FAIB: Fatty Acid Influences on Birth.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding how obesity affects late pregnancy and labour: the role of the fatty acid oleic acid.
IRAS ID
341287
Contact name
Kate Walker
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Nottingham
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 31 days
Research summary
Maternal obesity is a big risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes. Currently 20% of UK women are obese at conception, but will reach 50% by 2050. Obese human pregnancies are associated with prolonged and dysfunctional labour and emergency caesarean section and a serious concern for increased costs and demand on maternity services. Caesarean delivery causes poor health outcomes for mothers and their babies and each 1% rise in caesarean delivery rates costs the NHS an extra £5 million per year. The cause of weaker and un-coordinated contractions during labour in obese women is unknown but we have identified high-circulating levels of the monounsaturated fatty acid, oleic acid causes un-coordinated contractions and prolonged and dysfunctional labour in obese pregnant rats. This research will confirm
whether blood fatty acid composition in late pregnancy and labouring pregnant women is altered by body mass index. The project will also allow some exploratory analysis to determine whether a specific fatty acid profile such as high blood levels of oleic acid is associated with prolonged and dysfunctional labour with maternal obesity.REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/EM/0133
Date of REC Opinion
27 Jun 2024
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion