About me
Philosophy of care
Dr. Iqbal's philosophy of care includes devoting all of her attention to her patients because she believes that listening to and gaining a thorough understanding of the patient is the key to diagnosis and successful management. Dr. Iqbal is actively involved in the diagnosis and management of high-risk pregnancies, as well as providing prenatal diagnosis with genetic counseling, ultrasound and amniocentesis. She takes interest in treating patients with high-risk issues, such as intrauterine growth restriction, chronic hypertension, diabetes mellitus, second trimester losses and other medical complications that require close surveillance during pregnancy. She lets her patients know that she is dedicated to their well being and has the experience and expertise to provide proper education and treatment of their condition. Dr. Iqbal considers the most rewarding part of her job to be delivering a baby after supporting the mother throughout her high-risk pregnancy. It is Dr. Iqbal's goal as a maternal-fetal medicine subspecialist to provide each patient with her utmost attention, making sure each patient has the opportunity to voice their concerns.
Academic background
Sara N. Iqbal, MD, is the Division Chief of Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) and Program Director for MFM and the MFM/Genetics Fellowship, MedStar Washington Hospital Center. In addition, she is a clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Ob/Gyn), Georgetown University School of Medicine.
Dr. Iqbal specializes in high-risk pregnancy. She is actively involved in the diagnosis and management of high-risk pregnancies such as diabetes, hypertension, intrauterine growth restriction, preterm labor, history of premature delivery and other medical complications that require close surveillance during pregnancy. Services she provides to her patients include comprehensive ultrasound screening, amniocentesis and genetic counseling.
Dr. Iqbal completed her medical school education at Dow University of Health Sciences in Karachi, Pakistan. She then completed her residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at Howard University Hospital in Washington, DC, and pursued further specialization in high-risk obstetrics with the completion of a fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. During her fellowship, Dr. Iqbal studied human immunodeficiency virus in pregnancy and intrauterine growth restriction.
Medical education and research development also interest Dr. Iqbal. She is the chair of the Ob/Gyn Research Development and Review (RDR) Committee, and she supervises the monthly RDR meetings at MedStar Washington and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. In addition, she is the director for the High-Risk Obstetrics Conferences and Morbidity and Mortality Conferences at MedStar Washington. She also serves on the committees for graduate medical education, Ob/Gyn residency education and Ob/Gyn practice.
Dr. Iqbal reviews manuscripts for the American Journal of Perinatology, the American Journal of Perinatology Reports, and the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Research. Her research has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, and the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Dr. Iqbal is a fellow of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. She is board certified in both Ob/Gyn and maternal-fetal medicine. To further her knowledge and collaborations with other professionals, she maintains memberships in the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine and the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.
Research interests
Dr. Iqbal's research interests include the following:
- Intrauterine growth restriction
- Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy
- Postpartum hemorrhage
- Diabetes and pregnancy
- Chronic hypertension and preeclampsia
- Management of the morbidly obese pregnant patients
- Ultrasound
Clinical areas of focus
- Cervical Insufficiency
- Fetal Growth Restriction
- Hypertension In Pregnancy, Including Preeclampsia
- Placental Disorders
- Pregnancy Hemorrhage And Placenta Previa
- Preterm Labor
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Antenatal Screening Abnormalities
- Cervical Insufficiency
- Cervix Uteri Disorders
- Complications Of The Puerperium
- Diabetes In Pregnancy
- False Labor
- False Labor Pain
- Fetal Growth Restriction
- Gestational Hypertension
- High Risk Pregnancy
- Hypertension In Pregnancy, Including Preeclampsia
- Labor Complications And Umbilical Cord Problems
- Late Pregnancy Complications
- Maternal Care For Fetal Problems
- Maternal Diseases
- Maternal Infections
- Multiple Gestations
- Obstetric Trauma
- Placental Disorders
- Polyhydramnios
- Postpartum Hemorrhage
- Pregnancy Hemorrhage And Placenta Previa
- Pregnancy Nausea
- Premature Placenta Separation
- Premature Rupture Of Membranes
- Preterm Labor
- Uterine Prolapse
- Uti (URINARY TRACT INFECTION) During Pregnancy
Procedures I perform
- Amniocentesis
- Cesarean Delivery
- Fetal Monitoring
- Pregnancy Ultrasound
- Prenatal Care
Practice locations
Distance from Change LocationEnter your Location
106 Irving St NW Perinatal Center Ste 108 South Tower Washington, DC, 20010
202-877-6093Fax 202-877-8695
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- IH-Indemnity
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- IH-EPO Plus
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- CIGNA PPO
- Choice POS II
- IH-Open HMO
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- UHC Passport
- IH-Network Only Plus
- IH-Open POS II
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Beech Street PPO
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- First Health PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- CareFirst Administrators
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- IH-Open HMO Option
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Aetna VA Exchange
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- IH-POS Plus
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- CIGNA EPO
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Network OA
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Sentara Health
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- United Student Resources
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Aetna HMO
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Tricare Reserve Select
- United Healthcare Choice
- Optimum Choice
- First Health PPO
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Navigate
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- OA Plus
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Classic 3500
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Employee Health Plan
- POS OA
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Choice POS II Open Access
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- IH-POS
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- HighMark
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- TRICARE East Select
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Medicare Direct
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst EPO
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Choice POS
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- TRICARE for Life East
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- CareFirst NASCO
- Aetna Basic
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- IH-PPO
- Medicare FFS
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- TRICARE East Prime
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Choice Fund PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- IH-HMO
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
Education
Board Certification: ,
Fellowship: University of Maryland Medical Center (2008)
Residency: Howard University Hospital (2005)
Medical School: Dow University Of Health Sciences (1996)
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
Original Papers in Refereed Journals
- Mokhtari NB, Saeed H, Kawakita T, Huang JC, Iqbal SN. Educational Video on Pain Management and Subsequent Opioid Use after Cesarean Delivery: A Randomized Controlled Trial Obstet Gynecol. 2021 Aug 1;138(2):253-259. PMID: 34237764
- Mokhtari N, Wang T, DiSciullo A, Iqbal SN, Kawakita T. Intraamniotic Infection Rates after Intrauterine Pressure Catheter with and without Amnioinfusion. Am J Perinatol. 2021 Feb;38(3):212-217. PMID: 32791538
- Kawakita T, Iqbal SN, Overcash RT. Negative pressure wound therapy system in extremely obese women after cesarean delivery compared with standard dressing. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2021 Feb;34(4):634-638. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2021. PMID: 31018727
- Chornock R, Iqbal SN, Wang T, Kodama S, Kawakita T, Fries M.Incidence of Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy in Women with COVID-19. Am J Perinatol. 2021 May 3. PMID: 33940651
- Kawakita T, Gold SL, Huang JC, Iqbal SN. Refining the clinical definition of active phase arrest of dilation in nulliparous women to consider degree of cervical dilation as well as duration of arrest. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2021 Mar 31: 2021. PMID: 33798479
- Kodama S, Mokhtari NB, Iqbal SN, Kawakita T. Evaluation of the Maternal-Fetal Triage Index in a tertiary care labor and delivery unit. Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM. 2021 Mar 20;3(4):100351. MFM. 2021. PMID: 33757932
- Spiliopoulos M, Kuo CY, Eranki A, Jacobs M, Rossi CT, Iqbal SN, Fisher JP, Fries MH, Kim PCW.Spiliopoulos M, et al. Characterizing placental stiffness using ultrasound shear-wave elastography in healthy and preeclamptic pregnancies. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2020 Nov;302(5):1103-1112. PMID: 32676857
- D’Alton ME, Rood KM, Smid MC, Simhan HN, Skupski DW, Subramaniam A, Gibson KS, Rosen, T, Clark SM, Dudley D, Iqbal SN, Paglia MJ, Duzyj CM, Chien, EK, Gibbins KJ, Wine KD, A. Bentum, NA, Kominiarek MA Tuuli, MG, Goffman, D. Intrauterine Vacuum-Induced Hemorrhage-Control Device for Rapid Treatment of Postpartum Hemorrhage. Obstetrics & Gynecology: September 09, 2020 -PMID: 32909970
- Chornock R, Iqbal SN, Kawakita T. Racial Disparity in Postpartum Readmission due to Hypertension among Women with Pregnancy-Associated Hypertension. Am J Perinatol. 2020 Jun 2. PMID: 32485755
- Iqbal SN, Overcash R, Mokhtari N, Saeed H, Gold S, Auguste T, Mirza MU, Ruiz ME, Chahine JJ, Waga M, Wortmann G. An uncomplicated delivery in a patient with Covid-19 in the United States. N Engl J Med. 2020 Apr 16;382(16): e34. PMID: 32237670
- Adams A, Aggarwal N, Fries M, Muangman S, Donofrio M, Iqbal SN. Neonatal and maternal outcomes of pregnancies with a fetal diagnosis of congenital heart disease using a standardized delivery room management protocol. Journal of Perinatology. Feb;40(2):316-323. PMID: 31611616
- E Coviello, S Iqbal, R Chornock, M Cheney, S Desale, M Fries. Effect of Implementing Quantitative Blood Loss Assessment at Time of Delivery. American Journal of Perinatology. 2019 May 14. PMID:31087316
- Kawakita T, Iqbal SN, Overcash RT, Kawakita T. Negative pressure wound therapy system in extremely obese women after cesarean delivery compared with standard dressing. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2019 May 5:1-5. PMID: 31018727
- Kawakita T, Iqbal SN, Landy HJ, Huang JC, Fries M. Reducing Cesarean Delivery Surgical Site Infections: A Resident-Driven Quality Initiative. Obstet Gynecol. 2019 Feb;133(2):282-288. PMID: 30633146
- Coviello E, Iqbal S, Grantz K, Chun-Chih H, Landy H, Reddy U. Early Preterm Preeclampsia Outcomes by Intended Mode of Delivery. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2019 Jan; 220(1):100.e1-100.e9. PMID: 30273585
- Parikh LI, Iqbal SN, Jelin AC, Overcash RT, Tefera E, Fries MH. Third trimester ultrasound for fetal macrosomia: optimal timing and institutional specific accuracy. Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine. 2017 Nov 28:1-5 PMID:29183184
- Kawakita T, Iqbal SN, Huang CC, Reddy UM. Non-medically indicated induction in morbidly obese women is not associated with an increased risk of cesarean delivery. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2017 Oct; 217(4):451.e1-451.e8. PMID: 28578171
- Parikh LI, Jelin AC, Iqbal SN, Belna SL, Fries MH, Patel M, Desale S, Ramsey PS. Glycemic control, compliance, and satisfaction for diabetic gravidas in Centering® group care. Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine 2017 May;30(10):1221-1226. PMID: 27380055
- Kawakita T, Reddy UM, Landy HJ, Grantz KL, Desale S, Iqbal SN. Maternal Outcomes associated with early preterm cesarean delivery. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2017 Mar; 216(3): 312.e 1-312.PMID:27840144
- Kawakita T, Parikh LI, Ramsey PS, Huang CC, Zeymo A, Fernandez M, Smith S, Iqbal SN. Predictors of adverse neonatal outcomes in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2015 Oct; 213:570. e1-8. PMID: 26071912.
- Kawakita T, Reddy UM, Iqbal SN, Huang J, Landy HJ, Grantz KL. Complications associated with fetal scalp electrode. Br J Obstet Gynecol 2015 Dec 8. PMID:26643181
- Iqbal SN, Kriebs J, Harman C, Gungor S, Alger L, Turan O, Kopelman J, Malinow A, Baschat AA. Protease Inhibitor Therapy and Fetal Growth Potential in HIV Positive Women. Am J Perinatol 2008 Jun; 25(6): 335-9.
- Iqbal SN, Kriebs J, Harman C, Alger L, Kopelman J, Turan O, Gungor S, Malinow A, Baschat A. Predictors of Fetal Growth in Maternal HIV Disease. Am J Perinatol 2010 Aug; 27(7):517-23.
View Dr. Iqbal's publications on PubMed. Visit Dr. Iqbal's MedStar Health Research Institute page.