“Whether your pregnancy was meticulously planned, medically coaxed, or happened by surprise, one thing is certain — your life will never be the same “
Catherine Jones
Woman who experience pregnancy loss or complicated pregnancy/childbirth may live with lifelong consequences, whether physical, social or psychological.
Pregnancy loss affects over 250,000 couples in the UK every year and many more worldwide - most common in the early weeks but 1 in 250 late pregnancies also result in death of the unborn baby.
Childbirth complications affect at least one third of women in the UK, whether resulting in operative birth, significant tears or excessive blood loss.
Pregnancy and childbirth complications can carry both physical and psychological consequences which impact on women’s quality of life, affecting them emotionally, socially and professionally.
The University of Aberdeen has led a high quality program of research over several decades aimed at improving understanding of complications of pregnancy, from early pregnancy loss through to pre-eclampsia, preterm birth, stillbirth and intervention in labour. Local and National databases have facilitated research into the long-term effects of these problems. The work has influenced both advice given to women and care provided in order to improve health outcomes.
Key research areas:
Pregnancy as a screening tool for offspring health
Cardiovascular health in pregnant women
Inherited conditions in pregnancy
Predicting the future after pregnancy loss
Linking pregnancy events to later health of the mothers and children
Researching pregnancy in populations
Mapping out pregnancy events and complications
Understand how pregnancy is affected by health states & past history
