Dr Jean Du Plessis is a neonatal and perinatal paediatrician committed to providing high quality and nurturing care to newborns.

He has a keen interest in the wellbeing and safety of newborn babies and is an expert in the management of babies with complex issues at birth and beyond. His initiative of monitoring the oxygen levels of babies for two hours after birth is now standard practice in most Western Australian maternity hospitals. 

Being the parent of an unsettled baby who is now a strapping adult, he empathises with parents who are in a similar situation. He endeavours to provide parents with up to date advice, support and information to help them navigate through concerns regarding their baby’s nutrition, growth and development.

Jean moved to Perth with his family in 2003 to complete his neonatal training at King Edward Memorial Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH). He worked at PMH as a consultant and was closely involved in the setting up of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Fiona Stanley Hospital where he was appointed as the first Head of Neonatology.

Jean joined St John of God Murdoch Hospital in 2021 and continues to work closely with its maternity ward and obstetricians through private practice.

In his spare time he enjoys watching rugby union and cricket, and is a keen golfer when time permits. Jean also loves going off road and camping in the outback with his family.

Current appointments

• Head of Neonatology - St John of God Murdoch Hospital
• Consultant Neonatologist - Fiona Stanley Hospital

Past appointments

• Head of Neonatology - Fiona Stanley Hospital
• Adjunct Associate Professor - University of Notre Dame

Awards and achievements

• Top 8 capstone project - Harvard Medical School 2021
• Paul Carmen Fellowship in cardiology - Princess Margaret Hospital for Children 2008
• Excellence Award - King Edward Memorial Hospital 2007

Qualifications

• Fellow Royal Australian College of Physicians - Paediatrics 2008
• Master of Health Professional Education (UWA) 2011
• Diploma in Child Health (Otago) 2001
• Leadership in Medicine certificate (Harvard) 2021
• MBChB (Stellenbosch) 1986

Publications

• Continuous pulse oximetry during skin-to-skin care: An Australian initiative to prevent sudden unexpected postnatal collapse. Du Plessis, J., et al. (2021). Acta Paediatr 110(4): 1166-1170.
• Amniotic band syndrome with pseudoarthrosis of tibia and fibula: A case report.
• Ananthan A, Athalye Jape G, Du Plessis J, Annear P, Page R, Rao S. Ir Med J. 2017 May 10;110(5):570
• Emergency use of a size 1 laryngeal mask airway in a ventilated neonate with an undiagnosed type IV laryngotracheo-oesophageal cleft. Philip Russell 1, Neil Chambers, Jean du Plessis, Shyan Vijayasekeran Paediatr Anaesth2008 Jul;18(7):658-62