Dr. Barnhart directs the Women's Health Clinical Research Center in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecologyas well as the Reproductive Research Unit of the Center for Reproductive Medicine and Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. He is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. His subspecialty training includes a one-year Rockefeller Social Science Research Fellowship in Reproductive Biology in Santiago, Chile and a Clinical Fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center and a Master of Science Degree in Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Research Interests:
Dr. Barnhart's research activities include a NIH funded investigation into the diagnosis and treatment of ectopic pregnancy (RO1). He is also part of a NIH program project evaluating the activity and distribution of novel vaginal contraceptives/microbicides (P01). Specifically he is using MRI to objectively measure the vaginal distribution of topical medications. Dr, Barnhart has completed a NIH contract for the conduct of a phase I trial evaluating a novel spermicde/microbicide and has participated in numerous multi-center trials including a trial evaluating the efficacy of spermicides contracted by NICHD to Family Health International (FHI). Dr Barnhart has also successfully completed, or is investigating, the mechanism of action, and acceptance of implantable contraceptives, the acceptability and efficacy of emergency contraception, and the evaluation of novel oral contraceptive pill preparations. His interest also includes the accuracy of tests to evaluate fertility potential and the evaluation of new therapeutic modalities in the treatment of the infertile women. He has also evaluated novel methods of hormone replacement such as the combination of androgens and estrogens and the effect of DHEA supplementation as an adjunct to hormone replacement therapy. His publications include evaluation of the efficacy of the diagnostic algorithm for women with early pregnancy complications currently in use at UPHS.

To learn more about Dr. Barnhart’s clinical practice, go to http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/obgyn/research/ccr.htm

Recent Representative Publications:
Barnhart, K, Sammel MD, Chung K, Zhou L, Hummel AC, Guo W. Decline of serum human chorionic gonadotropin and spontaneous complete abortion: Defining the normal curve. Obstet Gynecol 2004:104(5):975-981.

Myers ER, Silva S, Barnhart K, Groben PA, Richardson MS, Robboy SJ, Leppert P, Coutifaris C. for the NICHD National Cooperative Reproductive Medicine Network. Interobserver and intraobserver variability in the histological dating of the endometrium in fertile and infertile women. Fertil Steril 2004:82(5):1278-82

Coutifaris C, Myers ER, Guzick DS, Diamond MP, Carson SA, Legro RS, McGovern PG, Schlaff WD, Carr BR, Steinkampf MP, Silva S, Vogel DL, Leppert PC for the NICHD National Cooperative Reproductive Medicine Network (Dr. Barnhart is part of the Network). Histopatholigical dating of times endometrial biopsy tissue is not related to fertility status. Fertil Steril 2004::82(5):1264-72.

Gracia CR, Sammel MD, Coutifaris C, Guzick DS, Barnhart KT. Environmental Exposures and Male Infertility. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2005: Aug 24.

Gracia C, Sammel MD, Chittams J, Hummel AC, Shaunik A, Barnhart KT. Risk Factors for Spontaneous Abortion in Women with High Risk First Trimester Pregnancy.Obstet Gynecol 2005: 106: 993-999.

Ailawadi M, Lorch SA, Barnhart KT. Cost effectiveness of presumptively medically treating women at risk for ectopic pregnancy compared to first performing a D&C. Fertil Steril, 2005: 83(2):376-82.

Barnhart KT, Gracia C, Sammel MD, Chittams J, Hummel AC, Shaunik A. Risk Factors for Spontaneous Abortion in Women with Symptomatic First Trimester Pregnancy,” Obstet Gynecol 2005: 106(5):993-9.

Barnhart KT, Pretorius ES, Shaunik A, Timbers KT, Nasution M, Mauck C. Vaginal distribution of two volumes of the novel microbicide gel cellulose sulfate (2.5 ml and 3.5 ml). Contraception. 2005:72(1):65-70.

Zhang J, Gilles JM, Barnhart K, Creinin MD, Westhoff C, Frederick MM, et al. A comparison of medical management with misoprostol and surgical management for early pregnancy failure. N Engl J Med 2005: 353:8: 761-769.

Chung K, Sammel MD, Coutifaris C, Chalian R, Lin K, Castelbaum A, Freedman M, Barnhart K. Defining the rise of serum human chorionic gonadotropin in viable pregnancies achieved through use of in vitro fertilization. Human Reproduction 2006: 21: 823-828.

Chung K, Sammel MD,  Zhou L, Hummel A, Guo W, Barnhart K. Defining the curve when initial levels of human chorionic gonadotropin in patients with spontaneous abortions are low. Fertil Steril 2006: 85: 508-510.

Silva C, Sammel MD, Zhou L, Gracia C, Guo W, Hummel AC, Barnhart KT. hCG profile for Women with an Ectopic Pregnancy Obstet Gynecol 2006: 107: 605-610.

Seeber B, Sammel M, Guo W, Zhou L, Hummel A, Barnhart KT. Application of redefined hCG curves for the diagnosis of women at risk for ectopic pregnancy. Fertil Steril 2006: 86:454-459.

Barnhart, K. T. Statistical power to detect differences. Fertil Steril 2007: 87, 1499; author reply 1499-500.

Menon, S., Colins, J., and Barnhart, K. T. Establishing a human chorionic gonadotropin cutoff to guide methotrexate treatment of ectopic pregnancy: a systematic review. Fertil Steril 2007: 87, 481-4.

Menon, S., Sammel, M. D., Vichnin, M., and Barnhart, K. T. Risk factors for ectopic pregnancy: a comparison between adults and adolescent women. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol 2007: 20, 181-5.

Molinaro, T. A., and Barnhart, K. T. Ectopic pregnancies in unusual locations. Semin Reprod Med 2007: 25, 123-30.
Barnhart KT, Sammel MD, Hummel AC, Menon S, Jain JK, Chakhtoura N. A ‘two dose’ regimen for methotrexate in ectopic pregnancy. Fertil Steril 2007: 87:2500-256.

Kalra, S K. Gracia, C R, and Barnhart, K.T (2008). Symptomatic fibroids in two patients on hormone replacement therapy with primary ovarian failure secondary to prepubertal gonadotoxic cancer treatment. J Womens Health (Larchmt).

Barnhart K, Mirkin S, Grubb G, and Constantine G. . Return to fertility after cessation of a continuous oral contraceptive. Fertil Steril 2008.

Chen BA, Reeves M F, Creinin MD., Gilles J.M, Barnhart K, Westhoff C, and Zhang J. Misoprostol for treatment of early pregnancy failure in women with previous uterine surgery. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2008: 198, 626 e1-5.

Mauck CK, Katz , Sandefer P, Nasution MD, Henderson M, Digenis G.A, Su I, Page R, and Barnhart K. Vaginal distribution of Replens and K-Y Jelly using three imaging techniques. Contraception 2008: 77, 195-204.

Creinin MD, Meyn L A, Borgatta L, Barnhart K, Jensen J, Burke AE, Westhoff C., Gilliam, M., Dutton, C., and Ballagh, S. A. Multicenter comparison of the contraceptive ring and patch: a randomized controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol 2008: 111, 267-77.

Seeber B, Sammel, MD, Fan X, Gerton G L, Shaunik A, Chittams J, and Barnhart K T. Panel of markers can accurately predict endometriosis in a subset of patients. Fertil Steril 2000:. 89, 1073-81.

Collins J A. Barnhart K T, and Schlegel PN. Do sperm DNA integrity tests predict pregnancy with in vitro fertilization? Fertil Steril 2008: 89, 823-31.

Weiner M G, Barnhart, KT, Xie D, and Tannen R . Hormone therapy and coronary heart disease in young women. Menopause 2008:15, 86-93.