Publications by authors named "Mairead Black"
Background: Around one in three pregnant women undergoes induction of labour in the United Kingdom, usually preceded by in-hospital cervical ripening to soften and open the cervix.
Objectives: This study set out to determine whether cervical ripening at home is within an acceptable safety margin of cervical ripening in hospital, is effective, acceptable and cost-effective from both National Health Service and service user perspectives.
Design: The CHOICE study comprised a prospective multicentre observational cohort study using routinely collected data (CHOICE cohort), a process evaluation comprising a survey and nested case studies (qCHOICE) and a cost-effectiveness analysis.
Article Synopsis
- The Obstetric Bleeding Study UK (OBS UK) is a randomized controlled trial aimed at addressing postpartum hemorrhage, initially developed in Wales, which has noted improved maternal outcomes but faces limitations in generalizability due to demographic homogeneity in the Welsh sample.* -
- To enhance the diversity and inclusivity of the trial, maternity units across the UK were selected based on their representation of various ethnic and socioeconomic profiles, with a focus on ensuring results are applicable to a broader population.* -
- An interactive dashboard was created using census data to visualize and compare the demographics of each participating maternity unit, confirming that the trial sites reflect the wider UK's ethnic and socioeconomic diversity, despite some inconsistencies in data availability across different locations.*
Article Synopsis
- This study investigates whether women who had a cesarean section at full dilatation (CSfd) during their first pregnancy are at increased risk of miscarriage in their subsequent pregnancies.
- The research analyzed data from 33,452 women using the Aberdeen Maternity and Neonatal Databank, comparing rates of miscarriage between those who had CSfd and those who had other types of births.
- Results showed no significant difference in miscarriage rates at any gestation between women with CSfd and those with other birth modes, indicating no increased risk of miscarriage following a CSfd.
Background: More women are experiencing pregnancy with two or more long-term health conditions such as hypertension, depression or HIV (MLTC). Care can be complex and include multiple teams, health professionals and services. The type and range of maternity care models for these women and the role of the midwife within such models is unknown.
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- The study aimed to assess whether the Mediterranean diet during pregnancy lowers the risk of developing gestational diabetes by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.
- The review identified three studies involving 2,348 pregnant women, where two used Mediterranean diet variants supplemented with extra virgin olive oil and pistachios.
- The meta-analysis showed a significant reduction in gestational diabetes risk among women following the Mediterranean diet, but more extensive multi-centre trials are needed for conclusive evidence.
Introduction: Over a fifth of pregnant women are living with multiple long-term health conditions, which is associated with increased risks of adverse outcomes for mothers and infants. While there are many examples of research exploring individuals' experiences and care pathways for pregnancy with a single health condition, evidence relating to multiple health conditions is limited. This study aimed to explore experiences and care of women with multiple long-term health conditions around the time of pregnancy.
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- Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) is a maternal blood test used to screen for chromosomal conditions in fetuses, such as Down's syndrome, and requires ongoing evaluation regarding its implications on pregnancy decisions.
- The study analyzed NIPT's global implementation and effects on pregnancy outcomes by examining various databases for population-based studies and national guidelines since 2010.
- Results showed NIPT has been adopted in at least 27 countries, leading to a significant decrease in the number of women opting for invasive prenatal diagnosis after high chance biochemical screening, with notable impacts on termination rates and live births among high risk pregnancies.
Detection and evaluation of signals associated with exposure to individual and combination of medications in pregnancy: a signal detection study protocol.
BMJ Open
October 2023
Article Synopsis
- The study addresses the issue of polypharmacy in pregnant women, highlighting the need for more research on the safety of their complex medication plans, particularly focusing on adverse and protective effects of various medications during pregnancy.
- It employs real-world data from the UK to conduct a pharmacovigilance study assessing medication safety in women during the preconception period and the first trimester.
- A multidisciplinary expert team will analyze and reach consensus on the signals of associations between medication exposure and pregnancy outcomes to filter out misleading data for further evaluation.
Article Synopsis
- Multimorbidity (presence of multiple health conditions) is prevalent among pregnant women, with 16.8% experiencing it and 3.6% having complex multimorbidity (four or more conditions) in a study of over 27,000 pregnancies.
- The prevalence of multimorbidity increases with maternal age, ranging from 10.2% in younger women (15-19) to 21.4% in those aged 40-44.
- Pregnant women with multimorbidity have higher rates of preterm birth (PTB), at 11.6%, compared to 6.7% in those without, and 15.6% in those with complex multimorbidity.*
Article Synopsis
- This study developed a core outcome set for future research on pregnant women with multimorbidity to tackle issues of inconsistent outcome reporting across studies.
- The development process involved a systematic literature search, focus groups, and Delphi surveys engaging diverse stakeholders, including affected women and healthcare professionals.
- The final core outcome set identified 11 key outcomes, including maternal death, severe morbidity, and baby survival rates, which should be consistently measured in related research.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the link between having a cesarean delivery at full dilatation in the first pregnancy and the risk of spontaneous preterm birth in subsequent pregnancies, utilizing a comprehensive databank from Aberdeen.
- It is a retrospective cohort study involving over 30,000 women recorded from 1976 to 2017, analyzing various delivery methods and pregnancy outcomes.
- Results indicate that women with a previous cesarean at full dilatation have more than double the risk (3-fold increase) of experiencing spontaneous preterm birth in their second pregnancy.
Article Synopsis
- A qualitative study was conducted to identify important outcomes for pregnant women with multiple long-term health conditions by involving women, their partners, and healthcare professionals in focus groups.
- The study found 63 outcomes related to maternal health, child health, and healthcare utilization, with new outcomes discovered that haven't been previously emphasized in the literature.
- Participants highlighted the importance of care processes, particularly the need for effective information sharing during transitions in healthcare, showing a consensus on the significance of various outcomes across different stakeholders.
Article Synopsis
- Prolonged second stage of labor may lead to negative outcomes for mothers, such as increased risks of injuries and interventions like episiotomies and cesarean deliveries, as suggested by a study involving data from over 51,000 births.
- The study analyzed the effects of labor duration on maternal and perinatal outcomes while adjusting for various factors like age and birth methods, focusing on women’s experiences during the second stage of labor.
- The findings indicate that while longer labor durations correlate with higher maternal risks, perinatal outcomes remained relatively stable, raising questions about the optimal length of labor before intervention is needed.
Article Synopsis
- Menopausal symptoms negatively impact the quality of life and work productivity, prompting a systematic review to investigate workplace interventions designed to support women during this transition.
- The review analyzed various studies from multiple databases, finding that only a limited range of workplace interventions have been assessed for their effectiveness in helping women manage menopausal symptoms.
- Key findings showed that interventions like self-help cognitive behavioral therapy, Raja yoga, and health promotion activities led to significant improvements in both menopausal symptoms and work-related outcomes, suggesting the need for a customizable intervention package to be implemented in workplaces.
Article Synopsis
- Induction of labour is when doctors help start a pregnancy, usually because continuing the pregnancy might be risky for the baby.
- In the UK, doctors suggest a process called cervical ripening as the first step, and some places are letting women do this at home, even though there's not much proof that it works well.
- A study talked to midwives and doctors to understand how induction care works, and they found that managing this process can be really complicated and has a big impact on their workloads.
Article Synopsis
- - The study examined women's experiences and perspectives on the induction of labor (IOL) process, focusing on cervical ripening (CR) at home versus in a hospital setting.
- - Findings indicated that women often lack sufficient information to make informed choices about IOL, leading to anxiety and a feeling of reduced options for their birth experience.
- - Positive interactions with maternity staff significantly impacted women's overall experience, while issues like staffing shortages and delays in care raised concerns about safety and the quality of care received.
Article Synopsis
- * Researchers will analyze data from UK health records spanning from 2000 to 2019, examining various health outcomes during different stages: antenatal, peripartum, postnatal, and long-term mental health.
- * Ethical approval has been secured, and findings are set to be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at major conferences for wider dissemination.
Article Synopsis
- The study looks at how many pregnant women are taking multiple medications, which has become more common over the last 20 years.
- It gathered data from a big medical records database to see how often women used 2 or more medicines during pregnancy.
- The findings show that about 25% of women used multiple medications in their first trimester, and some risk factors for this include being overweight, from certain ethnic groups, or being a smoker.
Article Synopsis
- Pregnancy complications like pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes usually get better after childbirth, but they can lead to long-term health risks for women, such as heart disease.
- This study will look at different reviews to see how pregnancy problems are connected to five types of long-term health issues, including autoimmune diseases, cancers, and mental health issues.
- The researchers will analyze lots of studies to understand these links better and share the results, helping to create predictions for women's future health risks.
Background: The Scottish Government introduced a free Baby Box scheme for all new parents in 2017, modelled on the Finnish scheme, to give every baby 'an equal start in life'. There is little evidence that it results in better health outcomes, but there has been limited research into different perspectives and discourses on such schemes.
Methods: Four focus groups were conducted with 21 parents in North-East Scotland.
Objective: To investigate the optimal route of progesterone administration for luteal phase support in a frozen embryo transfer.
Design: Systematic review.
Patients: Women undergoing frozen embryo transfer (FET).
Worldwide reports have produced conflicting data on perinatal outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. This systematic review and meta-analysis addressed the effect of mitigation measures against COVID-19 on preterm birth, stillbirth, low birth weight, and NICU admission during the first nine months of the pandemic. A search was performed using MEDLINE, Embase and SCOPUS for manuscripts published up until 24th May 2021.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Although maternal death is rare in the United Kingdom, 90% of these women had multiple health/social problems. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of pre-existing multimorbidity (two or more long-term physical or mental health conditions) in pregnant women in the United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland).
Study Design: Pregnant women aged 15-49 years with a conception date 1/1/2018 to 31/12/2018 were included in this population-based cross-sectional study, using routine healthcare datasets from primary care: Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD, United Kingdom, n = 37,641) and Secure Anonymized Information Linkage databank (SAIL, Wales, n = 27,782), and secondary care: Scottish Morbidity Records with linked community prescribing data (SMR, Tayside and Fife, n = 6099).