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Obstetrics and Gynaecology
The University of Adelaide
SA 5005
AUSTRALIA
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Telephone: +61 8 8313 5100
Facsimile: +61 8 8313 4099

Gus Dekker

Professor in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
MD PhD FRANZCOG DCOG

Email: gustaaf.dekker@adelaide.edu.au
Contact information

Clinical interests

My research is focussed on two major problems in maternal-fetal medicine, being preeclampsia and preterm labour. In the preeclampsia research we try to cover a broad range of topics, varying from studies on the etiology/pathogenesis of the disease (susceptibility genes, thrombophilic disorders, protective effects of sperm exposure) to major international prediction studies, and randomised trials on the efficacy of low molecular weight heparin and vitamin supplementation in the prevention of preeclampsia.

The preterm labour research focuses on two research topics being the evaluation of new tocolytic drugs and the prediction of preterm labour (cervical length measurement, fetal fibronectin). Considering the fact that the Lyell McEwin Hospital is located in one of Australia’s most disadvantaged ‘high-risk’ suburbs future research projects are planned on topics at the interface of perinatology, epidemiology and public health

Publications since January 2000

Gibson CS, MacLennan AH, Goldwater PN, Dekker GA. Antenatal Causes of Cerebral Palsy: Associations Between Inherited Thrombophilias, Viral and Bacterial Infection, and Inherited Susceptibility to Infection. Obstet Gynecol Surv 2003 Mar;58(3):209-220.

Romero R, Dekker G, Kupferminc M, Saade G, Livingston J, Peaceman A, Mazor M, Yoon BH, Espinoza J, Chaiworapongsa T, Gomez R, Arias F, Sibai B. Can heparin prevent adverse pregnancy outcome? J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2002 Jul;12(1):1-8.

Althuisius MJ, Dekker GA. Cervical cerclage. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2002 Nov; 187(5):1426-1427.

Lachmeijer A, Dekker G, Pals G, Aarnoudse J, ten Kate L, Arngrimsson R. Searching for preeclampsia genes: the current position. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2002 Nov 15;105(2):94.

Dekker G. The partner’s role in the etiology of preeclampsia. J Reprod Immunol. 2002 Oct-Nov; 57(1-2):203-215.

Althuisius S, Dekker G, Hummel P, Bekedam D, Kuik D, Van Geijn H. Cervical Incompetence Prevention Randomized Cerclage Trial (CIPRACT): effect of therapeutic cerclage with bed rest vs. bed rest only on cervical length. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2002 Aug; 20(2):163-167.

van der Klis KA, Westenberg L, Chan A, Dekker G, Keane RJ. Teenage pregnancy: trends, characteristics and outcomes in South Australia and Australia. Aust NZJ Public Health 2002 Apr;26(2):125-131.

King JF, Flenady VJ, Papatsonia DN, Dekker GA, Carbonne B. Calcium channel blockers for inhibiting preterm labour. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2):CD002255, 2002.

Brink A, Akande W, Moodley J, Hague W, Hall D, Steyn W, Dekker G, Odendaal H. Hypertension in pregnancy. Round-table discussion: Part II. Cardiovascular Journal of South Africa 2002 Mar-Apr; 13(2):68-72.

Brink A, Akande W, Moodley J, Hague W, Hall D, Steyn W, Dekker G, Odendaal H. Hypertension in pregnancy. Round-table discussion: Part I. Cardiovascular Journal of South Africa 2002; 13(1):22-28.

Althuisius SM, Dekker GA, van Geijn HP. Cervical Incompetence: A Reappraisal of an Obstetric Controversy. Obstet & Gynecol Survey 2002; 57(6):377-387.

Westenberg L, van der Klis KAM, Chan A, Dekker G, Keane RJ. Aboriginal teenage pregnancies compared with non-Aboriginal in South Australia 1995-1999. Aust NZJ Obstet Gynaecol 2002;42:2:187-192.

Lachmeijer AMA, Nosti-Escanilla MP, Bastiaans EB, Pals G, Sandkuijl LA, Kostense PJ, Aarnoudse JG, Crusius JBA, Pena AS, Dekker GA, Arngrimsson R, ten Kate LP. Linkage and association studies of IL1B and IL1RN gene polymorphisms in preeclampsia. Hypertens Pregnancy. 2002;21(1):23-38.

Wang JX, Knottnerus A, Schuit G, Norman RJ, Chan A, Dekker GA. Surgically obtained sperm, and risk of gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia. The Lancet 2002;359:673-74.

Van Hoorn J, Dekker G, Jeffries B. Gestational diabetes versus obesity as risk factors for pregnancy-induced hypertensive disorders and fetal macrosomia. Aust NZJ Obstet Gynaecol 2002;42:1:29-34.

Robillard PY, Dekker GA, Hulsey TC. Evolutionary Adaptations to Pre-eclampsia; Eclampsia in Humans: Low Fecundability Rate, Loss of Oestrus, Prohibitions of Incest and Systematic Polyandry. Am J Reprod Immunol 2002;47:104-111.

Lachmeijer AM, Arngrimsson R, Bastiaans EJ, Frigge ML, Pals G, Sigurdardottir S, Stefansson H, Palsson B, Nicolae D, Kong A, Aarnoudse JG, Gulcher JR, Dekker GA, ten Kate LP, Stefansson K. A genome-wide scan for preeclampsia in the Netherlands. Eur J Hum Genet 2001;9:758-764.

Althuisius SM, Dekker GA, Hummel P, Bekedam DJ, van Geijn HP. Final results of the Cervical Incompetence Prevention Randomized Cerclage Trial (CIPRACT): therapeutic cerclage with bed rest versus bed rest alone. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2001 Nov;185(5):1106-12.

Lachmeijer AM, Crusius JB, Pals G, Dekker GA, Arngrimsson R, ten Kate LP. Polymorphisms in the tumor necrosis factor and lymphotoxin-alpha gene region and preeclampsia(1).Obstet Gynecol 2001 Oct;98(4):612-9.

Hague WM, North RA, Gallus AS, Walters BN, Orlikowski C, Burrows RF, Cincotta RB, Dekker GA, Higgins JR, Lowe SA, Morris JM, Peek MJ. Anticoagulation in pregnancy and the puerperium. Med J Aust. 2001 Sept 3;175(5):258-63.

Papatsonis DNM, Lok CAR, Bos, JM, van Geijn HP, Dekker GA. Calcium channel blockers in the management of preterm labor and hypertension in pregnancy 122 – 140. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2001;97:122-140.

Tsatsaris V, Papatsonis D, Goffinet F, Dekker G, Carbonne B. Tocolysis with Nifedipine or Beta-Adrenergic Agonists: A Meta-Analysis. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2001 May;97(5 Pt 2):840-7.

McLintock C, North RA, Dekker G, Taylor RN. Inherited Thrombophilias: Implications for pregnancy associated venous thromboembolism and obstetric complications. Current Problems in Obstetrics, Gynecology & Fertility, 2001; 24(4):109-149.

Bolte AC, van Geijn HP, Dekker GA. Management and monitoring of severe preeclampsia. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2001 May;96(1):8-20.

Bolte AC, van Geijn HP, Dekker GA. Pharmacological treatment of severe hypertension in pregnancy and the role of serotonin₂-receptor blockers. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2001 Mar;95(1):22-36.

Bolte AC, van Geijn HP, Dekker GA. Pathophysiology of preeclampsia and the role of serotonin. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2001 Mar;95(1):12-21.

Bolte AC, van Eyck J, Gaffar SF, van Geijn HP, Dekker GA. Ketanserin for the treatment of preeclampsia. J Perinat Med. 2001;29(1):14-22.

Lachmeijer AM, Arngrimsson R, Bastiaans EJ, Pals G, ten Kate LP, de Vries JI, Kostense PJ, Aarnoudse JG, Dekker GA. Mutations in the gene for methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, homocysteine levels, and vitamin status in women with a history of preeclampsia. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2001 Feb;184(3):394-402.

Dekker G, Sibai B. Primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention of pre-eclampsia. Lancet. 2001 Jan 20;357(9251):209-15. Review.

Althuisius SM, Schornagel IJ, Dekker GA, van Geijn HP, Hummel P. Loop electrosurgical excision procedure of the cervix and time of delivery in subsequent pregnancy. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2001 Jan;72(1):31-4.

Althuisius SM, Dekker GA, van Geijn HP, Bekedam DJ, Hummel P. Cervical incompetence prevention randomized cerclage trial (CIPRACT): study design and preliminary results. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2000 Oct;183(4):823-9.

de Jong CL, Paarlberg KM, van Geijn HP, van Kamp GJ, van Dis H, Dekker GA. Maternal thromboxane and prostacyclin levels in relation to fetal birth weight. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2000 Nov;93(1):65-9.

Papatsonis DN, Van Geijn HP, Dekker GA. Nifedipine as a safe and effective tocolytic agent in the treatment of preterm labor. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2000 Aug;183(2):513-4. No abstract available.

van Pampus MG, Wolf H, Dekker GA. Reply. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2000 Apr;182(4): 989-90. No abstract available.

Papatsonis DN, Kok JH, van Geijn HP, Bleker OP, Ader HJ, Dekker GA. Neonatal effects of nifedipine and ritodrine for preterm labor. Obstet Gynecol. 2000 Apr;95(4): 477-81.

Koelman CA, Coumans AB, Nijman HW, Doxiadis II, Dekker GA, Claas FH. Correlation between oral sex and a low incidence of preeclampsia: a role for soluble HLA in seminal fluid? J Reprod Immunol. 2000 Mar;46(2):155-66.