Rate My Professor Sarah Donald

Dr Sarah Donald serves as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Public Health (Dunedin) within the University of Otago's Faculty of Medicine and Division of Health Sciences. She earned her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) from the University of Otago in Dunedin. Following her medical training, she engaged in several years of clinical practice before entering the Public Health Medicine training programme, culminating in her Fellowship of the New Zealand College of Public Health Medicine (FNZCPHM) in 2016. She also holds Master of Science (MSc) and Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees. Previously a PhD candidate researching prescription medicine use in pregnancy under supervisors Lianne Parkin, Simon Horsburgh, and Katrina Sharples, she now contributes to the Pharmacoepidemiology Research Network as a Core Academic Group member and is affiliated with the New Zealand Pharmacovigilance Centre.

Her primary research interests centre on the utilisation and safety of prescription medicines during pregnancy, including patterns of dispensing and potential risks. Additional areas include promoting optimal weight gain in pregnancy. Notable publications co-authored by Dr Donald include "Effectiveness of smoking cessation pharmacotherapies during pregnancy: A multi-national population-based study" (Addiction, 2025, with A.L. Robijn et al.), "Risk of major congenital malformations following prenatal exposure to smoking cessation medicines" (JAMA Internal Medicine, 2025, with D.T. Tran et al.), "Global trends in analgesic opioid use in pregnancy: A retrospective cohort study" (Anesthesiology, 2025, with J. Brett et al.), "Patterns of prescription medicine dispensing before and during pregnancy in New Zealand, 2005–2015" (Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, 2020), and "Antidepressant dispensing before, during, and after pregnancy in New Zealand, 2005-2014" (Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 2021). Through her involvement in multinational collaborations, Dr Donald's work informs evidence-based practices on medication safety for pregnant populations, enhancing public health outcomes.