Evidence Based Global Health Manual for Preterm Birth Risk Assessment

This is an open access book.

In this open access book the NIHR Global Health research group on preterm birth, PRIME, prioritizes the development of prenatal risk assessment guidance for preterm birth.

This book is based on global literature, published international, national and regional guidance and it is structured into six chapters providing: 

• an overview of the domains for risk assessment and the summary recommendations
• in greater depth maternal demographics and past pregnancy histories, accurate pregnancy dating, and the contribution of infection, nutritional status and substance misuse to preterm birth risk.

Each chapter has structured sections which include a) background information, b) an evidence statement highlighting the risk factors covered, and c) practical recommendations for evaluating those risks as well as the evidenced recommended and effective interventions for women deemed to be at risk. The chapter ends with clinical and research recommendations regarding factors of unknown or unproven risk (“myth busters”).

This open access book will be a very useful guide for all health care professionals involved in delivering pregnancy care.

Dilly Anumba is Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Director of Clinical Academic Training at the University of Sheffield. He is a hospital consultant and subspecialist in Maternal and Fetal Medicine. He runs specialist clinics in Fetal Ultrasound, Prenatal Diagnosis and Therapy, Prematurity Prevention and Care, and High-Risk Pregnancy. His research interests are translational, focusing on the biology of birth, and global health inequalities. He holds grants funded by the UK’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), the Medical Research Council (MRC), and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Council (EPSRC) investigating management of preterm birth. He is Director of the NIHR Global Health Research Group on Preterm Birth Prevention and Care (PRIME, www.primeglobalhealth.co.uk), which includes researchers in South Africa, Bangladesh, India and Nigeria. PRIME research activities directly inform this book proposal. Dilly is International Representative for sub-Saharan Africa on the RCOG Council and Chair Selection Panel of the Short Placement Award for Research Collaboration (SPARC) scheme, the NIHR Training Academy. He is a member of the college of experts of the African Research Excellence Framework (AREF). Dilly has contributed numerous book chapters (including two Springers books) and has edited the book “Antenatal Disorders for the MRCOG and Beyond”.

Dr Jayasooriya is an NIHR Clinical lecturer in primary care and a General Practitioner at Page Hall Medical Centre, a Deep End Clinical Research Network practice, in one of the most deprived and ethnically diverse areas of Sheffield. Her research interest is in lung health, focusing on global marginalised populations. Having a grounding in adaptive immunology during her PhD, she then worked on an international multi-centre cohort study in The Gambia. She also has an interest in exploring determinants of pre-term birth in LMICs as a research associate with the NIHR Global Health Research Group on Preterm Birth Intervention and Management. Dilly Anumba is Professor of Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Director of Clinical Academic Training at the University of Sheffield. He is a hospital consultant and subspecialist in Maternal and Fetal Medicine. He runs specialist clinics in Fetal Ultrasound, Prenatal Diagnosis and Therapy, Prematurity Prevention and Care, and High-Risk Pregnancy. His research interests are translational, focusing on the biology of birth, and global health inequalities. He holds grants funded by the UK’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), the Medical Reseaarach Council (MRC), and the Engineering andaPhysical Sciences Council (EPSRC) investigating management of preterm birth. He is Director of the NIHR Global Health Research Group on Preterm Birth Prevention and Care (PRIME, www.primeglobalhealth.co.uk), which includes researchers in South Africa, Bangladesh, India and Nigeria. PRIME research activities directly inform this book proposal. Dilly is International Representative for sub-Saharan Africa on the RCOG Council and Chair Selection Panel of the Short Placement Award for Research Collaboration (SPARC) scheme, the NIHR Training Academy. He is a member of the college of experts of the African Research Excellence Framework (AREF). Dilly has contributed numerous book chapters (including two Springers books) and has edited the book “Antenatal Disorders for the MRCOG and Beyond”.

Dr Jayasooriya is an NIHR Clinical lecturer in primary care and a General Practitioner at Page Hall Medical Centre, a Deep End Clinical Research Network practice, in one of the most deprived and ethnically diverse areas of Sheffield. Her research interest is in lung health, focusing on global marginalised populations. Having a grounding in adaptive immunology during her PhD, she then worked on an international multi-centre cohort study in The Gambia. She also hasan interest in exploring determinants of pre-term birth in LMICs as a research associate with the NIHR Global Health Research Group on Preterm Birth Intervention and Management.