Current Environment: Production

Medical Services

Programs & Services

Languages

  • English
  • French

Education

Undergraduate School

Colby College

2002, Waterville, ME

Medical School

University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry

2006, Rochester, NY

Internship

Yale University School of Medicine

2007, New Haven, CT

Residency

Yale University School of Medicine

2009, New Haven, CT

Fellowship

Neonatology; Bioethics Track

Yale University School of Medicine

2012, New Haven, CT

Fellowship

Harvard Medical School

2013, Boston, MA

Certifications

  • American Board of Pediatrics (General)
  • American Board of Pediatrics (Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine)

Professional History

Dr. Christy Cummings is an Attending Physician in Medicine in the Division of Newborn Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital. She is also an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Cummings is a graduate of Colby College, received her medical degree from the University of Rochester, and training in pediatrics, neonatology and ethics at Yale. She participated in Yale’s Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics Program in Bioethics and completed the Fellowship Program in Medical Ethics through the Division of Medical Ethics at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Cummings is currently an Assistant Professor in Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and an attending neonatologist in the Division of Newborn Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. As an Ethics Associate, she is a member of the Ethics Advisory Committee at Boston Children’s Hospital, and is Director of Medical Ethics & Humanities for the Division of Newborn Medicine. Dr. Cummings also serves on the hospital’s Institutional Review Board. Dr. Cummings’ research and scholarly activities focus broadly on medical ethics and humanism and their intersection with medical education in pediatrics and neonatology, as well as counseling and communication.

Publications

  1. Ethical Considerations for Maternal-Fetal Interventions: Innovation, Research, and Oversight. Clin Obstet Gynecol. 2025 Mar 05. View Abstract

  2. Lowering the Age of Consent for Vaccination to Promote Pediatric Vaccination: It's Worth a Shot. J Law Med Ethics. 2024; 52(1):52-61. View Abstract

  3. Gestational Carrier Pregnancies: Legal and Ethical Considerations for Pediatricians. Pediatrics. 2024 Apr 01; 153(4). View Abstract

  4. Advice to Clinicians From Expectant Parents at Extreme Prematurity: A Multimethod Study. Pediatrics. 2024 Mar 01; 153(3). View Abstract

  5. Perinatal-lethal nonimmune fetal hydrops attributed to MECOM-associated bone marrow failure. Cold Spring Harb Mol Case Stud. 2023 06; 9(3). View Abstract

  6. Parent Preferences and Experiences in Advance Care Planning in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Am J Perinatol. 2024 05; 41(S 01):e1783-e1791. View Abstract

  7. Advance Care Planning and Parent-Reported End-of-Life Outcomes in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Am J Perinatol. 2024 05; 41(S 01):e1657-e1667. View Abstract

  8. Collaboration between Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Neonatology When Counseling at Extreme Prematurity. Neoreviews. 2023 03 01; 24(3):e137-e143. View Abstract

  9. The Case for Advance Care Planning in the NICU. Pediatrics. 2022 12 01; 150(6). View Abstract

  10. Pediatric Shared Decision-Making for Simple and Complex Decisions: Findings From a Delphi Panel. Pediatrics. 2022 11 01; 150(5). View Abstract

  11. A Qualitative Study of Parental Perspectives on Prenatal Counseling at Extreme Prematurity. J Pediatr. 2022 12; 251:17-23.e2. View Abstract

  12. Infant mode of death in the neonatal intensive care unit: A systematic scoping review. J Perinatol. 2022 05; 42(5):551-568. View Abstract

  13. Decision making at extreme prematurity: Innovation in clinician education. Semin Perinatol. 2022 04; 46(3):151529. View Abstract

  14. Humanism, humility and compassion in perinatology: From research & discovery to clinical practice & education. Semin Perinatol. 2022 04; 46(3):151519. View Abstract

  15. Moral equivalence theory in neonatology. Semin Perinatol. 2022 04; 46(3):151525. View Abstract

  16. Developing a digitally innovative ethics and professionalism curriculum for neonatal-perinatal medicine fellows: a 3-year multicenter pilot study. J Perinatol. 2022 04; 42(4):476-482. View Abstract

  17. Gene and Stem Cell Therapies for Fetal Care: A Review. JAMA Pediatr. 2020 10 01; 174(10):985-991. View Abstract

  18. Critical decision-making in neonatology and pediatrics: the I-P-O framework. J Perinatol. 2021 01; 41(1):173-178. View Abstract

  19. Beyond Ventilators and Prematurity: Most Rationing Dilemmas Are Morally Fraught. Am J Bioeth. 2020 07; 20(7):174-177. View Abstract

  20. Historical Perspectives: Shared Decision Making in the NICU. Neoreviews. 2020 04; 21(4):e217-e225. View Abstract

  21. Morphine compared to placebo for procedural pain in preterm infants: safety, efficacy and equipoise. J Perinatol. 2019 10; 39(10):1428-1431. View Abstract

  22. Variable management strategies for NEC totalis: a national survey. J Perinatol. 2019 11; 39(11):1521-1527. View Abstract

  23. Deliveries at extreme prematurity: outcomes, approaches, institutional variation, and uncertainty. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2019 04; 31(2):182-187. View Abstract

  24. Do-Not-Resuscitate Orders in the Neonatal ICU: Experiences and Beliefs Among Staff. Pediatr Crit Care Med. 2018 07; 19(7):635-642. View Abstract

  25. Assessing Ethics Knowledge: Development of a Test of Ethics Knowledge in Neonatology. J Pediatr. 2018 08; 199:57-64. View Abstract

  26. Hope, Fantasy, and Communication in the ICU: Translating Frameworks into Clinical Practice. Am J Bioeth. 2018 01; 18(1):21-23. View Abstract

  27. Should Neonatologists Give Opinions Withdrawing Life-sustaining Treatment? Pediatrics. 2016 12; 138(6). View Abstract

  28. On Being Fired: When Patients or Their Parents Fire Their Physician. Hastings Cent Rep. 2016 09; 46(5):3-4. View Abstract

  29. Practices and education surrounding anticipated periviable deliveries among neonatal-perinatal medicine and maternal-fetal medicine fellowship programs. J Perinatol. 2016 09; 36(9):699-703. View Abstract

  30. Teaching and assessing ethics in the newborn ICU. Semin Perinatol. 2016 06; 40(4):261-9. View Abstract

  31. When worlds intersect: practical and ethical challenges when caring for international patients in the NICU. J Perinatol. 2015 Dec; 35(12):982-4. View Abstract

  32. Ethics and professionalism education during neonatal-perinatal fellowship training in the United States. J Perinatol. 2015 Oct; 35(10):875-9. View Abstract

  33. Counselling variation among physicians regarding intestinal transplant for short bowel syndrome. J Med Ethics. 2014 Oct; 40(10):665-70. View Abstract

  34. Patient and trainee: learning when to step in. Hastings Cent Rep. 2013 Jul-Aug; 43(4):5-6. View Abstract

  35. Communication in the era of COWs: technology and the physician-patient-parent relationship. Pediatrics. 2013 Mar; 131(3):401-3. View Abstract

  36. Ethics of emerging technologies and their transition to accepted practice: intestinal transplant for short bowel syndrome. J Perinatol. 2012 Oct; 32(10):752-6. View Abstract

  37. Expectations. Hastings Cent Rep. 2012 Mar-Apr; 42(2):8-9. View Abstract

  38. Who is performing medical procedures in the neonatal intensive care unit? J Perinatol. 2011 Mar; 31(3):206-11. View Abstract

  39. Ethics for the pediatrician: autonomy, beneficence, and rights. Pediatr Rev. 2010 Jun; 31(6):252-5. View Abstract

In the Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH) Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) our philosophy is to ensure that every patient receives the best care for the best possible outcomes. We consider our “patient” to be the baby and the family; we are constantly striving to serve the needs of both. This requires a team-based approach with all members being essential, particularly the family. Through clear and compassionate communication, I aim to ensure families are not only well informed, but also understood.

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