone in Pregnant and Lactating Individuals and their Infants. J Addict Med. 2025 May 19. PMID: 40388713.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 5/1/2025

    Carter TC, Kay DM, Pangilinan F, Almli LM, Jenkins MM, Blue EE, Sok P, White JJ, Cunniff CM, Agopian AJ, Bamshad MJ, Botto LD, Brody LC, Gucsavas-Calikoglu M, Chong JX, Gomez-Acevedo H, Lupo PJ, Moore CA, Nembhard WN, Olney RS, Olshan AF, Orloff MS, Reefhuis J, Romitti PA, Shaw GM, Werler MM, Yazdy MM, Browne ML, Howley MM. Exome Sequencing to Identify Novel Susceptibility Genes for Nonsyndromic Split-Hand/Ft Malformation: A Report From the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. Birth Defects Res. 2025 May; 117(5):e2472. PMID: 40304391.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 4/30/2025

    Petersen JM, Yazdy MM, Darling AM, Werler MM. Maternal Age Differences in Interpregnancy Interval and Preterm Birth Associations Accounting for Multiple Epidemiologic Biases. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2025 Apr 30. PMID: 40302632.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 2/24/2025

    Barnard-Mayers R, Declercq E, Murray EJ, Yarrington TD, Werler MM. Using linked data to explore medical complications associated with Robson classification of cesarean deliveries in Massachusetts, 2011 to 2018. AJOG Glob Rep. 2025 May; 5(2):100470. PMID: 40201619.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 2/21/2025

    Huezo Garcia M, Parker SE, Ncube CN, Yarrington CD, Werler MM. A Latent Class Analysis of Pre-Pregnancy Multimorbidity Patterns in a Delivery Cohort at a Safety-Net Hospital. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2025 Feb 21. PMID: 39984175.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 2/1/2025

    Smith-Webb RS, Langlois PH, Shaw GM, Moore CA, Canfield MA, Petersen JM, Werler MM. Why Has Gastroschisis Increased Over Time and Why Is It More Common in Infants of Young Mothers? Birth Defects Res. 2025 Feb; 117(2):e2436. PMID: 39950689.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 12/16/2024

    Adrien N, MacLehose RF, Werler MM, Yazdy MM, Fox MP, Parker SE. Assessing the Impact of Exposure Misclassification in Case-Control Studies of Self-Reported Medication Use. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2024 Dec 16. PMID: 39679807.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 12/8/2024

    Petersen JM, Gradus JL, Werler MM, Parker SE. An exploration of potential risk factors for gastroschisis using decision tree learning. Ann Epidemiol. 2025 Jan; 101:19-26. PMID: 39657869.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 9/3/2024

    Ailes EC, Werler MM, Howley MM, Jenkins MM, Reefhuis J. Real-world data are not always big data: the case for primary data collection on medication use in pregnancy in the context of birth defects research. Am J Epidemiol. 2024 Sep 03; 193(9):1211-1214. PMID: 38751306.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 7/1/2024

    Blue EE, Moore KJ, North KE, Desrosiers TA, Carmichael SL, White JJ, Chong JX, Bamshad MJ, Jenkins MM, Almli LM, Brody LC, Freedman SF, Reefhuis J, Romitti PA, Shaw GM, Werler M, Kay DM, Browne ML, Feldkamp ML, Finnell RH, Nembhard WN, Pangilinan F, Olshan AF. Exome sequencing identifies novel genes underlying primary congenital glaucoma in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. Birth Defects Res. 2024 Jul; 116(7):e2384. PMID: 38990107.

     Read At: PubMed

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