The Australian Maternity Outcomes Surveillance System: Improving Safety And Quality Of Maternity Care In Australia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$820,438.00
Summary
There is currently no Australian system of monitoring severe complications of pregnancy. Many of these complications are rare, making them difficult to study and limiting knowledge as to their true frequency, cause and best treatment. We intend to introduce a national reporting system- Australian Maternity Outcomes Surveillance System which would provide the research structure to study these rare conditions, thus aiming to improve the safety and quality of maternity care provided in Australia.
Perinatal Exposure To Household And Environmental Toxins And The Risk Of Asthma And Allergic Disease Up To 25 Years
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$291,078.00
Summary
Perinatal exposure to household and environmental toxins may increase asthma and allergic disease risk. Adverse exposures in this critical developmental window may have a marked and prolonged effect on health. A birth cohort of high-allergy risk children will be used to investigate the effect of common chemical exposures on the risk of asthma and allergic disease up to 25 years. This evidence could be used to inform guidelines on common household chemical exposures
A Risk Stratification Tool For The Prevention Of Avoidable Perinatal Mortality And Morbidity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$645,205.00
Summary
Stillbirth is more common in Australia than in some high-income countries. Babies born early may experience lung or other problems. Many current stillbirths and preterm birth can be prevented. Using a cohort of >4.5 million births from WA, NSW, SA and NT (N >4.5 million), this project will develop a strategy to predict the risk of stillbirth, preterm birth, and low birth weight. Better identification of risk in pregnancy will improve antenatal care to reduce stillbirth and neonatal morbidi ....Stillbirth is more common in Australia than in some high-income countries. Babies born early may experience lung or other problems. Many current stillbirths and preterm birth can be prevented. Using a cohort of >4.5 million births from WA, NSW, SA and NT (N >4.5 million), this project will develop a strategy to predict the risk of stillbirth, preterm birth, and low birth weight. Better identification of risk in pregnancy will improve antenatal care to reduce stillbirth and neonatal morbidity.Read moreRead less
Identifying Mechanisms Underlying Ethnic Inequalities In Birth Outcomes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$316,893.00
Summary
There are significant ethnic inequalities in birth outcomes in Australia however the mechanisms underlying the relationships are unclear. This is important to investigate if improvements in outcomes for all women and babies are to be achieved. This study will identify potential mechanisms underlying the ethnic inequalities in Victoria. This work will inform clinical practice guidelines with the goal of improving health outcomes for women and their babies from different ethnic groups.
Identifying Strategies To Improve Perinatal Outcomes After Assisted Conception
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$724,799.00
Summary
Around 20% of young women express concern with being able to conceive, 16% experience clinical infertility, and ~8% use invasive therapies for which there can be limited safety data. We, and others, have reported adverse events for mother and child after infertility treatment, including neonatal death and birth defects. This project will provide urgently needed, robust evidence to guide patient and clinical decision making so as to optimise health of mother and baby.
Preterm Birth And Exposure To Fine Particulate Matter
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$341,068.00
Summary
Preterm birth is the single most important cause of perinatal mortality and leading cause of subsequent morbidity in the western world. This project involves an investigation of the effects of fine airborne particulates and their chemical constituents on preterm birth among half a million pregnant women in Australia and the US. Levels of particulates will be rigorously assessed using traditional methods such as chemical analyses of field samples and novel methods such as processing satellite ima ....Preterm birth is the single most important cause of perinatal mortality and leading cause of subsequent morbidity in the western world. This project involves an investigation of the effects of fine airborne particulates and their chemical constituents on preterm birth among half a million pregnant women in Australia and the US. Levels of particulates will be rigorously assessed using traditional methods such as chemical analyses of field samples and novel methods such as processing satellite imagery.Read moreRead less
The Impact Of Cleaner Cookstoves To Reduce Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes In Low Resource Settings
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,043,188.00
Summary
Around the world each year household air pollution causes 4.3 million deaths. Mothers, babies and children, who spend the most time at home are extremely vulnerable. The impact on pregnant women has not been accurately measured despite it being known to be as dangerous as smoking. The best method to reduce household air pollution is to use stoves that reduce emissions. We will conduct a large trial of cleaner cooking stoves and measure the impact on pregnant women.
Maternal Exposure To Air Pollution And Perinatal Outcomes In Victoria, Australia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$99,841.00
Summary
In 2014, the Hazelwood open cut brown coal mine in the Latrobe Valley, Victoria caught fire. The Hazelwood Mine Fire resulted in nearby towns being covered in plumes of smoke and ash over a period of six weeks. Little is understood about the health effects following exposure to smoke events of this nature and duration. This proposal will specifically explore the impact of the smoke event resulting from the fire on birth outcomes, such as preterm birth and birth weight.
Evaluation Of Novel Antenatal Biomarkers For The Detection Of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: A Record Linkage Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$580,997.00
Summary
Although most pregnancies are associated with the birth of a healthy baby to a healthy mother, adverse pregnancy outcomes such as fetal growth restriction, stillbirth and preeclampsia continue to impose a heavy burden on families and the community. We will use a novel application of health record linkage to investigate maternal serum biomarkers for predicting adverse pregnancy outcomes. Intervention studies and preventative strategies will be developed for highly predictive biomarkers.