SWIRLsleep. Stillbirth-when is risk low? (aPCM)

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Stillbirth- when is risk low? The addition of ambulatory placental contraction monitor to current risk assessment

• IRAS ID

  345828

• Contact name

  Nia Jones

• Contact email

  nia.jones@nottingham.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Nottingham

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 11 months, 30 days

• Research summary

  Stillbirth affects one in 240 pregnancies and one in three stillbirths are caused by a problem with placental function. Currently, we know little about how maternal position, particularly during sleep, affects the function of the placenta but there is evidence that mothers who sleep on their backs have a higher risk of stillbirth than those who lie on their side. It is thought that lying on your back reduces blood flow through the placenta, leading to lower levels of oxygen in the unborn baby, increasing the stillbirth risk.
  Our team has developed a new wearable sensing technology (ambulatory placental contraction monitoring (aPCM)), based on optical fibre sensors, to monitor changes in placental volume that happen separately to painful contractions and Braxton Hicks that mothers feel. We are planning to test this technology in the home setting for the first time in a small group of women at low risk of complications. We have used this technology within the University setting but want to demonstrate that we can detect the placental contractions in the home environment. We will assess reliability by repeating the test on two occasions 4-7 days apart in the subjects. We aim to use the information to learn how often these contractions happen, how long they last and how they affect the mother and baby. We will also use the technology to characterise movements of the baby. This study is the start of the work with future studies then looking for early warning signs of problems for the baby.

• REC name

  West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  24/WM/0251

• Date of REC Opinion

  2 Jan 2025

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion