PREMATURE BIRTH

This study tests whether placing a stitch (cerclage) in the cervix can lower the chance of preterm birth in pregnant people with a short cervix (≤25mm) detected between 24-26 weeks. About 329 participants will be randomly assigned to receive the stitch or standard care. The main …

This study tests whether a virtual version of the Abecedarian Approach, an early childhood education program, can help children ages 0-5 who had a brain injury from lack of oxygen (HIE) or were born very prematurely. Researchers will enroll 225 families and measure parent satisfa…

This study tests if giving surfactant (a natural substance that helps lungs stay open) through a less invasive method helps premature babies with breathing problems survive. About 1,500 babies weighing 1.5 to 4.4 pounds will receive this treatment in African hospitals that lack b…

This study tests whether giving pregnant people at risk of preterm birth half the usual dose of a steroid (Celestone) works as well as the full dose to prevent serious health problems in their babies. About 3,250 participants will receive either one or two doses after an initial …

This study tests whether adding azithromycin to the standard antibiotic ampicillin can reduce serious health problems in newborns when a mother's water breaks early (between 34 and 37 weeks). About 311 women with a single pregnancy will receive either ampicillin alone or ampicill…

This study tests whether using an air purifier at home can improve lung development in babies born prematurely (before 37 weeks). Researchers will measure indoor air quality and the babies' breathing at home, with and without the purifier. 180 infants up to age 6 are being recrui…

This study tests whether a gentle electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve (taVNS) during breastfeeding can help premature or sick infants learn to breastfeed better. Ten infants in the NICU will receive taVNS paired with breastfeeding for up to 14 days. Researchers will measure…

This study tests whether a 5-minute daily mouth exercise routine (PIOMI) combined with feeding at specific times of day helps preterm infants (29-33 weeks old) transition to full oral feeding and gain weight. 54 babies will be monitored for 14 days. The goal is to improve feeding…

This study tests whether providing doula support and care coordination to parents of preterm babies in the NICU can reduce stress, depression, and anxiety. Twenty English-speaking mothers of babies born before 34 weeks are being recruited. The doula helps connect families to ment…

This study tests a new pacifier device for preterm infants in the NICU. The device plays the mother's voice when the baby sucks, aiming to improve how babies tell different speech sounds apart. Researchers will measure brain activity with EEG in 203 infants to see if the device h…

This study tests a home-based program called IBAIP for very preterm babies (born before 33 weeks). The program coaches parents to support their baby's self-regulation and development from hospital discharge to 6 months corrected age. Researchers will measure the babies' cognitive…

This study looks at how a pregnant woman's body handles caffeine and how much of it reaches her unborn baby. Researchers will give a small dose of caffeine to 30 women at risk of preterm delivery before a planned C-section. Blood samples from the mother, placenta, and newborn wil…

This study tests an iPad app called Periviable GOALS that helps parents facing a very early preterm birth (22-25 weeks) understand their options and clarify their values. The app includes videos and outcome information designed for people with varying literacy levels. Researchers…

This study is creating a large registry of extremely premature infants born at 22-23 weeks of pregnancy. Researchers will collect information on the care these babies receive and their outcomes. The goal is to learn what practices work best for this vulnerable group. No new treat…

This study is creating a large collection of health data and biological samples from very preterm infants (born before 32 weeks or weighing less than 1500 grams). Researchers will follow these children for several years to see how they develop. The goal is to find factors that he…

This study is a patient registry for women diagnosed with Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes (PPROM) before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Researchers will collect data from 3,000 participants to identify possible causes, evaluate care trends, and review short- and long-term outcomes…

This study looks at how babies' brains develop after an injury around birth. Researchers will use fun games and brain wave tests (EEG) to see if they can predict which children might have trouble with thinking and memory later. About 100 babies, both healthy and those with brain …

This study is testing a special camera (Mueller polarimetric colposcopy) to see if it can measure changes in the cervix during pregnancy. The goal is to find patterns that could help predict if a baby will be born early (preterm). Researchers will study 683 pregnant women, both w…

This study looks at how being born moderately early (32-36 weeks) affects the way babies' brains process speech sounds and learn words. Researchers will measure brain activity using EEG while babies listen to syllables, and track their vocabulary growth over time. The goal is to …

This study aims to improve the way doctors counsel families when a baby may be born extremely early (between 22 and 25 weeks of pregnancy). Researchers will train doctors in better communication skills and then ask parents about their knowledge, satisfaction, and anxiety after co…

This study will use artificial intelligence to analyze health records from 200,000 pregnant women in London, combined with air pollution data, to predict the risk of preterm birth. The goal is to understand when and how pollution exposure is most harmful during pregnancy. Researc…