View clinical trials related to Preterm Birth.
Filter by:The aim of this study is to try and find links between the microscopic organisms (such as bacteria, yeasts and viruses) in the vagina, and twin pregnancies that deliver too early (preterm birth). Being born earlier than expected (preterm birth) happens in over half of twin pregnancies with 1 in 10 sets of twins delivering before 32 weeks gestation. Sometimes, when birth happens very early, babies can be at risk of serious harm including damage to the brain, lungs and bowel - all of which can result in life changing disabilities. How severe these problems are is related to how early they are born. Unfortunately, tests used to find women at risk of preterm birth have only been proven to work when the woman is carrying one baby, not twins, and at present no treatment has been shown to be effective in stopping a twin pregnancy from delivering early. Preventing twins from being born too early is therefore a target for research by the NHS and patient groups including the James Lind Alliance. It is normal for every woman to have microscopic organisms (such as bacteria, yeasts and viruses) in the vagina. New interest has been shown at looking closely at these organisms during pregnancy. These organisms can change and may be related to the number of weeks a woman will go into labour, however to date all research on this has been conducted in pregnancies with only one baby. We want to explore these organisms in twin pregnancies; taking swabs from the vagina at 16- and 28-weeks of your pregnancy, along with at the time of birth. Information will be gathered on the organisms present in the vagina (both of women that deliver too early and those that deliver on time), hoping this information will help us understand why preterm birth happens and help predict the chances of preterm labour in twin pregnancies. By identifying specific organisms linked with preterm birth, we also hope to be able to guide new targets for treatments to prevent preterm birth in twins in future. Due to the small number of twin pregnancies, measurements of how 'stiff' the neck of the womb (cervix) are along with blood samples will be taken. Research has shown that there may be links with how stiff the neck of the womb is and premature birth as well as markers within the blood that may help us predict preterm birth that are yet to be discovered. This will provide the foundations for a future research study.
Objective of the study: To examine cognition, motor function, executive functions, speech and language development, behaviour, psychosocial functioning,academic achievement, physical morbidities and growth of MLPTI at the age of 9 years and correlate this with BSID-III-NL scores,growth parameters and body composition at the age of 2 years. Study design: This study will be a prospective open, non-therapeutic exploratory cohort study and can be seen as a continuation on the study with protocol identification number NL50800.094.14, performed in the NWZ Alkmaar between 2014 and 2016. This was a study on growth and neurodevelopment of MLPTI in the first 2 years of life. Study population: The study population is a group of 200 moderate and late preterm children who were born in the NWZ Alkmaar between 2014 and 2016. 100 of these children participated in the aforementioned study on growth and neurodevelopment at the age of 2 years. The oldest children in this group will reach the age of 9 years in 2023. Brothers/sisters/friends of these children aged between 8 and 10 will be asked as control group (n=50). Primary study parameters/outcome of the study: The main study parameters are the IQ-scores of the WISC-V, the motoric scores of the Movement-ABC, the executive functions of the EMMA Toolbox, the presence of morbidities, the growth pattern and the mean blood pressure at 9 years of age. Secondary study parameters/outcome of the study: Secondary outcome parameters are the he behavioural and psychosocial outcomes of the CBCL and the SDQ scores, speech-and language-developmental scores of the CELF-5-NL and CCC-2-NL, MCH Feeding Scale and Teacher Report Form (TRF) scores. Other outcome parameters are the relation between the 9-year outcomes and the BSID-III scores at the age of 2, and the differences between the MLPTI and the control group. Furthermore, we aim to determine the relation between growth and body composition in the first two years of life and the waist circumference, growth parameters and blood pressure at the age of 9 years.
The study was planned to determine the effect of rocking bed applied to preterm newborns on comfort, physiological parameters and cerebral oxygenase level (rSO2).
The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to compare the effect of direct skin-to-skin contact in moderate and late preterm infants. The main questions it aims to answer are: - does skin-to-skin contact in moderate and late preterm infants influence gene expression in the stress signaling pathway? - does skin-to-skin contact in moderate and late preterm infants improve the short- and long-term outcome? Participants will either get immediate separation after vaginal birth or receive immediate skin-to-skin contact. Researchers will compare these two groups to answer the proposed questions.
The goal of this clinical trial is to assess the effectiveness of a cerclage in women with a twin pregnancy with a midpregnancy short cervix or cervical dilatation compared to standard treatment (no cerclage) in the prevention of extreme preterm birth < 28 weeks of gestational age. The main question it aims to answer is: What is the effectiveness of a cerclage in women with a twin pregnancy with a midpregnancy short cervix or cervical dilatation compared to standard treatment (no cerclage) in the prevention of extreme preterm birth < 28 weeks of gestational age? Participants will be randomly assigned to the intervention (cerclage) or comparison (no cerclage) group.
Prematurity remains the main cause of death and serious health problems in new-borns. Besides the need for hospitalization and medical interventions in the first weeks or months of the new-borns' life, prematurity can cause long-lasting health problems (e.g. multiple hospital admissions, developmental delay, learning difficulties, motor delay, hearing or eye problems, ...). Moreover, prematurity places an enormous economic burden on the society. Aside from the medical problems and the financial cost, the emotional stress and psychological impact on the parents, siblings and other family members should not be underestimated. Previous preterm delivery (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) increases the risk for recurrent preterm delivery in a subsequent pregnancy. Therefore, these women should be considered as 'high risk' for preterm birth. Infections ascending from the vagina may be an important cause of preterm delivery in certain cases. Some women have an abnormal vaginal microbiome and are therefore at risk for infections and preterm birth. On the other hand, the vaginal flora is more stable and resistant to infections in healthy pregnant women who deliver at term (after 37 weeks of gestation). Synbiotics are a mixture containing probiotics and prebiotics. Probiotics are living bacteria with potential beneficial effects that can be used safely in pregnancy, while prebiotics are consumed by the bacteria. It is known that probiotics, when used for a long period of time, can maintain a healthy and stable vaginal flora that may protect against infections. In this study, pregnant patients with a history of preterm birth will be included in the first trimester of pregnancy to start with synbiotics or placebo. The investigators will examine the effect of synbiotics on the vaginal flora and on the pregnancy duration. The hypothesis is that synbiotics, when started early in the pregnancy, can change the disturbed vaginal flora into a stable micro-environment.
The goal of this clinical trial is to test (1) a novel maternal ready-to-use supplementary food and (2) a novel cognitive behavioral therapy intervention in undernourished Sierra Leonean women. The main questions it aims to answer are: - Will the addition of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), as well as choline, to a maternal ready-to-use supplementary food (M-RUSF+) prolong gestation when compared with a similar supplementary food except that it lacks DHA, EPA, and choline (M-RUSF)? - Will M-RUSF+ improve infant cognitive development at 9 months of age when compared with M-RUSF? - Will the novel CBT program improve ante- and post-partum depression?
This study will test a music intervention (MI) versus a sham control (SC) arm which only includes a verbal intervention, to determine if the effects of the music intervention will reduce the biological impact of chronic stress among pregnant Black women, reduce preterm birth, and improve infant outcomes.
The aim of this prospective observational study was to evaluate the efficacy of a universal strategy of primary prevention of preterm birth using intravaginal chlorhexidine (CLX) applied before 16 weeks. The main question is whether universal treatment with vaginal CLX before 16 weeks would reduce the incidence of preterm birth, especially before 34 weeks. Participants were recruited at the routine first trimester consultation. All patients underwent an initial ultrasound examination between 6+0 and 15+6 weeks gestation, including assessment of embryo/fetus vitality. Antiseptic treatment aimed at reducing possible bacterial overgrowth consisted of 10 days (1 box) of CLX vaginal ovules (CLX digluconate 0.2%) always starting between 9+0 and 16+0 weeks. As this product is widely marketed and frequently indicated in gynaecology, we did not deprive the non-treated group of treatment because we wanted to assess whether it could have an effect on reducing preterm delivery. The pregnant women were then followed up until the end of pregnancy and compared with a cohort of patients who had not received any treatment. All data related to delivery were collected, as well as any events related to preterm delivery, such as onset of contractions, cervical shortening and premature rupture of membranes, regardless of final gestational age at delivery.
There are few safe, effective, and affordable interventions to improve pregnancy outcomes in low resource settings where the highest rates of poor birth outcomes occur. L-citrulline is naturally found in many foods and is changed into another important amino acid, L-arginine, in the body. L-arginine is important for the growth of a healthy placenta and healthy baby. Adding L-citrulline to the diets of pregnant women may be an effective and affordable way to improve the health of their babies.The goal of the AGREE trial is to test whether a dietary supplement containing a common food component, an amino acid called L-citrulline, can help pregnant Kenyan women at risk of malaria have healthier pregnancies and healthier babies. 2,960 pregnant Kenyan women will be enrolled and randomly assigned to take either a twice daily dietary supplement containing L-citrulline or a placebo supplement without additional L-citrulline. Maternal participants will be seen every month until delivery and at weeks 1 and 6 after birth. Infants will also be followed up at ages 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. The primary outcome of the study is 'adverse pregnancy outcome', a composite of foetal loss (miscarriage or still birth), preterm birth, low birth weight, small for gestational age or neonatal mortality. The results of the AGREE trial could help to guide obstetric and public health policy and provide a sustainable solution that could be implemented at the community level.