Associate Professor
Contact
Associate Professor
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact
McMaster University
1280 Main St. West,
HSC3V - 43B
Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1
Canada
Dr. Giulia Muraca is a perinatal epidemiologist and an Associate Professor in the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact at McMaster University. Her research is in the area of maternal, fetal, and neonatal health and health services research, with emphasis on care quality, accessibility and equity.
Dr. Muraca received her Ph.D. in epidemiology from the University of British Columbia where her doctoral research characterized maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality in deliveries requiring forceps, vacuum, and cesarean delivery. She completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Clinical Epidemiology Unit at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, where she developed epidemiologic approaches to identify optimal intrapartum intervention rates – such as the cesarean delivery rate or the rate of induction – that minimize the frequency of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes including postpartum hemorrhage, obstetric anal sphincter injury, maternal sepsis, neonatal sepsis, and birth injury.
Dr. Muraca received her Ph.D. in epidemiology from the University of British Columbia where her doctoral research characterized maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality in deliveries requiring forceps, vacuum, and cesarean delivery. She completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Clinical Epidemiology Unit at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, where she developed epidemiologic approaches to identify optimal intrapartum intervention rates – such as the cesarean delivery rate or the rate of induction – that minimize the frequency of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes including postpartum hemorrhage, obstetric anal sphincter injury, maternal sepsis, neonatal sepsis, and birth injury.
The Muraca Perinatal Epidemiology Research Lab (PERL) is part of the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact at McMaster University.
The PERL specializes in linking and analyzing large datasets to improve safety and well-being for mothers and babies from the preconception period, during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period, and beyond throughout the mother and child's life course.
The PERL specializes in linking and analyzing large datasets to improve safety and well-being for mothers and babies from the preconception period, during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period, and beyond throughout the mother and child's life course.
Recent publications
Caughey AB, Sultan P, Monks DT, Sharawi N, Bamber J, Panelli DM, Sauro KM, Shah PS, Muraca GM, Metcalfe A, Wood SL, Jago CA, Daly S, Blake LEA, Macones GA, Wilson RD, Nelson G.
American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, vol. 233(6S), 2026, pp. S170-S183
Irina I. Oltean, Parnian Hossein-Pour, Maya Rajasingham, Francis Nguyen, Susitha Wanigaratne, Rohan D'Souza, Giulia M. Muraca
Canadian Medical Association Journal, vol. 198(10), 2026, pp. E358-E368
Maya Rajasingham, Priya Premranjith, Hilary K. Brown, Daniel J Atkinson, Rohan D'Souza, Benicio Frey, Sheryl M. Green, Susan M Jack, Giulia M. Muraca
Canadian Medical Association Journal, vol. 198(10), 2026, pp. E344-E357
Long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes after forceps, vacuum, and second-stage cesarean delivery
Maya Rajasingham, Sarka Lisonkova, Neda Razaz, Giulia M. Muraca
JAMA Network Open, vol. 9(1), 2026, pp. e2556637
Nadia Rehman, Lawrence Mbuagbaw, Dominik Mertz, Giulia M. Muraca, Aaron Jones
PLoS ONE, vol. 21(2), 2026, pp. e0326989
View all
Selected Projects
CanHEAL: The Canadian network for Health Equity using Advanced data Linkage
The overarching aim of this project is to advance equity in maternal and perinatal care in Canada using population-based investigations of racial and ethnic disparities in severe maternal morbidity and severe perinatal morbidity and mortality.
Our objective is to understand how often individuals face mental health challenges after experiencing SMM.
The Robson classification is a global standard for comparing cesarean delivery (CD) rates across populations; however, this classification does not account for differences in maternal, fetal, and obstetric practice factors known to impact CD rates.
Asian-White disparities in obstetric anal sphincter injury
Studies from high-income countries have identified an increased risk of OASI in individuals who identify as Asian race vs those who identify as White; we are conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate this relationship.
Characterizing maternal and neonatal trauma associated with forceps and vacuum delivery
In Canada, rates of trauma following OVD are higher than previously reported, irrespective of region, level of obstetric care and volume of OVD among hospitals. These results support a reassessment of OVD safety in Canada.
View all