Meet one of the faces of success

Brent Davidson, M.D. is a
board-certified obstetrician
and gynecologist at Henry
Ford Medical Center — West
Bloomfield.

Dr. Brent Davidson enjoys a
special moment of pride during
Yom Kippur's Yizkor service
each year.

"When Rabbi Roman reads the
names of those, of blessed
memory, who have died in the
past year, he also reads the list
of those who were born," Dr.
Davidson says. "What gives me
a thrill is to hear him list the
names of those babies I have
delivered. Even after attending
to 5,000-plus births, each one
remains special to me."

Tracy Bruce-Harrison of Shelby Township holds her 14-month-old son,

Grant. Tracy and her husband, Don, are expecting another child soon.

goal in Jewish tradition, and pro-
cedures like donor insemination
allow a couple, who might other-
wise be childless, to fulfill this
great mitzvah:' said Rabbi Rachel
Shere of Adat Shalom Synagogue
in Farmington Hills.

New Avenues

Alternative modalities, such as
acupuncture and yoga, are
becoming increasingly popular.
Julie Silver, a board-certified
acupuncturist in West Bloomfield,
sees about 30 women a week for
infertility, many of whom seek
acupuncture as a complement to
more traditional treatments such
as fertility drugs or IVF. She esti-
mates that about 60 percent of
these patients eventually become
pregnant.
"Chinese medicine focuses on
the body as a whole said Silver,
who also treats men with infertili-
ty issues. "Healing one area often
heals other areas. Also, fertility
treatment can be stressful, and
acupuncture is very relaxing:'
Because stress can upset the
body's hormonal balance, reduc-

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November 17 - 2005

ing stress through the practice of
yoga can improve a woman's
chance of becoming pregnant,
according to several studies cited
in a recent issue of the Yoga
Journal.
Rabbi Berkun recommends
yoga, along with prayer and medi-
tation, both for the woman trying
to become pregnant and the cou-
ple.
"Yoga is wonderful for relieving
stress and anxiety' she said.
As a Jew, there was a lot of
emphasis on education and
accomplishment:' said Laura. "I
waited until my 30s so that I
could fulfill myself in other ways.
I found that all choices have costs.
In the end, will delaying child-
birth for career advancement be
the most intelligene choice for the
future of the Jewish people? I
wonder."
Dr. Mersol-Barg says, "There is
great hope for couples suffering
from infertility. The key to success
is seeking care in a timely man-
ner. Overall, about 75 to 80 per-
cent of couples seeking fertility
therapy succeed in their quest for
a biological child."

Dr. Davidson has spent his
entire 20-year career in the
Henry Ford Health System.
Since 1988, he has been the
division head of Obstetrics and
Gynecology at Henry Ford
Medical Center - West
Bloomfield. He says he has
been practicing so long now
that he is beginning to see the
"next generation" of patients.

"While there haven't been
many so far, there halie been a
few cases where I have attend-
ed the births of babies whose
mothers I also delivered," he
says. "I guess that says
something about the point I've
reached in my career.

"As one specializing in women's
health care, I also have had
situations where I have been
treating, in some form or
another, four generations of the
same family. It's satisfying to
be able to say that."

Dr. Davidson was inspired to
concentrate on women's health
issues after his mother's death
from breast cancer, which is very
prevalent in Ashkenazi Jews.

"I'm very
proud of the
cancer genetic
screening that
we do at the
West
Bloomfield
medical
center," he
says. "We do Brent Davidson, M.D.
extensive
counseling and testing. I've also
been a participant in research
on alternatives to hysterectomy
for the National Institute of
Health. It gives us the opportu-
nity to provide minimally inva-
sive surgery at the West
Bloomfield medical center,
including laproscopic hysterec-
tomies and surgery to correct
urinary incontinence."

A Kentucky native, Dr. Davidson
attended medical school at the
University of Louisville and
completed his residency at the -
University of Michigan. During
that time, he met his wife, a
high-risk obstetrics nurse who
later worked in Henry Ford's
Genetics Department. The
couple has three children.

Along with family and career
successes, Dr. Davidson is most
proud of his community involve-
ment. He has served several
terms on the board of trustees of
Temple Kol Ami, and has been a
member of the Physician's
Advisory Group for Bonds For
Israel. In addition, he is the
contraception consultant for the
Michigan Department of
Community Health and has
served on the board of directors
of Planned Parenthood.

"No matter how much we enjoy
our families and careers, all of
us have an obligation to give
back to the community," he
says, adding that Henry Ford is
part of Project Chessed, which
provides medical care to the
underserved and uninsured.

For more information or to make an
appointment call 1-Soo-HENRYFORD or
visit our IVO) site toww.lienryPrd.com

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