Univ.-Prof. em. Dr. Ludwig Spätling, born on June 21, 1949, in Duisburg, is a gynecologist emeritus and pioneer in research on premature birth and pregnancy medicine. He received his doctorate in 1974 from the University of Marburg on ovarian functions in animal/human models and completed his further training in Zurich, including work in the perinatal physiology laboratory. Spätling habilitated in 1988 at the Ruhr University Bochum and was appointed adjunct professor in 1993.
In 1997, he became director of the gynecology clinic at Fulda Hospital, a position he held until his retirement in 2014. In his clinical and scientific work, he focused on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of threatened premature births, including procedures such as bolus tocolysis and magnesium substitution during pregnancy, as well as suturing techniques to control severe bleeding after delivery. He founded the German Family Foundation in 2000 and published the handbook Geburts- und Familienvorbereitung (Birth and Family Preparation) in 2020. He was a member of the Frankfurt Future Council and has a personal website focusing on family and health education.
- Studied human medicine / doctorate at the University of Marburg (1974)
- Specialist training and laboratory work in Zurich, focusing on perinatal physiology
- Senior physician/scientist in Zurich and Bochum
- Habilitation 1988, Ruhr University Bochum (obstetrics/gynecology)
- Adjunct professorship (apl) 1993
- Director of the Fulda Women's Clinic 1997–2014
- Founder of the German Family Foundation (2000)
- Member of the Frankfurt Future Council
- Numerous clinical and methodological contributions in the field of premature birth, tocolysis, suture techniques
- Dissertation: Investigations into the metabolism of follicle-bearing ovaries ... (Marburg, 1974)
- Habilitation thesis: Cardiopulmonary adaptation of women to pregnancy (Bochum, 1988)
- Book / Editor: Bolus tocolysis in theory and practice (1993)
- Book: Birth and family preparation (Mabuse Verlag, Frankfurt am Main, 2020)
- Specialist articles: including The variability of cardiopulmonary adaptation to pregnancy, Bolus tocolysis: treatment of preterm labor, Quilting sutures to prevent hysterectomy in PPH
- Interview: “Magnesium in pregnancy” (title & date from your interview)
- Lectures & conferences: national and international conferences on obstetrics & perinatology
- Premature birth & prevention
- Tocolysis & perinatal therapy
- Magnesium supplementation during pregnancy
- Birth and postpartum hemorrhage management
- Family and health education
