Frederick P. Zuspan (January 20, 1922 – June 7, 2009) was born to Irl and Kathryn Zuspan. He was raised in Richwood, Ohio where he graduated from high school. His studies at The Ohio State University were interrupted by World War II, in which he served as a Marine fighter pilot in the Pacific theater (V.M.F. 314 flying F4U Corsairs.) and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. In 1943, Lt. Zuspan married Mary Jane Cox. They later had three children.
After the war Zuspan resumed studies at OSU receiving his B.A. (1947) and M.D. (1951). After his OB/GYN residency at Ohio State and Case Western Reserve, Zuspan spent two years as Department Chief at McDowell Memorial Hospital in Kentucky before returning to Case Western University for the Oglebay fellowship in Reproductive Biology.
Zuspan’s career in academic medicine included OB/GYN Department Chairs at the Medical College of Georgia (1960-1966), the University of Chicago (1966-1975) and the Ohio State University College of Medicine (1975-1987). He became a Professor Emeritus at OSU in 1991 where a named professorship, the Frederick P. Zuspan Chair, was established in his honor.
Zuspan was a leading researcher in the field of maternal-fetal medicine. He is known for being the first to promote the intravenous use of magnesium sulfate for pregnant women with preeclampsia-eclampsia in the 1960s. This method of treatment, now internationally adopted, remains the standard for treating this disease today. He was also an outspoken advocate for a woman's right to decide the outcome of a pregnancy, arguing publicly for faster and more sensitive pregnancy tests, insurance coverage for abortions, and improved access to the procedure for all women. Much of this activity took place while he served as department chair in Chicago and before the landmark Roe-versus-Wade decision.
Zuspan’s passion for teaching led him to train countless fellows, residents and medical students and to serve as a medical missionary in Africa and Malaysia. He served as editor of numerous medical journals including the Journal of Reproductive Medicine and the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He authored/edited scientific articles, book chapters and textbooks, and led in the establishment of Perinatal Resources, an organization committed to the continuing medical education of practicing physicians. Zuspan was involved in many medical societies and served as a Director of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He was a founder of its Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine.
Following retirement from clinical practice, Zuspan remained active as a journal editor and served as a board member of Matria Healthcare Inc. He also continued his lifelong interests in golf, fishing, and photography.
The Frederick P. Zuspan, MD Papers (1.25 linear feet) contains material related to Dr. Zuspan and his medical career.
This collection is arranged in two series:
Series I: Media (2 boxes) contains 2”x2” slides. This series is arranged by type of media.
Series II: Professional (1 box) contains documents related to Dr. Zuspan’s medical career. This series is arranged alphabetically.
The collection is open to the public and is available for viewing in the Medical Heritage Center. Materials do not circulate and must be used in the supervised reading room. Restrictions, including copyright, may exist and some materials may be too fragile to photocopy or digitize. The MHC charges for duplication services, which must be performed by staff.
[Identification of item], Frederick P. Zuspan, MD Papers, SPEC.201620.ZUSPAN, Medical Heritage Center, Health Sciences Library, The Ohio State University.