Pregnant in Manchester
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Pregnant in Manchester: a coordinated data and biospecimen study of pregnancy outcome and related predisposing and protective factors in Greater Manchester
IRAS ID
364538
Contact name
Lucy Higgins
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Manchester
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Our Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre is committed to ‘Finding Solutions to Pregnancy Problems’. We host the Tommy’s National Stillbirth centre which aims to reduce preventable stillbirth through research. Recognition and understanding of placental dysfunction is key to saving babies lives and protecting the health of pregnant women.
A poorly working placenta is implicated in many pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia (5% of UK pregnancies), fetal growth restriction (10-27% pregnancies), miscarriage (up to 25% pregnancies) and stillbirth (0.4% pregnancies). How placental dysfunction occurs, whether it differs across pregnancy complications, and how to prevent or treat it are important questions that must be answered to predict pregnancy complications and improve outcomes for pregnant women and their babies.
How a pregnant woman’s environment, community and background affect their health, and that of their baby is a key focus for families, maternity services and the government. This is particularly important in Greater Manchester, where 30% of our population are from minoritised communities, and 60% of the population live in areas of high deprivation.
To address this, we will conduct a large study of women who are Pregnant in Manchester, including those with healthy, high risk and complicated pregnancies. Any pregnant person under the care of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust will be eligible to take part. Participants may be offered additional scans, tests of heart and blood vessel function or vaginal swabs. They may be asked to donate blood/urine/saliva/breast milk. The placenta will be studied after birth. Some women may choose to donate additional samples including abdominal fat or womb muscle during a planned caesarean birth. We will study the clinical problems affecting women in Manchester, and environmental and social impacts on these. Our research will last for five years, and will drive improved understanding, and prediction, prevention and management of future pregnancy complications.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/NW/0101
Date of REC Opinion
6 May 2026
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion