OSPREA
OSPREA (the Oxford Safer Pregnancy Alliance) took flight this summer. It is part of a new NHS research initiative that bridges the gap between cutting-edge research and bedside care. There are exciting, new, large programs devoted to making pregnancy safer and better. Hence the need for OSPREA. It is an alliance between families, researchers and practitioners to work together to achieve a better future. OSPREA coordinates current and future projects. Most studies recruit at or around 12 weeks of pregnancy within the ultrasound department.
At the moment five projects come under OSPREA:
Silver star research is concerned with pre-eclampsia: its causes, prediction, prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
SPRINT is a trial of selenium supplements given to prevent pre-eclampsia. Work in Oxford and Surrey suggests that women who are low in selenium may more liable to get pre-eclampsia. Updates on the study are available here.
The Oxford Pregnancy Biobank aims to find at least 3000 pregnant women who will donate blood and urine samples for storage and research. These can be retrieved for specific studies when they are needed.
Very sophisticated ultrasound techniques can measure the precise flow of blood to the early placenta at 3 months in a pregnancy. We hope that this will enable troubles to be detected at a time when they can be treated effectively.
This is an international study, coordinated in Oxford. It is developing growth charts for babies from different races and cultures.
