Comprehensive care model based on emerging medical knowledge helps women achieve long-term neurologic health 

Brooklyn, NY, January 28, 2026 – Maimonides Health has announced its new Women’s Neurology Center, a comprehensive specialty neurology and OB/GYN care practice designed to meet women’s unique neurologic health care needs throughout the lifespan.

The center is the first of its kind in the five boroughs, providing individualized neurologic care for women of all ages, throughout every stage of life. Led by Maimonides neurologist/epileptologist Susanna O’Kula, MD and Rodney McLaren, MD, Director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Ambulatory Services at Maimonides, clinicians approach care with specialized expertise of neurologic health during periods like pregnancy and menopause, when women face greater risk of developing new neurologic health issues or complications from existing ones. We are proud to offer this new service as part of our award-winning care (The 2026 US News & World Report named Maimonides one of the Best Hospitals for Maternity Care.)

Within the medical community, women’s neurology is an emerging discipline, in which care providers consider the impact of hormones, pregnancy, menopause, and other biological factors on women’s neurologic health. Stroke is the third most prevalent cause of death of women in the United States; it presents differently in women, and they generally face poorer outcomes after stroke than men. Several women’s health conditions, like pregnancy, menopause (especially early menopause and certain menopause symptoms), preeclampsia, endometriosis, and migraine with aura, present an elevated risk for stroke. Chronic neurologic conditions like multiple sclerosis and migraine are three to four times more common in women than in men. Diagnosing and treating neurological issues through the lens of women’s health enhances the quality of preventive care available, as well as treatment for acute and chronic conditions.

“The impact of hormones on the female brain is very complex, and as we gain greater knowledge in this area, we’re learning that there are many ways to optimize women’s neurological health across the lifespan,” said Dr. Susanna O’Kula, Neurologist and Epileptologist, Maimonides Health. “We have designed this program to cater to the needs of all women with neurologic concerns, diagnosed or undiagnosed. Improving equity and access to care in a field where women’s concerns have historically often been dismissed is central to our mission.”

For patients who are pregnant, or considering or planning pregnancy, Maimonides specialists offer preconception counseling, comprehensive prenatal care, and postpartum care.

“The unique factors influencing women’s neurologic health are becoming more widely recognized,” says Dr. Rodney McLaren, Director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Ambulatory Services. “As a maternal-fetal medicine specialist, I’ve seen firsthand how conditions like pregnancy can unmask latent neurologic conditions, and exacerbate existing ones. This center makes it easy for these patients to engage in comprehensive care and be rapidly connected to a specialist before these periods or as soon as they become apparent.”

“We are proud to make this invaluable health resource available to new and existing patients and to introduce this paradigm-shifting lens of care to women across the city,” said Scott Chudnoff, MD, Chair of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Maimonides Health. “Our Women’s Health Institute and our Division of Neurology offer world-class care to every patient, and this collaborative center marks a significant evolution as we incorporate the latest research and knowledge to ensure that all patients have the informed, individualized care they need for long-term health.”

Patients benefit from extensive subspecialty expertise across Maimonides’ Division of Neurology, including neuroimmunology, neurovascular health, headache medicine, and neuromuscular health, as well as across Maimonides’ specialty care network, including cardiovascular specialists, neurosurgeons, geriatricians, general surgeons, primary care providers, and physical and occupational therapists. Neurologic diagnostic technologies available to patients include MRI, EEG, EMG, labs, and epilepsy gene panels.

Maimonides Neurosciences Institute is nationally recognized for clinical excellence, neurosciences research, and medical education. The Jaffe Comprehensive Stroke Center at Maimonides was designated a Comprehensive Stroke Center in 2017 by The Joint Commission, offering the highest level of all-around 24/7 stroke care, and has been successfully re-certified as a Comprehensive Stroke Center since. It is now ranked among the top 1% among U.S. hospitals for stroke survival rates (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services). In 2024, Maimonides Midwood Community Hospital was designated as a Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission for the first time. The Jaffe Stroke Center has earned the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Get With The Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus Honor Roll designation for quality performance and outcomes for 17 consecutive years. The AHA also named Maimonides to its Target: Stroke Advanced Therapy, Stroke Elite Plus, and Target Diabetes Honor Roll awards, recognizing exemplary treatment time efficiencies for stroke patients, and the most up-to-date, evidence-based care for patients with type 2 diabetes who are hospitalized with heart failure, heart attack or stroke.

Maimonides is home to Brooklyn’s only muscular dystrophy clinic, one of only 250 clinics in the U.S. to be certified by the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and our Linda Morgante Multiple Sclerosis Care Center has been named an MS Center of Excellence by the NYC chapter of the National MS Society.

For more information, visit the Women’s Neurology Center webpage. View photos of the ribbon-cutting event here and download using PIN 5002.