Doubly Grateful
Parents of healthy twins honor their doctor after a high-risk pregnancy
By Debby Teich
Photography by Sonya Revell
Dr. Rodrigo Ruano with Anderson (left) and Aaron (right) Grossman.
F
ollowing a high-risk pregnancy, Eric and Desiree Grossman welcomed their twins, Anderson Phillip and Aaron Alfred, on July 11, 2024. In honor of the care mom and babies received from Rodrigo Ruano, M.D., Ph.D., a world-renowned fetal surgeon who is chief of the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Division at the Miller School, they recently established the Grossman Family OB/GYN Research Fund.
Their generous gift will support groundbreaking research by Dr. Ruano, who is also director of UHealth Jackson Fetal Care Center, into rare fetal genetic conditions. His work includes clinical trials focused on the diagnosis and treatment of conditions that affect a baby before birth, as well as on improving outcomes for rare and complicated pregnancies where twins share a placenta.
“We can’t thank Dr. Ruano enough for his compassion and exceptional care,” Eric said. “We’re proud to support his work, ensuring future patients benefit from cutting-edge advancements at UHealth.”
The Grossmans’ twins were among those who shared a placenta. In December 2023, an ultrasound revealed Desiree was carrying what’s known as monochorionic twins, or identical twins sharing a placenta and amniotic sac. The rare condition occurs in about 1% of identical twin pregnancies and often results in complications. Desiree, who was 37, was also considered to be of advanced maternal age, which added to the risks.
They turned to Dr. Ruano, who has focused on providing care for the most complex situations in pregnancy for more than 25 years. Desiree was monitored every two weeks, and was able to avoid both complications and intrauterine interventions. The twins, born at term, are now healthy and thriving at home. “Dr. Ruano went above and beyond as both a physician and person,” Desiree said.
The Grossmans’ connections to UM go back generations. Eric’s late father, Philip Grossman, M.D., was a longtime Miller School voluntary faculty member. In addition, both of Eric’s older sons are UM students. One is a sophomore, and the other will begin his studies in the fall.
The UHealth Jackson Fetal Care Center’s multidisciplinary team of maternal-fetal and pediatric specialists manage the most complex cases, prioritizing both mother and baby’s health.
“This gift will advance our research and our care for mothers and babies before they are born, specifically for twins and multiple pregnancies,” Dr. Ruano said. “We will be able to help more families facing similar challenging situations.”
