Screening pregnant women using late pregnancy ultrasound
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Is screening nulliparous women with late pregnancy ultrasound to predict risk acceptable to women
IRAS ID
182100
Contact name
Gordon Smith
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
The rate of emergency caesarean section is currently between 11.3-18.1% in the UK. The risks of complications associated with caesarean section included an increased risk of heamorraghe,infection and pulmonary embolism. Caesarean section performed during labour increases the risks of maternal and fetal complications in comparison to a planned procedure.A new screening tool has been developed which will identify low risk women in their first pregnancy who have a high risk of emergency caesarean delivery during labour.This would offer women the choice of opting for a planned caesarean section if they screened as high risk. This has the potential to reduce both physical and psychological complications for the mother and improve outcomes for the baby. In order to evaluate if the screening test would be acceptable to women and if they would use the results to make a decision on their delivery ,the views of midwives and women in late pregnancy will be sought.This study will use focus groups to explore opinions. The results of this study will provide information and insight regarding midwives and women’s opinions on the introduction of the new screening test and will provide the basis for the development of a clinical trial to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of implementing a new test to screen to predict risk of caesarean delivery in first time pregnancies.
REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/WM/0360
Date of REC Opinion
1 Oct 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion