Blood In Action

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Blood In Action: Routine pregnancy serum samples for immunity and infection studies

• IRAS ID

  323097

• Contact name

  Edward Mullins

• Contact email

  edward.mullins@imperial.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Imperial College London

• Duration of Study in the UK

  2 years, 11 months, 31 days

• Research summary

  BACKGROUND
  Each year, thousands of women have testing of a serum sample for infection and immunity, the residual of this is stored by regional pathology services in case of need for additional testing and is otherwise disposed of after 2 years. There is precedent for anonymised testing of these samples to derive public benefit to improve maternal and child health, which we propose to do.

  DESIGN
  Platform observational study for infection, immunity and biomarkers using routinely collected maternity serum samples (which would otherwise be disposed of) and clinical data.

  AIMS
  To pilot wider use of routinely collected maternal blood samples and data in delivering greater value to the health of women and children in NW London and the UK.

  OBJECTIVES
  1. Initiate linked-anonymised testing of markers of immunity and infection (serology), and biochemical markers of adverse pregnancy outcome.
  2. Establish a sleeping study for pandemic and seasonal illness using routinely collected maternal blood samples and data

  POPULATION
  Women and birthing people booking for pregnancy care at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust depositing an antenatal serum sample for storage with North West London Pathology will be the population for linked-anonymised testing.
  

• REC name

  London - City & East Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  23/LO/1009

• Date of REC Opinion

  21 Dec 2023

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion