Intrauterine ureaplasma infection during pregnancy: fetal effects and characteristics of ureaplasma pathogenicity.

Funded Activity Summary

Ureaplasmas are microorganisms that are commonly found in the urinary tracts of men and women, without any apparent adverse effects; but their presence in amniotic fluid during pregnancy is associated with preterm birth and other adverse pregnancy outcomes. The effects that ureaplasmas in the amniotic fluid have on the developing baby before birth are likely to result in illness after birth, but the range of potential effects is unknown. We also know very little about how ureaplasmas themselves manage to infect the fetus and other tissues within the pregnant uterus. Our studies are designed to identify the effects that ureaplasmas in amniotic fluid have on the developing fetus and how common treatments during pregnancy impact on those effects. We will also study ureaplasmas to see what it is about them that allows them to affect the fetus and other uterine tissues. We expect that our studies will lead to better diagnosis and treatment of amniotic ureaplasma infection during pregnancy, and will allow us to better care for babies born after exposure to ureaplasmas before birth.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2007

End Date: 01-01-2009

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $527,097.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Foetal Development and Medicine

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

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Other Keywords

fetal development | fetal physiology | fetal response to infection | in-utero growth | intrauterine infection | microbiology - pathogenesis | pregnancy | preterm birth | ureaplasma urealyticum

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