Aim

To conduct high quality research that will improve the safety and experience of birth for women/pregnant people and babies.

Lead – Professor Kate Walker

Professor Walker is a Professor in Obstetrics at the University of Nottingham and divides her time equally between research and clinical work. Her research work is based in Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit (NCTU) and her clinical work is based at Nottingham University Hospitals Trust. Her research work has focused on randomised controlled trials in sexual health, obstetrics and neonatology. She is the Clinical Chief Investigator for an NIHR HTA funded cluster randomised trial with economic and acceptability evaluations to determine the clinical and cost-effectiveness of testing for Group B Streptococcus in late pregnancy (GBS3).   This is the first RCT of routine GBS testing in the world.

Research Focus

1. Fetal assessment and wellbeing. The focus of this research is knowing when to intervene in a timely fashion to avoid adverse outcomes for pregnant women/people and crucially when not to intervene to avoid unnecessary interventions that may impact on women/people’s birth choices and birth experience.
   
   
2. Safer births. Our CePR research team, which involves midwives, parents, obstetricians, neonatal nurses and neonatologists, is working towards making birth safer and improving the experience of birth.
   
   
3. Perinatal mental health. We are exploring approaches to identifying and meeting women’s needs and supporting mental health and wellbeing during the childbirth continuum. This includes the development and evaluation of midwifery-led interventions for perinatal mental health conditions such as mild-moderate anxiety during pregnancy and preparation for childbirth. We also work to address the needs of women whose perinatal mental health may be especially vulnerable due to complex social circumstances. Our research also tried to explore the impact on fathers.
   
   
4. Implementation research. We aim to ensure that the results of the clinical trials that we conduct have the greatest impact on clinical practice and benefits to families, we will build expertise in implementation science and strengthen links with The Nottingham University Business School, one of the foremost institutions providing expertise in implementation science in the UK.
   
   
5. Delivery room care. A significant area of strength with Wellcome Trust, NIHR and MRC research funding supporting safer care of mothers and babies in the delivery room.  We are developing advanced monitoring techniques (both maternal and newborn) and timely intervention is crucial to improve outcomes for all babies.
   
   
6. Imaging. We are building on our already well-established, interdisciplinary team of scientists, clinicians, engineers, and mathematicians, who are working together to address key knowledge gaps in human pregnancy.  Our advanced techniques are developed in collaboration with experts in the Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre.