This project took place at our Edinburgh centre which operated between 2008 and 2021.
Why do we need this research?
Around half of pregnant women are prescribed drugs during their pregnancy to prevent complications, but we don’t know enough about the long-term effects of many of these medicines for both mother and baby. We need to understand more about the side effects of medicines that are given during pregnancy in order to safeguard the health of babies.
What’s happening in this project?
Researchers supported by Tommy’s are involved in a collaboration called Co_OPT, which is bringing scientists together to study the long-term effects of medicines taken during pregnancy.
The Co_OPT collaboration will focus first on corticosteroids – drugs that are given to women at risk of preterm labour to help their baby’s lungs develop properly. In order to have an effect, corticosteroids must be given no more than seven days before birth. However, it can be difficult to predict when a woman is likely to go into labour and so the drugs may be given unnecessarily or at an inappropriate time. We need to find out more about the consequences of corticosteroids being given at the wrong time.
Our researchers will work with scientists from across the world to gather data from birth registries and previous studies – relating to 2.3 million women and their children. By looking closely at this vast amount of information, the team will be able to understand how corticosteroids are being used in a range of different healthcare settings. As well as this, the researchers will find out more about the benefits and risks – both in the short- and long-term – of giving corticosteroids to pregnant women who end up giving birth at term, and will aim to develop predictive models that can help doctors decide which women would be most likely to benefit from treatment.
What difference will this project make?
This research project should give doctors more information that will help them decide whether a pregnant woman who is thought to be at risk of premature birth should be offered corticosteroid treatment. The Co_OPT collaboration will then investigate the benefits and risks of other medicines that are commonly used in pregnancy. Ultimately, this international project will help doctors maximise the health and wellbeing of both mother and baby.
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Tommy's funds research across the UK investigating the reasons for pregnancy complications and loss. If you're interested in being kept updated about our research and news from Tommy's, click here.
