Joshua Copel, MD

As an expert in prenatal diagnosis and fetal therapy, Dr. Copel has pioneered new diagnostic techniques for unborn patients and their mothers. He is also an expert in both surgical and non-invasive approaches to maternal-fetal care. “One of the most rewarding aspects of my particular field is when I really can say we made a difference,” says Dr. Copel. “It’s just great to say this kid wouldn’t be here if not for what we did prenatally.”

After completing a residency in Obstetrics & Gynecology at Pennsylvania Hospital, Dr. Copel arrived at YNHH in 1983 to complete a fellowship in Maternal-Fetal Medicine with Yale University School of Medicine. He stayed on to become a professor in two departments at Yale: Ob/Gyn and Pediatrics. Dr. Copel’s clinical interests include fetal echocardiography, chorionic villus sampling (where a small amount of placenta is tested for health risks and chromosomal conditions like Down Syndrome), amniotic fluid testing, and first trimester pregnancy screenings.

Dr. Copel is passionate about the high level of care his patients can expect to receive at YNHH, and proud that his team has been able to collaborate with medical societies both across the United States and abroad. “We can reach out with teaching techniques—including teaching about prenatal diagnosis—to large numbers of physicians around the world. What they are going to go and do for their patients is a much broader legacy than just working in a single practice,” he says.