Maternity Research
Maternity research looks at pregnancy, birth and the time after a baby is born. It helps us learn how to keep expectant parents and their babies healthy and safe. Research means asking questions and finding answers, so we know what care works best.
This type of research is important because it helps make care safer and fairer for everyone. When people from all backgrounds take part, the results are more accurate. This means the improvements we make can help all families, not just a few.
Current Studies
The research team covers research being conducted across the whole maternity department – during pregnancy (antenatal), in labour and after birth.
Studies involving pregnant women from hospitals around the country
Generation Study
This study tests newborn babies for more than 200 rare conditions that can be treated in the NHS, and will help us understand if we can improve how we diagnose and treat genetic conditions. This free and optional test is performed using a cord blood or heel-prick sample. Babies taking part will still receive routine blood spot screening as part of their NHS care.
PANDA Study
This study is looking at reducing anaemia – low haemoglobin in pregnancy.
Women will be given either iron tablets or placebo tablets (a pill that doesn't have any medicine in it). They take one tablet every day during their pregnancy until six weeks after birth. They will have routine care alongside taking the tablets.
PANDA - Clinical Trials Unit - NHS Blood and Transplant
Studies involving pregnant women from hospitals around the world
The Women’s Hospital is the only UK-based site taking part in a major international research project. This global study is exploring whether a heat‑stable form of carbetocin, a medication already used to prevent postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), can also be used in the effective treatment of postpartum haemorrhage, without the need for refrigeration.
Postpartum haemorrhage remains the leading cause of maternal death worldwide. In many low‑resource settings, access to refrigerated medications is limited, making heat‑stable treatments a potential game‑changer.
Rare Diseases Fetal Medicine Studies
Azalea Study
This is a randomised trial to reduce the risk of serious haemolytic disease in the unborn baby and newborn (HDFN). This disease makes the baby’s red blood cells break up more quickly than usual. In the study, participants get a medicine or a placebo (An IV placebo is a fake treatment given into the bloodstream with no active drug).
FREESIA 3 Study
This is an open-label study where women have a specific medicine or IVIG in pregnancies at risk of fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopaenia (FNAIT). It is a rare immune disorder. FNAIT occurs when the baby’s platelets are attacked and destroyed by the mother’s immune cells in her bloodstream. Open-label means that everyone knows what medicine is being given.
Baby Loss
Miness 20-28 Study
Interviews for mothers to help prevent early stillbirth between 20- 28 weeks gestation. A research midwife meets with individuals to ask questions about their pregnancy experience, lifestyle, diet, sleep and support system to understand more about the factors that could influence loss at this stage of the pregnancy.
Registry and Observational studies
RaDaR
It is a national database for people with kidney disease. It has information about more than 100 rare kidney conditions and helps researchers learn more about these diseases to make patient care better.
Rare Renal | UK Kidney Association
For further information about any of the above Maternity studies, please get in touch with the research team on: 07971069368 or 07384871353 or email bwc.researchmidwives@nhs.net
Other Research at BWH
Genetics
If you are interested in learning more about the current Genetics research studies, please email bwc.studies.cgu@nhs.net
Gynaecological Studies (Women’s Health)
If you are interested in learning more about the current Gynae research studies, please email bwc.gynaeresearch@nhs.net or call on 07469375162.
Neonatal Studies (Baby studies)
If you are interested in learning more about the current neonatal research studies, please email Amy Woodhead, Lead Neonatal Research Nurse, at amy.woodhead5@nhs.net or call on 07890 526717 or 0121 472 1377 Ext: 5329
Achievements
Brimingham Women’s Hospital has worked on a large-scale studies.
GBS 3 Trial
The study aimed to look at understanding the best method for preventing early-onset Group B Strep infections in newborns. Around 320,000 pregnant women and people and their babies were involved in the study. Birmingham Women’s Hospital was one of the 71 hospitals which took part between 2022 and 2024. We had over 3,280 women say yes to taking part. Final results are expected to be published in 2026 and will help shape future GBS prevention policy in the UK.
The GBS3 Trial - Group B Strep Support
The Big Baby Study
The Big Baby study looked to find out if starting labour earlier than usual, at 38 weeks, makes it less likely that shoulder dystocia will happen in women whose babies appear to be bigger than expected. Shoulder dystocia is when the baby’s head has been born but one of the shoulders becomes stuck behind the mother’s pubic bone, delaying the birth of the baby’s body. We recruited 85 women to take part in the study between 2019 and 2022. The study findings have been published and you can see what they found out.
WILL study
This study was looking at When to Induce Labour to Limit risk in women who have high blood pressure in pregnancy - a multicentre, randomised controlled trial. This study has published its findings.
WILL - University of Birmingham
Research in talk BWC
Read more about Maternity Research in talk BWC.
talk BWC — Midwives at the cutting edge of research
talk BWC — Research midwives champion multi-language support for expectant and new parents
talk BWC — Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Research Midwife
talk BWC — Research aiming to prevent low iron in pregnancy
Find out more
For more information about research read our 'What is maternity research?' leaflet.
To find out what our EDI Research Midwife Natalie Reynolds does, watch this video: