Kleegman, Sophia (1901–1971)

Russian-born gynecologist and obstetrician who was a pioneer in the study of infertility. Born Sophia Josephine Kleegman in Kiev, Russia, on July 8, 1901; died in New York, New York, on September 26, 1971; youngest of four daughters of Israel Kleegman (a Talmudic scholar) and Elka (Siergutz) Kleegman; University of Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New York, M.D., 1924; married Dr. John H. Sillman (an orthodontist), on December 31, 1932; children: Frederick (b. 1937);Anne Marice Sillman (b. 1942).

Born in 1901 in Kiev, Russia, Sophia Kleegman was the youngest of four daughters of Israel and Elka Kleegman . (Their four sons did not survive childhood.) Kleegman's two older sisters, Mary and Rae , immigrated to America ahead of the rest of the family, and worked in New York's garment industry to earn passage for their parents and younger sisters. The family was reunited in New York in 1906, although Kleegman did not become a naturalized citizen until 1923. While Kleegman's parents and her older sisters provided the family income, Sophia and her sister Anna were groomed for professional careers. Both chose to study medicine, and Sophia enrolled at the University of Bellevue Hospital Medical College, graduating in 1924 and taking a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Chicago Lying-In Hospital. In 1929, she became the first woman appointed to the New York University College of Medicine faculty of obstetrics and gynecology, and that same year also joined the staff of Bellevue Hospital.

In 1932, Kleegman married Dr. John H. Sillman, an orthodontist, but, as an established professional, retained her maiden name. With the birth of her son (1937) and daughter (1941), she found it necessary to give up her obstetrical practice because of her increased family responsibilities. With the help of a full-time housekeeper and a babysitter, however, she was able to continue her work in gynecology while her children were small.

Kleegman began her research on conception early in her career, and was a pioneer in the study of infertility, including the diagnosis and treatment of sterility in both men and women. Straightforward in her approach, she confronted issues such as birth control and artificial insemination and was one of the few physicians of her time to incorporate psychological issues like performance anxiety, repression, and stress into her gynecological practice. Kleegman's rapport with her patients was such that it inspired confidence and trust, and in addition to responding to problems of conception, she often contributed to the improvement of a couple's total relationship.

Sophia Kleegman was an outspoken advocate of birth control and planned parenthood clinics, and toured the country lecturing on the subject before it was acceptable. She supported the early clinic established in New York by Margaret Sanger and served as medical director of the New York State Planned Parenthood Association from 1936 to 1961, after which she became a medical consultant to the Eastern Planned Parenthood League. She also fought for improved sex education and, after a 12-year battle, was able to convince New York University Medical Center to include sex education in its medical curriculum.

In addition to her social contributions to medicine, Kleegman is also remembered for her technical expertise, particularly her work with the "Pap smear" test for cervical cancer developed by Dr. George Papanicolau. Adding a endometrial aspiration test to the procedure, Kleegman further expanded the test's diagnostic capabilities.

Kleegman was active in a number of outside organizations, serving as president of both the Women's Medical Association of New York (1942–44) and the American Association of Marriage Counselors. In 1965, she was elected president of the NYU Medical Alumni Association, becoming the first woman to hold that post. Kleegman remained active in medicine until her death of cancer at the age of 70. Friends, colleagues, and patients honored her memory by establishing the Sophia J. Kleegman Professorship in Human Reproduction at the NYU Medical Center.

sources:

Bailey, Brooke. The Remarkable Lives of 100 Women Healers and Scientists. Holbrook, MA: Bob Adams, 1994.

Sicherman, Barbara, and Carol Hurd Green, eds. Notable American Women: The Modern Period. Cambridge, MA: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1980.