David B. Nelson, M.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He is Division Chief of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and a Dedman Family Scholar in Clinical Care, and he holds the Gillette Professorship of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Dr. Nelson earned his medical degree at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. He completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology and a fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine at Parkland Memorial Hospital and UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Certified by the American Board of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in obstetrics and gynecology and maternal-fetal medicine, he joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2014.
Dr. Nelson’s clinical practice is based at Parkland Hospital, where he serves as Medical Director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine. He staffs the obstetrics service and sonography suite and provides on-call inpatient services. Dr. Nelson also provides inpatient care services at William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital for the maternal-fetal medicine service at UT Southwestern, and he is a maternal-fetal medicine provider at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Irving.
His clinical interests include health equity, postpartum care, preterm birth prevention, cardiovascular disorders of pregnancy, and liver diseases of pregnancy.
Dr. Nelson is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and a member of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. He also is an Associate Editor for the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. He has served in various roles for the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and is currently a member of its Maintenance of Certification Obstetrics Committee. He also is involved in teaching medical students, residents, and fellows at UT Southwestern.
Dr. Nelson’s research focuses on cardiac function in pregnancy, health equity, the prevention of preterm birth and postpartum depression. He is actively involved in four research projects, serving as:
Dr. Nelson has delivered scores of national and regional invited lectures, contributed to the books Williams Obstetrics, Protocols for High-Risk Pregnancies: An Evidenced-Based Approach, Obstetric Catastrophes: A Clinical Guide, and Goldman-Cecil Medicine, and published more than 100 academic articles related to his areas of expertise. Locally, Dr. Nelson is the Chair of the Perinatal Committee for the North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council. At the state level, Dr. Nelson is an appointed member of the Perinatal Advisory Council. Dr. Nelson has also provided invited testimony to Congress.
The recipient of numerous awards, Dr. Nelson earned UT Southwestern's 2023 Leaders in Clinical Excellence Program Development Award for eMCAP.
When he’s not at work, Dr. Nelson enjoys participating in his kids’ school and sports activities.
