Una Christina Ledingham (2 January 1900 – 19 November 1965) was a British physician known for her studies of

diabetes in pregnancy Gestational diabetes is a condition in which a woman without diabetes develops high blood sugar levels during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes generally results in few symptoms. Obesity increases the rate of pre-eclampsia, cesarean sections, an ...

. She worked at the Marie Curie Hospital and Hampstead General Hospital, and was on the board of governors of the

Royal Free Hospital The Royal Free Hospital (also known as the Royal Free) is a major teaching hospital in the Hampstead area of the London Borough of Camden. The hospital is part of the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, which also runs services at Barnet Ho ...

(from 1957 to 1960) and the

Royal College of Physicians The Royal College of Physicians of London, commonly referred to simply as the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), is a British professional membership body dedicated to improving the practice of medicine, chiefly through the accreditation of ph ...

. She was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in 1942.

Early life and education

Ledingham was born Una Christina Garvin to parents Christina and newspaper editor James

J. L. Garvin James Louis Garvin (12 April 1868 – 23 January 1947) was a British journalist, editor, and author. In 1908, Garvin agreed to take over the editorship of the Sunday newspaper ''The Observer'', revolutionising Sunday journalism and restoring ...

, on 2 January 1900. She attended

South Hampstead High School South Hampstead High School is a private day school in Hampstead, north-west London, England, which was founded by the Girls' Day School Trust (GDST). It is for girls aged 4–18 with selective entry at ages 4+, 7+, 11+ and 16+ (Sixth Form). ...

and

London School of Medicine for Women The London School of Medicine for Women (LSMW) established in 1874 was the first medical school in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Britain to train women as doctors. The patrons, vice-presidents, and members of the committee that supp ...

, then went on to the

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a collegiate university, federal Public university, public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The ...

, where she received her

MBBS A Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (; MBBS, also abbreviated as BM BS, MB ChB, MB BCh, or MB BChir) is a medical degree granted by medical schools or universities in countries that adhere to the United Kingdom's higher education tradi ...

degree in 1923. She held house posts at the Brompton, the Royal Free and Royal Northern Hospitals until 1925, and in the same year she married John Ledingham, with whom she had one son and one daughter. She earned her MD in 1927, from the

; from 1925 to 1931, she was a staff registrar there and a became staff physician in 1931. At the Hampstead General Hospital and at the Marie Curie Hospital she developed a special interest in diabetes, and was an expert on the problems of the pregnant diabetic woman.

Career

Ledingham was on staff at the Marie Curie Hospital and Hampstead General Hospital from 1931 until the end of her career. There, she studied diabetes in pregnancy. She became an expert on the problems of diabetic and pregnant women. During World War 2, she managed her husband's medical practice while keeping up with her own medical work.

Honours and legacy

Ledingham served on a number of committees and boards. These included the board of governors of the

(from 1957 to 1960) and the

, where she was elected a fellow in 1942. She also served as an examiner for the

London University The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degr ...

. She died on the 19 November 1965. Ledingham's son became a doctor at Westminster Hospital.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ledingham, Una British women scientists British women medical doctors 1900 births 1965 deaths Alumni of the London School of Medicine for Women