Telemedicine is Transforming High-Risk Pregnancy Care: Dr Luissa Kiprono, DO

Mar 25

Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist \ Founder, TeleMed MFM

High Risk Pregnancy Care

Since fifth grade, Luissa Kiprono, D.O., MBS, MBA, FACOG, knew she would be a doctor. Although there were many in her elementary school class who also shared that dream, she was the only one who made that dream a reality. Later, her own high-risk pregnancies led Dr. Kiprono to further specialize in Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM).

Over her career, Dr. Kiprono has committed herself to providing quality care to women worldwide. When practicing in other countries, Dr. Kiprono says it’s important to keep in mind cultural differences. In many countries she’s visited, the ratio of patients to clinicians is very skewed, often leaving medical staff overwhelmed. Despite the challenges she’s seen, Dr. Kiprono says it’s inspiring to see the theme of quality patient care in every hospital.

In the summer of 2022, when her employer’s practice closed its doors in San Antonio, she knew she had the opportunity of a lifetime. She could serve two life missions: professionally, through maternal-fetal telemedicine practice TeleMed MFM, https://telemedmfm.com/, she could make high-risk pregnancy care available to all women beyond borders or geographical limitations; and holistically through her book PUSH, THEN BREATHE: Trauma, Triumph, and the Making of an American Doctor and my platform Dr. Luissa K she could reach out to all women to join the quest for self-empowerment.

In this episode Dr. Kiprono shares that childhood illness and a painful surgery shaped her commitment to becoming a physician and to helping patients protect what she calls their most valuable asset—health.
We discuss her work in maternal-fetal medicine, where she consults via telemedicine for high-risk pregnancies through contracted healthcare systems rather than direct-to-patient visits. Dr. Kiprono emphasizes the importance of telemedicine because most maternal-fetal medicine specialists are in cities while many high-risk patients live in rural areas. Our conversation also covers pregnancy loss, infertility, and high-risk factors like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, older maternal age, and certain anatomical conditions, with Dr. Kiprono emphasizing holistic, lifestyle-centered care alongside specialist evaluation.
We close by talking about the “business of medicine,” advising students to follow their passion and learn practical business skills, and she shares her websites, book (Push, Then Breathe), and humanitarian teaching work abroad.