Prof. Dr. Nicolae Gheorghiu was born in Campulung-Muscel, Arges County.
He starts his medical studies in Bucharest and continues in Paris where he elaborates and presents his doctorate thesis. Works in surgery (Pean) and obstetrics and gynecology clinics (Budin, Pozzi, Tarnier).
He returns in Romania and activates in the Philanthropy Maternity, under the leadership of Professor D. Draghiescu.
In 1912 he becomes the leader of the Philanthropy Clinic as a professor and transformed the unit into a medical, higher education and scientific research institute, recognized nationally and abroad.
Over the years, the work of Professor N. Gheorghiu took place on several levels:
- reorganizing the maternity, increasing and modernizing it in several stages, updating the specialty and creating an obstetric school;
- had a special professional activity in the evolution of scholarly societies and Romanian medical publications;
- had concerns about the social aspects of maternal and child health care.
Through his innovative ideas, Prof. Dr. N. Gheorghiu gives a biologic and surgical approach in obstetrics and gynecology.
Among his accomplishments, he predicted the systematic manual control of the uterine cavity after birth. By this method, which keeps its validity today, it has greatly contributed to the decrease of puerperal infections and, implicitly, to the reduction of maternal mortality. He also introduced special postnatal care for newborns during the first few days of their life.
In 1922, at the Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Paris, he presented the paper „Immediate Systemic Manual Control after the Birth of the Uterine Cavity”, a work that led to many discussions with pros and cons. In order to allow everyone to express their opinions, Prof. Nicolae Gheorghiu offered, on the same evening, to all participants a gala dinner at Hotel Ritz. The conclusions were favorable and the event also marked the international Romanian participation.
Gheorghiu’s scientific work addresses to numerous and varied problems. By introducing new concepts, he establishes the connections between obstetrics and puericulture, indicates the prophylaxis of puerperal infection, besides rigorous aseptic and antisepsic measures, introduces surgery in obstetrics and colpoperineoraphy techniques, widens the indications of rachidial anesthesia, brings modifications to Pozzi’s stomatoplastic surgery, modifies the technique of colopoperineoraphy and mioraphy of the levator ani muscles.
In 1932, the Balkan Medical Union was born, and Prof. N. Gheorghiu became President of the Romanian Branch, collaborating on the scientific programs of the Congresses of Athens, Belgrade, Bucharest (1935) and Istanbul (1936).
In Romania, Prof. Dr. Nicolae Gheorghiu initiates the first national congresses in obstetrics, gynecology and urology.
In 1919 he organizes the Obstetrics-Gynecology and Pediatric Society of Romania and he is also the founder of the Obstetrics-Gynecology and Childcare Journal.
He manages the Philanthropy Maternity between 1912 and 1936.
He retired in 1937 and died out in 1958.
The activity is continued by his son, Prof. Dr. N.N. Gheorghiu (1911 – 1989) and many other students of the school created by Prof. N. Gheorghiu.
Through the entire activity, Prof. Dr. Nicolae Gheorghiu, must be considered as the creator of the modern obstetrics in Romania and the founder of the first Romanian School of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
The „Nicolae Gheorghiu” prize for the entire professional activity was awarded to Mr. Acad. Prof. Dr. Ioan Munteanu, Prof. Dr. Mihai Pricop, Prof. Dr. Vasile Luca and Prof. Dr. Florin Stamatian.
