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Mother and child health

Clinical studies (other than malaria)

The MCH department has completed recruitment to three large prospective cohort trials with the major analysis still ongoing.

  • Perinatal mental health problems (PLoS One. 2018;13(5):e0197403. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone. 0197403, BMJ open. 2018;8(1):e017129. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017- 017129, and BMC Psychiatry. 2018;18(1):229. doi: 10.1186/s12888-018-1815-7)
  • Neonatal jaundice where potentially harmful local health practices have been identified (BMC Pediatr. 2018;18(1):190. doi: 10.1186/ s12887-018-1165-0 and J Trop Pediatr. 2017 Feb;63(1):50-56. doi: 10.1093/tropej/fmw055)
  • The INTERBIO-21st study is under analysis
  • A clinical trial was initiated on the prevention of vertical transmission of Hepatitis B with Tenofovir (NCT02995005).

Data analysis

  • Preparatory work on detecting and treating anaemia in pregnancy has commenced with an analysis on inherited RBC disorders in nearly 13,000 women: haemoglobin variants affect at least 15% (HbE and beta-thalassaemia) and possibly up to 40% (including alphathalassaemia) of women overall; while phenotypic G6PD deficiency affects in 2.9% of women, with >95% Mahidol variant by genotyping. (Wellcome Open Res. 2017;2:72. doi: 10.12688/ wellcomeopenres.12338.2).
  • Immunization remained an area for improvement amongst migrants (J Immigr Minor Health. 2016 Oct;18(5):1038-45. doi: 10.1007/s10903-015-0294-x) and the use of ultrasound improved care for women with gestational trophoblastic disease (Glob Health Action. 2017;10(1):1296727. doi: 10.1080/16549716.2017.1296727).
  • Local collaborations permitted analysis of 30 years of contraception data (the longest known review period for a refugee population) (PLoS One. 2017 Feb 23;12(2):e0172007. doi: 10.1371/ journal.pone.0172007).
  • Two studies reported on successful implementation of educational and training programs in low resource settings including skilled birth attendants (PLoS One. 2016 Oct 6;11(10):e0164363. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0164363) and the front-line medics (BMC Med Educ. 2017 Aug 31;17(1):149. doi: 10.1186/s12909-017-0975-3).