News

• Slow progress in stillbirth prevention highlighted by landmark research series

  More than 2.6 million stillbirths continue to occur globally every year with very slow progress made to tackle this ‘silent problem’, according to new research published in The Lancet.

• Research unlocks critical early nutrient supply for embryos

  The mechanism by which embryos receive nutrition during the first 11 weeks of pregnancy has been revealed by University of Manchester scientists.

• MAHSC appoints top consultants as new Clinical Leads for Women and children

  Manchester Academic Health Science Centre (MAHSC) has appointed two new Clinical Leads to its Women and children domain, which focuses on translating the best new research findings into the clinical care of women, mothers, the unborn baby and children.

• Manchester and Monash scientists share research funding awards

  International research collaborations to improve the health of pregnant women, prevent older people in hospital from having falls and enable early detection of hearing problems have all been awarded funding through a unique UK/Australian partnership.

• Chair of Human Fertility and Embryology Authority (HFEA) opens new treatment suite in Saint Mary’s Reproductive Medicine Department, Manchester

  The Chair of HFEA, Sally Cheshire, officially opened the new treatment suite at Old Saint Mary’s, Manchester, as part of a tour of the Reproductive Medicine department.

• First evidence that yoga can help keep expectant mothers stress free

  For the first time researchers in the UK have studied the effects of yoga on pregnant women, and found that it can reduce the risk of them developing anxiety and depression.

• New research reinforces danger of drinking alcohol while pregnant

  Women who drink alcohol at moderate or heavy levels in the early stages of their pregnancy might damage the growth and function of their placenta.

• Research could lead to a new test to predict risk of pregnancy complications

  Researchers from The University of Manchester and Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust have identified proteins in the blood that could be used to predict whether a woman in her first pregnancy is at increased risk of developing pre-eclampsia.

• Public engagement award

  Chris Whittle, a PhD student in Women’s Health has been crowned winner of the “Reproduction Zone”

• Startup company in the making?

  Dr Lynda Harris, a BBSRC Research Fellow within Women’s Health, and her two PhD students Anna King and Natalie Cureton have won second prize of £10,000 in a European business start up competition OBR OneStart competition.

• Fellowship success

  Dr Mark Dilworth has been received a prestigious MRC Career Development Award

• Bigger birth weight babies at greater risk of autism

  The biggest study of fetal growth and autism ever has reported that babies whose growth is at either extreme in the womb, either very small or very large, are at greater risk of developing autism.

• Near doubling of breast, ovarian and prostate cancer markers

  Scientists, including experts at The University of Manchester, have found a near doubling of the number of markers associated with breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer.

• Errors are reducing the effectiveness of anti-D injections in pregnant women

  Too many clinical errors are occurring with the requesting and administration of anti-D prophylaxis to prevent Rhesus Haemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn (Rh HDFN) in pregnant women, according to a Manchester academic.

• Maternal and Fetal Health research fellow wins international award

  Dr Karen Forbes, a researcher in Maternal and Fetal Health, has been awarded the 2012 Gábor Than Award in Placentology