Prof Leonie Callaway

Professor Leonie Callaway is a General and Obstetric Physician.  She has internationally regarded expertise in the areas of diabetes, hypertension and metabolism before, during and after pregnancy.   She is the senior author on the recently published national guidelines for the management of type 1 and type 2 diabetes in pregnancy, and an author on the current national guidelines for the diagnosis of gestational diabetes.  She was President, and then Chair of the Board of the Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society (2014-2018).  She has had wide-ranging contributions to clinical guidelines regarding obesity in pregnancy, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and clotting disorders in pregnancy.  She has extensive experience in providing complex preconception care and expert clinical management for high risk pregnancies.  Professor Callaway is the current Co-Chair of the Queensland Maternal and Perinatal Quality Council, recognizing her clinical experience and commitment to excellent clinical care. 

As a general physician, Professor Callaway has an interest in diagnostic dilemmas and management of complex medical issues.  She has an interest in the role that adverse childhood experiences, life course and mental health issues play in the development of physical symptoms and physical illness.  Her approach to clinical care is weight neutral, with an interest in the principles of intuitive eating, joyful movement and self-compassion.  Many of her national and international clinical invited lectures and ongoing research have delved into this intersection between emotional wellbeing, major life events, adverse childhood experiences, lifestyle factors and illness. 

Professor Callaway graduated with first class honours from the University of Queensland in 1995.  She completed her specialist training in general and obstetric medicine, with her Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians awarded in 2003.  Her PhD regarding obesity, diabetes, preeclampsia and hypertension in pregnancy was completed in 2007.   She maintains an appointment as Director of Research in Women’s and Newborn Services at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, and has had a lengthy track record in supervision and training of medical students and physician trainees.