Dr Ilka Tan

Dr Ilka Tan is a Senior Consultant in the Department of Maternal Fetal Medicine at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) in Singapore.

She graduated from Ruprecht Karl’s University in Heidelberg, Germany in 2004.  She completed her research on the effect of oral antihyperglycemic drugs on the early steps of the insulin signalling cascade at the same university and obtained her PhD in 2005.  She undertook her Obstetrics and Gynaecology Specialist Training in the London Deanery, UK and has worked with numerous prominent specialists at Princess Royal University Hospital, Royal Free Hospital, Whittington Hospital, NorthWest London Hospitals Trust, West Middlesex University Hospital, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital. In November 2009 she was admitted as a Member (letter of commendation) and subsequently in 2022 as a Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (UK). She was awarded her Certificate of Completion of Training in 2015.

As a senior consultant at KKH Dr Tan is actively involved in managing low and high-risk pregnancies with both maternal and fetal complications. She has a special interest in preterm birth, labour ward management, high risk pregnancies, ultrasound scanning and medical education. She also sees patients with general gynaecological conditions. She is also the lead for the Preterm Birth Clinic at KKH.

Dr Tan holds teaching appointments in Yong Loo Lin, Lee Kong Chian and Duke-NUS Medical School. She has published in various scientific journal and has presented in medical conferences both in Singapore and overseas.

For her work at KKH Dr Tan has received the Outstanding Faculty award from the Singhealth Residency as well as the Quality Service Awards in Silver/Gold/Star Award and the Service from the Heart Award.

Dr Tan is passionate about women’s health and strongly believes in an open patient and doctor partnership to provide a holistic approach to optimize care and achieve the best possible treatment and outcome for her patients.

• FRCOG (UK) 2022
• Specialist accreditation (Singapore) 2016
• Certificate of Completion of Training (UK) 2015
• MRCOG (UK) (Letter of commendation) 2009
• Diploma of the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (UK) 2008
• Staatsexamen Ruprecht Karls’ University Heidelberg (Germany) 2004

• Senior Consultant, Department of Maternal Fetal Medicine, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital 2024 – present
• Clinical Lecturer, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (NUS)
• Clinical Tutor, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine
• Adjunct Instructor, Clinical Teacher, Singhealth Duke-NUS Medical School
• Member, Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society, Singapore 2012 - present
• PGY1 Core Faculty Member 2024 – present
• Patient Safety Enabler 2024 – present
• Tissue Review Committee member 2021 – present
• Patient Safety Lead 2021-2023
• PGY1 Education Supervisor 2018 - 2024
• Member of the PGY1 Training Review Task Force 2018 – present

• Singapore Health Quality Service Award – Gold, 2024
• Singapore Health Quality Service Award – Silver, 2023
• Long Service Award, 2022
• SingHealth Quality Service Award – Star, 2020
• SingHealth Quality Service Award – Gold, 2019
• SingHealth Quality Service Award – Silver, 2018
• Outstanding Faculty award, Singhealth Residency, 2018
• Service from the Heart Award - 2017
• Poster prize: “Recurrent ipsilateral tubal pregnancy following salpingectomy – A review of literature” 5th South Thames Postgraduate Congress in O&G, London 2006
  
• Scholarship of the Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes, 1999-2004
  
• Travel scholarship, Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes, 2003
• Travel scholarship, Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes, 2002

• Pilot Study for Developing a new screening tool in the prediction of Preterm Birth 2025 - present
• Validation of antenatal VBAC prediction models in the Singaporean population 2019
• Nasal bone nomogram in the Singapore population 2017
• Breech presentation at term, ECV success rate and complications 2012
• Molecular mechanism of the anti-hyperglycemic effect of rosiglitazone and metformin in a liver cell model 2003

• Chun R, Chan HG, Yong SL, Kanalingam D, Partana P, Tan KH. Teoh TG, Tan I. Preterm birth trends and risk factors in a multi-ethnic Asian population: A retrospective study from 2017 to 2023, can we screen and predict this?Ann Acad Med Singap. 2025 May 21;54(5):296-304.
• Goh MSSM, Tan HY, Ng YS, Tan I, Yeo KT, Ku CW, Mathur M. Group B Streptococcus screening with antenatal culture and intrapartum polymerase chain reaction: A prospective cohort study. Ann Acad Med Singap. 2024 May 10;53(5):331-333.
• Tan I, Bhatia A, Tan JVK. Ex utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) procedure for the second twin with neck mass in a twin pregnancy with vertex/breech presentation. BMJ Case Reports CP 2024;17:e259339.
• Tan I, Toh L. Abnormal uterine bleeding due to uterine arteriovenous malformation in an early adolescent with intrauterine contraceptive device in situ. BMJ Case Rep. 2023 Dec 1;16(12):e258241.
• Lau HCQ, Kwek MEJ, Tan I, Mathur M, Wright A. A Comparison of Antenatal Prediction Models for vaginal birth after caesarean section. Ann Acad Me Singap. 2021 Aug;50(8):606-612
• Tan I, Li XY, Mathur M, Chern B. Changing the structure of elective surgeries: towards improved patient care and supervision EP 6.78. BJOG 2015; 122(s1): 98-99
• Yu D, Tan TL, Tan I. Are contraceptive failures associated with pregnancy loss? EP1.08. BJOG 2014; 121(s2): 6 
• Tan I, Lim SE-L, Tan TL. Is there a role for performing blood tests prior to early pregnancy unit visit? EP2.25. BJOG 2014; 121(s2): 23
• Tan, I, Samarage, H. External cephalic version: success rate P1.115. BJOG 2012;119(s1): 72
• Tan I, Samarage H. Is there an increased risk of meconium after external cephalic version? P1.024. BJOG 2012;119(s1): 34
• Dhanpal, A, Tan, I. and Rudra, T. Outcomes of singleton term breech deliveries in a large London district general hospital. Int J of Gyn & Obstet, 2012; 119: S813-S814
• Tan TL, Tan I, Rodriguez P. The path from external cephalic version to vaginal delivery – how many does it take? P1.073. BJOG 2012; 119(s1): 54
• Tischner I, Tan TL, Uchil D, Brown RN. Prelabor Uterine Rupture after Laparoscopic Repair of Uterine Perforation. J Minim Invasive Gynecol 2010; 17(2): 265-267
• Tan TL, Elashry A, Tischner I, Jolaoso A. Lightning does strike twice: Recurrent ipsilateral tubal pregnancy following partial salpingectomy for ectopic pregnancy. J Obstet Gynaecol. 2007; 27(5): 534-5
• Wiesemann A, Amon T, Engeser P, Koser R, Schneider G, Seller H, Sonntag HG, Tischner I Quality assurance (general) at the medical school of Heidelberg as a model. Z Arztl Fortbild Qualitatssich. 1999; 93(8): 591-8