What we have learned about best practices for recruitment and retention in multicenter pregnancy studies.

For 30 years, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) Network has had significant impact on clinical practice in obstetrics. The MFMU Network has conducted 50 randomized clinical trials and observational studies designed to improve pregnancy outcomes for mothers and children. Each center has a designated clinical research nurse coordinator who coordinates the day-to-day operations of each trial and leads a research team that is responsible for recruitment and retention of participants.

In vivo optical imaging of human vaginal gel thickness distributions with a probe-based, dual-modality instrument.

ABSTRACT. We used a probe-based dual-modality optical imaging instrument to measure in vivo coating thickness distributions of a gel distributed along the vaginal lumen, in a clinical study. The gel was a surrogate for one delivering an anti-HIV topical microbicide.

Cervical ripening with foley balloon plus fixed versus incremental low-dose oxytocin: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To evaluate cervical ripening with foley balloon combined with a fixed vs. incremental low-dose oxytocin infusion.

Methods: Women presenting for term labor induction were randomized to fixed low-dose or standard incremental low-dose oxytocin infusion following foley balloon placement.