Investigators: Annette Regan, Brad Farrant, Carrington Shepherd, Eva Malacova, Fiona Stanley, Gavin Pereira, Helen Leonard, Ifrah Abdullahi, Jenny Bourke, Jenny Fairthorne, Kingsley Wong, Nick De Klerk
Project description
Increases in preterm birth and survival over time of those born pre-term are occurring due to a range of factors. These include increasing maternal age and co-morbidity (particularly obesity and maternal diabetes), increases in multiple births, environmental factors, social factors such as higher fertility rates in socially disadvantaged high risk mothers and changes in obstetric practice relating to reproductive technologies, early induction of labour and use of caesarean section. Our group undertakes complex statistical analyses principally using linked health and medical data relating to pregnancies, births and hospitalisations to investigate the determinants and outcomes of preterm birth and the pathways leading to developmental disorders.
Our current focus is to follow these vulnerable infants born at different gestational ages and determine what factors increase or decrease their likelihood of survival with or without a major developmental disability (defined as intellectual disability, cerebral palsy or autism). We have shown that Apgar score, birth weight, sex, socioeconomic status, and maternal ethnicity, in addition to gestational age, had pronounced impacts on disability-free survival. Further analysis is planned to look more closely at trends in intellectual disability outcomes for very preterm infants over the last two decades.
External collaborators
- Ravisha Srinivasjois (Joondalup Health Campus)