Babbar Lab was created to share the research and vision of Dr. Shilpa Babbar—a physician, scientist, and yoga practitioner dedicated to bridging the gap between Eastern healing traditions and Western medicine.
About Shilpa Babbar
Dr. Shilpa Babbar is a board-certified specialist in OB/GYN and Maternal-Fetal Medicine (high-risk pregnancy care). Her work focuses on exploring how practices like yoga and meditation can be integrated into evidence-based maternal healthcare.
Her journey into integrative medicine began during residency, when she completed a 200-hour yoga teacher certification. This experience opened her eyes to the potential overlap between medical science and mindful movement. From 2015 to 2020, she partnered with the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine to offer twice daily yoga classes at their annual meetings, introducing many colleagues to the practice.
To deepen her research capabilities, Dr. Babbar earned a master’s degree in health informatics. Her thesis explored whether yoga is safe for pregnant women and their babies. The study found no concerning changes in fetal blood flow or heart rate, suggesting yoga is well-tolerated during pregnancy. This work was published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology in 2016.
While teaching at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Dr. Babbar trained residents and fellows while continuing her research. Recognizing the toll of burnout in medical training, she developed an eight-week wellness program combining yoga, nutrition, and fitness. The results showed significant reductions in burnout, anxiety, and blood pressure. This study was published in Obstetrics & Gynecology in 2019.
Today, Dr. Babbar is on the faculty at the University of Minnesota. She continues to contribute to the medical community as a peer reviewer for leading journals and as a creator of online resources on evidence-based alternative medicine for pregnancy.
The Vision
Babbar Lab represents Dr. Babbar’s next chapter: creating a center to studying how low intervention therapies, like yoga and meditation, can help pregnant patients manage and prevent common ailments that may complicate their pregnancy. Her goal is to bring rigorous science to holistic care—supporting healthier pregnancies through practices that build on modern medicine with simple practices.