About Dr. Fatu Forna

Dr. Forna is a Global Obstetrician and Gynecologist, Maternal Health Consultant, and Speaker who has been featured on CNN International for her work improving the health of women and children around the world.

She received her medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine and completed her Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at Emory University School of Medicine. She is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Dr. Forna has served as Lead for Reproductive and Maternal Health for the World Health Organization in Sierra Leone, as Director of Perinatal Safety and Quality and Chief of Women’s Services for Kaiser Permanente in Georgia, and as a Medical Epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She has worked in many countries around the world and is an international expert on reproductive and maternal health issues. Together with her colleagues at Kaiser Permanente, Dr. Forna developed the Cocoon Pregnancy Care Model to decrease maternal morbidity and mortality. The model places pregnant women in the center of a protective layer of a care team and services to optimize their health, enhance their care experience, and improve perinatal outcomes.

Dr. Forna is a passionate advocate for the reproductive health of young women, and the author of the book “From your doctor to you. What every teenage girl should know about her body, sex, STDs and contraception”. She developed the From Your Doctor to You: Puberty Party & Womanhood Party to give girls and young women the tools they need to protect their sexual and reproductive health, and she has hosted Puberty Parties in countries around the world. She is also the author of the bestselling Puppy Princess Sheba children’s book series.

Dr. Forna is Co-Founder and Executive Director of the non-profit Mama-Pikin Foundation, which works to improve the health of women, children, and families in Sierra Leone, West Africa