Kartik Venkatesh, MD, PHD
Physician, Associate Professor
Maternal Fetal Medicine
Accepting new patients
Conditions and expertise
- Reproductive Health
- High-Risk Pregnancy
- Gestational Diabetes
- Infectious Disease Medicine
- Depression
- Obstetrics
Locations
- The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Academics and research
Department: OB/GYN
About
- Gender
- Male
- Additional languages
- Spanish, Tamil
Biography
I am a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist, maternal-fetal medicine specialist and PhD epidemiologist. I’m passionate about providing cutting-edge, evidence-based care to mothers with high-risk pregnancies. I understand that having a high-risk pregnancy can be anxiety-provoking and stressful for mothers and their families, so my No. 1 goal is to make this a positive, inclusive, natural, patient-centered experience.
As a native son of Ohio, I’m proud to be serving our flagship state institution in providing the best high-risk pregnancy care. I’m humbled when we can implement the newest advances in scientific discovery to improve the lives of mothers and infants. I love being a physician and scientist in this academic and clinical powerhouse that is a true gem for the people of Ohio.
I am the director of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center’s Diabetes in Pregnancy Program, which is one of the largest and oldest diabetes and prenatal care programs in the United States. Each year, this program serves nearly 1,000 pregnant individuals with type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes. Our program is dedicated to improving the quality of diabetes care in pregnancy, and we currently lead a large national trial, DECIDE, which will define the best treatment approach for gestational diabetes for pregnant individuals and their children. We are also leading the ACHIEVE trial to improve glucose control and pregnancy outcomes for high-risk Medicaid eligible pregnant individuals with type 2 diabetes using a mobile application and continuous glucose monitoring.
At the Ohio State College of Medicine, I also actively mentor medical students, residents and fellows on clinical and epidemiologic research projects within high-risk obstetrics. I have methodological expertise in clinical trials, prospective cohorts and clinical prediction models. As a physician-scientist, my overarching goal is to improve pregnancy outcomes for all individuals living with diabetes using innovative approaches that integrate clinical trials, perinatal epidemiology and precision medicine.
In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my two sons, daughter and wife (a physician at Ohio State). I also find time for outside activities such as gardening and exploring the beautiful landscape of central and southern Ohio. In addition, I try to cook nice meals and explore local gems, whether it be a new local garden store or farmers market, whenever I can.
Highlights
- Board Examiner, American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG)
- Editorial Board, Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Chair, Pregnancy and Diabetes Guidelines, World Health Organization (WHO)
- Spent nearly a decade working in southern Africa and India serving underserved populations
Conditions and expertise
- Depression
- Gestational Diabetes
- High Blood Pressure
- High-Risk Pregnancy
- Infectious Disease Medicine
- Obstetrics
- Pregnancy Complications
- Reproductive Health
Locations
Please note: Not all physicians schedule patients at each listed location.
Credentials
Education
- Fellowship - Maternal and Fetal Medicine
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
7/1/2017 - 6/30/2020 - Residency - Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
6/1/2013 - 6/30/2017 - Doctor of Medicine (MD)
- Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
8/1/2006 - 5/31/2013
Certifications
-
American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology-Maternal & Fetal Medicine
4/8/2022 -
American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology
1/22/2019
Academics and research
In addition to patient care, I have just as much passion and drive when it comes to research. As the director of our Maternal-Fetal Medicine Perinatal Epidemiology Program, which includes building public health research and programs to serve mothers and infants affected by high-risk pregnancies. I also direct collaborations with public stakeholders to improve outcomes for mothers and infants using evidence-based public health interventions. I have authored more than 150 scientific manuscripts focused on diabetes in pregnancy, adverse pregnancy outcomes and perinatal infectious diseases. I am the principal investigator of three federally funded studies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) ECHO Ohio prospective longitudinal cohort examining the impact of maternal cardiometabolic health on long-term child neurodevelopment (UG3); the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) ACHIEVE RCT studying the impact of continuous glucose monitoring, mobile applications and addressing social needs on glycemic control for Medicaid-insured pregnant individuals with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes (R01); and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) DECIDE, a comparative effectiveness, patient-centered RCT, defining whether metformin is non-inferior to insulin for prevention of adverse pregnancy outcomes and safe through 2 years postpartum among >1,500 individuals with gestational diabetes and their exposed infants at 20 U.S. centers (large grant).
Research interests
- Diabetes in pregnancy Reproductive infectious diseases Perinatal epidemiology Clinical predictive models in obstetrics Disparities in adverse pregnancy outcomes
Awards and honors
- Quilligan Scholar, The Pregnancy Foundation and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine
- Young Investigator Award, Perinatal Research Society, 2019
Professional activities
- Board Examiner, American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG)
- Editorial Board, Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Chair, Pregnancy and Diabetes Guidelines, World Health Organization (WHO)
Academic information
- Department:
- OB/GYN
- Division:
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine
More about my research
News and media
My news coverage
- Breastfeeding associated with lower risk of heart issues later in life, study finds
- WIC enrollment reduces poor pregnancy outcomes for parents and babies, study finds
- Common pregnancy complications linked to worse heart health in children
- Neighborhoods with greater structural disadvantage linked to extremes in newborn birthweight, study finds
- Nationwide Children’s, Ohio State Receive $17.7 Million to Study Children’s Health
- Ohio State receives $12 million to study effectiveness of therapies for gestational diabetes
- Study finds racial, ethnic disparities in rate of medical intervention among earliest premature babies
Consulting and Related Relationships
At The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, we support a faculty member’s research and consulting in collaboration with medical device, research and/or drug companies because a faculty member’s expertise can guide important advancements in the practice of medicine and improve patient care. In order to provide effective management of these relationships, the University requires annual disclosures from all faculty members with external interests related to their University responsibilities.
As of 11/3/2025 Dr. Venkatesh has reported relationships with the companies or entities listed below. If you have questions about the relationships listed below, please ask the faculty member. If you have questions about how these relationships are monitored by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, please contact our Compliance Office.
- American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology
- American Diabetes Association
- World Health Organization