Research at the Rosie

The Rosie hospital undertakes research related to women’s reproductive health, pregnancy, labour and newborn babies’ health and wellbeing. CUH has a proud history of medical research and The Rosie hospital also works closely with the medical school of the University of Cambridge. Research is important because it helps to improve your healthcare by finding out which treatment work best and why, so that there are ever better outcomes for mothers and babies. Without people volunteering to take part in research, we would not be able to improve and develop the care or treatment that we offer.

Taking part

Your midwife, doctor or nurse might talk to you about taking part in a clinical research study as part of your care and we hope that you will give it your full consideration. If you decline to be included, it will in no way affect your care or treatment and at all stages you will be able to discuss your care with your midwife or doctor. Please do not hesitate to ask questions, if you do not fully understand what is being discussed.

How can you find out more

You can ask your health professional about clinical studies that might be suitable for you. Some studies currently being done at the Rosie are listed below but more are always starting, so do contact us if you would like to find out more, by emailing our Rosie research team.

If you are interested in taking part in a research study at the Rosie, please have a look at the information below to find a study that is right for you or you can also check the noticeboard situated in the corridor leading to the ultrasound department. You contact the research team directly using the details below.

Phone: 01223 274228

Email Rosie research team

Studies

The Generation Study

The ‘Generation Study’, formerly known as the Newborn Genomes Programme and led by Genomics England, is looking at the effectiveness of using whole genome sequencing – where DNA is read like a barcode – to find and treat over 200 rare genetic conditions in newborn babies.

The aim is to enable babies to benefit from earlier diagnosis and treatment that could help slow the progression of a potential disease and improve or even extend their lives.

The Rosie Hospital was one of the first NHS Trusts to be involved in the ground-breaking study, which will screen up to 100,000 newborns in England.

Expectant parents will be informed about the study, and if interested a research midwife will have a detailed conversation with them to decide if they want to take part. Participation will then be confirmed shortly after birth and a blood sample will be taken for testing.

Further information on the study can be found on the Generation Study website. (opens in a new tab)

Cleft Collective

The Cleft Collective cohort studies will investigate the biological and environmental causes of cleft, the best treatments for cleft and the psychological impact of cleft on those affected and their families.

C-STICH2

Sometimes the neck of the womb can start to open early. If this happens too early in pregnancy (before 28 weeks), there are a limited number of treatment options. The aim of this study is to find out what treatment, in the event of this happening, is best and safe for mothers and babies.

DIGS

A bug (bacterium) known as GBS (Group B Streptococcus) is present in the birth canal in about 1 in 5 pregnant women. In 2019 we demonstrated that GBS can get into the womb before labour starts and we can find it in the placenta. We now have evidence that GBS gets into the placenta by invading the womb, that the baby is at increased risk of complications following the birth when this happens, and that the reason for this is that the GBS hyperstimulates the baby’s immune system. We now want to study a large number of women being delivered by planned caesarean section. Studying samples from women attending for a planned caesarean section means we can be sure that any bugs we find invaded the womb before labour started. We will ascertain how many women have GBS in the placenta before labour. We will ascertain how the placenta and the baby respond to the presence of GBS. We will ascertain whether anything about the specific type of GBS present in the mother determines whether or not it can invade the womb.

If you have any specific queries, please email DIGS.

DIvO

All babies born in the UK are examined (screened) for cataract twice: first, within 3 days of birth in the maternity unit, and then again at the 6-8 week check by their GP. Despite this, late diagnosis of cataract continues to be a problem, causing avoidable visual impairment in some affected children. In DIvO study, we want to find out if photoscreening is more accurate than the standard test for detecting cataracts in newborn babies. If you decide to participate, you will be asked to complete an online Informed Consent Form at any point from your 20th week of pregnancy up to the time you and your baby are discharged home after delivery.

You can discuss the study with the midwives and doctors at your maternity unit. More information is also available to read and print out at https://divostudy.org/info (opens in a new tab).

Hypatia

Women with antiphospholipid antibodies may have an increased risk of having blood clots and pregnancy problems because blood becomes more ‘sticky’ than usual. The purpose of the Study is to answer the question as to whether hydroxychloroquine may help improve pregnancies in women with antiphospholipid antibodies.

Hypothyroidism

The thyroid gland is a small gland in the neck, which produces hormones which tell the body how to grow and develop properly during childhood. Rarely, babies are born with a thyroid gland that does not function adequately (Congenital Hypothyroidism, CH). This is detected on the NHS heel prick blood spot test that babies are offered during their first week of life, and is treated effectively with medicine. We have been trying to understand why some babies are born with CH. In this study we wish to investigate whether there is a link between levels of chemicals we consume in our diet and the development of CH.

PIPKIN: perinatal imaging partnership with families

The PIPKIN project tracks babies development from the third trimester of pregnancy to the first few months of family life, with the aim of understanding how infant brain responses are shaped by social interactions and the environment around the child. We are interested in how variability emerges in individual infants, and how diversity of experience and social norms influence babies' brains and behavior.

Our study involves combining methods parents might use to document their babies health and milestones (diaries, videos and questions) with measures used by researchers to record infant neural and behavioural activity. Participating families visit the Rosie Hospital at Addenbrooke's for an ultrasound to study the baby in the womb; after birth, researchers visit the family at home, using mobile, safe equipment to image the baby's brain, such as Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) and Electroencephalography (EEG). A final visit takes place at the Cambridge Babylab when infants are five months old.

The project is seeking infants from a range of backgrounds, with the goal of designing family-friendly perinatal interventions in partnership with parents, community NCT groups and clinicians. We hope to use what we learn from this project to support caregivers and babies, so families from every walk of life have the best possible opportunity to develop their full potential.

For more information on the study, please visit the PIPKIN study website (opens in a new tab)

If you are expecting or have a young baby and would like to learn more or take part in the PIPKIN study, please send an email to pipkin@psychol.cam.ac.uk or register your pregnancy or baby via the University of Cambridge Babylab form (opens in a new tab).

POPS2

Are you currently less than four months pregnant with your first baby? If so, please read on.

We are conducting a research study where we perform extra scans at 28 and 36 weeks. We are looking for women, pregnant with their first baby, who are interested in taking part.

You can find out more about the study from the Participant Information Leaflet which is available on the University of Cambridge department of obstetrics and gynaecology website (opens in a new tab).

Alternatively, you can obtain the leaflet by emailing POPS2 or write to us at:

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Cambridge University
Box 223
The Rosie Hospital
Robinson Way
Cambridge
CB2 0SW, UK

If after reading the leaflet you think you might be interested in taking part, please get in touch using the contact details provided. We can then arrange for you to see a member of our research team to chat it over and answer any questions, before giving your consent. You can also call the number below and leave a message if you are interested in participating in the study.

Phone: 01223 769262

Rainbow clinic study

The rainbow clinic provides specialist care and support to families who have experienced the death of a baby during pregnancy or shortly afterwards. As this is a new clinical service in most hospitals we would like to evaluate the care provided in the clinics across the United Kingdom, to look at where care can be improved; your experiences will help to do this.

Rotate

At the end of labour, most babies have rotated round in their mother’s pelvis so that the back of their head (the occiput) is at the front of the pelvis. Some babies end up in a different position that might make it more difficult for mum. The Rotate study is investigating how best to get babies into a good position for a vaginal birth if problems arise at the end of labour.

Sepsis

A retrospective observational study comparing clinical outcomes of sepsis in pregnant and non-pregnant women.

The POISE study

Women with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) are treated with either the combined oral contraceptive pill (COC) or hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Both are recommended treatments.

The POISE study aims to find out what is the most effective hormone treatment for women with POI.

The RIVA study

Independent domestic violence advisors (IDVAs) work to secure the safety of those at risk of harm from domestic violence and abuse (DVA).

The purpose of the study is to understand how IDVAs can work most effectively in maternity services. An online survey is offered to people who have been supported by an IDVA over the last couple of years asking some questions about their experience of the service.