Our research includes participation in numerous multicentre investigator-led trials and commercial trials. The department is also running local studies into angiogenic biomarkers for placental insufficiency in high and low risk populations. Our research primarily focuses on maternal vaccination, diabetes in pregnancy and placental angiogenic biomarker screening for placental insufficiency: pre-eclampsia and growth restriction.
Through roles at Christchurch Women’s Hospital and the University of Otago, we are ideally placed to enhance maternal health equity across Aotearoa by bridging research and frontline obstetric care.
Our research findings inform Aotearoa New Zealand’s maternal health policies particularly regarding early screening and management of metabolic complications in pregnancy. Advocacy for universal early-pregnancy HbA1c screening has streamlined and improved maternal care by reducing inequities in NZ.
A more recent focus on translating trial results into actionable clinical strategies for the early detection and management of placental insufficiency and preeclampsia in all pregnant individuals, and in high-risk pregnancy complicated by pre-existing diabetes, has resulted in several recent publications in this area and ongoing change in clinical practice.
Selected participation in multicentre clinical trials
- APTS Australian Placental Transfusion Study (University of Sydney)
- MAGENTA Magnesium Sulphate at 30 to 34 weeks gestational age: Neuroprotection (University of Adelaide)
- MAGNUM MRI investigation at term for MAGENTA recruits (University of Auckland)
- STRIDER NZAus A randomised controlled trial of sildenafil therapy in dismal prognosis early onset intrauterine growth restriction (University of Auckland)
- TARGET Optimal Glycaemic targets for Gestational Diabetes (University of Auckland)
- PINTO Pre diabetes in pregnancy, can early intervention improve outcomes (University of Otago, Christchurch)
- MATISSE RSV vaccine in pregnancy study: "Does Respiratory Syncytial Virus vaccine in pregnancy protect babies against lung disease?" (Pfizer, USA)
- MBM My Baby Movements Trial (University of Brisbane)
- C*Steroid and PRECeDE Antenatal corticosteroids prior to planned caesarean section birth (University of Auckland and Melbourne)
Members
The perinatal research portfolio is led by the HoD Dr Jo Gullam and supported by Dr Ruth Hughes and Research Midwife Diane Leishman.
- Dr Jo Gullam (Head of Department and Senior Joint Clinical Lecturer)
- Dr Ruth Hughes
- Di Leishman