Researchers
Darine El-Chaar

Darine El-Chaar

MD, FRCSC, Msc

Scientist, Inflammation and Chronic Disease

Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

Staff Physician, Maternal Fetal Medicine

The Ottawa Hospital

Associate Professor, Department of OB/GYN

University of Ottawa

Associate Professor, School of Epidemiology and Public Health

University of Ottawa

Tier-2 Clinical Research Chair, Perinatal Research and Epidemiology

University of Ottawa- Faculty of Medicine

Contact

delchaar@toh.on.ca

501 Smyth Road Box 804 Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6 http://omni.ohri.ca

ORCID 0000-0002-8266-0242
@DarineElChaarMD

Bio

Dr. Darine El-Chaâr completed her Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at the University of Ottawa in 2012. During her residency, she was involved in several research projects focused on the risk of maternal obesity and its impact on neonatal obstetrical outcomes and interventions. In 2014, Dr. El-Chaâr completed her fellowship in Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) at the University of Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital and later earned a Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in 2017.

She joined the MFM Department at The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) in July 2014. She currently holds a Tier 2 Clinical Research Chair in Perinatal Epidemiology and Immunity from the University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine.

She has secured funding through CIHR and other grant funding agencies, including $1.8M for research projects addressing knowledge gaps in perinatal health, such as the effects of COVID-19 infection and vaccination on maternal and fetal outcomes, the impact of cannabis use during pregnancy, and methods to reduce maternal morbidity through multidisciplinary care. She has a productive research track record and an extensive network of collaborations, which has yielded $27,702,415 in research funding (32 grants). Dr. El-Chaâr is co-lead of the OMNI Research Group and her team’s research has been featured widely in local, provincial, and national media.

During the pandemic, Dr. El- Chaâr launched the COVID-19 Ontario Pregnancy Event (COPE) Network followed by the PLAN-V Study, investigating vaccine immunogenicity during pregnancy and lactation. She is the TOH lead for CMVictory and RSVoyage clinical trials on Moderna’s CMV vaccine in reproductive-aged individuals (phase 3) and Moderna’s RSV vaccine in pregnancy (phase 2), respectively. Most recently, she is the co-Principal Investigator of the EAGER Pilot Trial, which evaluates whether early induction in gestational diabetes improves outcomes.

Dr. El-Chaâr is actively involved in mentorship and has supervised over 70 trainees across disciplines. Her research projects are focused on incorporating patient partner engagement in research and collaboration with a diverse number of institutions such as Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC), Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health (PCMCH), Federation of Medical Women of Canada’s (FMWC), and others. She is involved in designing and delivering research training curriculum and previously served as Program Director for the MFM Fellowship. She frequently speaks at national and international conferences and leads maternal health collaborations internationally. Through many platforms, Dr. El-Chaâr is dedicated to providing excellent patient care, and that is what motivates her daily in her research and educational activities.

Research Goals and Interests

Dr. Darine El-Chaâr is involved in maternal fetal medicine research to improve outcomes for fetuses and pregnant individuals. Her current research focus areas include:
(1) maternal immunization and infectious diseases in pregnancy;
(2) maternal morbidity and perinatal care; and
(3) breastfeeding outcomes.

  • FACT, maternal immunization, breastfeeding outcomes, mode and timing of delivery, Caesarean Deliveries on Maternal-Request, gestational diabetes.

    1. Maternal Immunization
    Dr. El- Chaâr launched the COVID-19 Ontario Pregnancy Event (COPE) Network and then the PLAN-V Study, a longitudinal study set to explore vaccine reactogenicity, associated adverse effects, obstetrical, fetal and newborn outcomes, and infant health and well-being.
    She also served as the TOH lead for Moderna’s CMVictory and RSVoyage clinical trials:
    - CMVictory Trial: Investigates a cytomegalovirus (CMV) vaccine in non-pregnant individuals to reduce the risk of CMV infection prior to pregnancy, which is a leading cause of congenital hearing loss and neurodevelopmental delay.
    - RSVoyage Trial: Investigates a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine administered during pregnancy to prevent severe RSV disease transfer through passive antibody transfer.

    2. Gestational Diabetes
    As a co-lead of the EAGER Pilot Trial, Dr. El- Chaâr is evaluating whether early induction of labour at 38 weeks improves outcomes for individuals with gestational diabetes mellitus to address ongoing debate about optimal delivery timing in this high-risk group. The study aims to assess clinical feasibility, neonatal morbidity, maternal HbA1c, and resource use.

    3. Breastfeeding outcomes
    Outputs from this research program have identified important knowledge, training and resource gaps that can be targeted to address modifiable barriers and develop tailored breastfeeding supports to improve breastfeeding initiation and exclusive breastfeeding rates, both locally and abroad.

    More specifically, our results identified modifiable factors contributing to the use of BMS at TOH and potential strategies that can be employed to establish sustainable practice change. The scoping review conducted revealed increasing clinical and academic interest in the safety, efficacy, and acceptability of antenatal breastmilk expression (aBME), but a lack of high-quality evidence on the effects of aBME on maternal and newborn outcomes. We issued key recommendations aimed at improving the study design, selection of outcomes and reporting transparency of future studies in this area. Finally, this work yielded a patient-centred resource designed to teach breastmilk hand expression. The resource was developed in partnership with both lactational experts and patient partners and evaluated among a diverse group of patient users to ensure that the content was informative, the language was accessible, and that the resource met the needs of the target population. This resource is now available for distribution to patients at TOH and is being used by Dr. El-Chaâr’s clinical colleagues at other institutions to support patient education and research.




News

Publications

Obstetrical use of intravenous immunoglobulin: A single-centre retrospective study

2026-01-01 Go to publication

Identifying Fraudulent Responses in a Study Exploring Delivery Options for Pregnancies Impacted by Gestational Diabetes: Lessons Learned From a Web-Based Survey

2025-01-20 Go to publication

Identifying Fraudulent Responses in a Study Exploring Delivery Options for Pregnancies Impacted by Gestational Diabetes: Lessons Learned From a Web-Based Survey (Preprint)

2024-03-21 Go to publication

Evaluation of a breastmilk hand expression toolkit: the M.I.L.K survey study

2022-12-01 Go to publication

Cannabis Use in Pregnancy and Downstream effects on maternal and infant health (CUPiD): a protocol for a birth cohort pilot study

2022-12-01 Go to publication
View More on ORCiD

Selected funding as PI only:

2025: CIHR – Randomized Controlled Trials – Human Development Child and Youth Health
The PARTUM (Postpartum Aspirin to Reduce Thromboembolism Undue Morbidity) Trial
Nominated P.A. Skeith L, Principal Applicants: Darine El-Chaâr, et al. (400,000$)

2025: CIHR – Reproduction, Maternal, Child and Youth Health
Impact of placental microplastic accumulation on pregnancy and fetal health.
Nominated PA Bainbridge SA, P Applicants: Darine El-Chaâr, et al. (1,346,000$)

2024 - 2029: CIHR – Child and Youth Health
Decoding the Dynamic Interplay of Gestational Physician Activity, Microbiome, and Metabolome in Maternal-Fetal Wellbeing
Applicants: Adamo K, Darine El-Chaâr, et al (745,875$)

2024: CIHR – Respiratory Assessment among Pregnant Individuals for Detecting febrile infections in Ottawa, Ontario
Principal Investigator: Darine El-Chaâr (100,000$)

2024: CIHR – Infectious and Congenital Syphilis in Canada: Implementation and Intervention Research.
Towards the eradication of congenital syphilis in Canada
Principal Investigator: Money DM, Darine El-Chaâr et al (249,543$)

2024: CIHR – Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health (IHDCYH)
Infant and child health outcomes following SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy
Principal Investigator: Darine El-Chaâr, Hawken S, Brophy CJ. (175,000$)

2024: CIHR – Piloting the EAGER trial: Expectant management versus induction at 38 weeks among individuals with GEstational diabetes mellitus. Randomized controlled trial
Principal Investigator: Walker MC, Darine El-Chaâr, Asztalos EV, Fergusson DA, Feig DS. (569,926$)

2023: CIHR – Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health (IHDCYH) Additional Funding.
Infant and child health outcomes following SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy
Principal Investigator: Darine El-Chaâr, Brophy J, Hawken S. (100,000$)

2022 - 2024: Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). A Network to Improve Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Care for Women
Principal Investigator: Mullen KA, Coutinho T. Co-Investigator: Darine El-Chaâr (1,200,000$)

2021: CIHR–Emerging COVID-19 Research Gaps and Priorities Funding Opportunity
Pregnant and Lactating Individuals & Newborns COVID-19 Vaccination Study?
Principal Investigator: Darine El-Chaâr (500,000$)

2020: CIHR - COVID-19 Rapid Research – Clinical Management & Health System Interventions.
Research Assessing the impact of COVID-19 in pregnancy, fetal and newborn health
Principal Investigator: Darine El-Chaâr (795, 559$)

2019 - 2024: CIHR – Neurodevelopment. Cannabis Research in Priority Areas. Research Pan-Canadian network to investigate cannabis use in pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes in children.
Principal Investigator: Daniel Corsi, Darine El-Chaâr (Co-Applicant) (299,978$)

2018 - 2019: CIHR Catalyst Grant: Population Health Intervention Research on Legalization of Cannabis. Research Influence of cannabis exposure in pregnancy on offspring perinatal and childhood health outcomes: a population-based birth cohort.
Principal Investigator: Darine El-Chaâr, Daniel Corsi (94,691$)

2016 - 2021: CIHR – Preterm Birth Network – Team Grant: Research Improving Outcomes for Preterm Infants and their Families: A Canadian Collaborative Network.
TOH Co-Principal Investigator: Darine El-Chaâr (4,250,000$)

2016 - 2022: CIHR – Foundation Scheme:
An epidemiologic research program to improve maternal and child health.
Principal applicants: Walker M, Wen SW. Co-applicants: Darine El-Chaâr (9,876,973$)

2013 - 2014: Mount Sinai Hospital Grant:
Assessment of a high-fidelity simulator-based curriculum for teaching Chorionic villus sampling (CVS)
Principal Investigator (10,000$)

2011 - 2012: Canadian Foundation for Women’s Health / W. Garfield Weston Foundation Award:
The Impact of Maternal Body Mass Index on Postpartum Obstetrical Outcomes
Principal Investigator (17,000$)

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