RecruitingOBSERVATIONAL

The UK 22 Week Study

The UK 22 Week Study is looking at babies born very early, specifically at 22 weeks of pregnancy. Since 2019, life-saving care has been offered to these tiny babies, but healthcare teams don't have much information yet on the best ways to look after them. This study will gather details from their medical notes, like how they responded to care and any problems they faced. No changes will be made to any baby's treatment; the study is purely observational. Doctors and nurses will securely share anonymous information with a university, allowing researchers to spot trends and learn what works well. This research aims to improve care for future babies born extremely prematurely and help families understand what to expect.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

Imperial College London

Enrolment target

100

Start

01 Jun 2025

Estimated completion

01 Dec 2027

Extreme Prematurity - Less Than 28 Weeks Infant, Extremely Premature Neonatal and Perinatal Conditions Intensive Care, Neonatal

What is this study about?

This study, called 'The UK 22 Week Study', is all about understanding important things when babies are born extremely early, at just 22 weeks of pregnancy. In the UK, offering special, life-saving care to babies born this early is quite new, only starting in 2019. Because so few babies are born at this stage and sadly many don't survive, doctors and nurses are still learning the very best ways to care for them.

The main idea of this study is to simply watch and learn. It involves looking at information from the medical notes of these tiny babies. This information helps healthcare teams understand how these babies are responding to care, what health issues they might face, and which treatments seem to work best in different hospitals. No baby's care will be changed because of this study; it's all about observing what's already happening.

A small team of medical staff will take some selected details from the baby's notes and put them into a secure computer system. This information will be anonymised, meaning sensitive details like the baby's name or hospital number won't be included, so no one can tell it’s about a specific baby. Researchers will then look at all this information from babies across the UK to find common patterns and understand the general outcomes. The hope is that by collecting this data, we can learn a lot and make care even better for babies born extremely early in the future, as well as give more accurate information to their families.

Key takeaways

The study focuses on babies born at 22 weeks of pregnancy.
It collects anonymous information from existing medical notes, not new tests.
No baby's care or treatment will be changed due to the study.
The goal is to improve care for future extremely premature babies.
Your baby's personal details will be kept private and not shared.
Parents will be informed about the study through a leaflet.

Who may be eligible?

This study is looking at information about babies born specifically between 22 weeks and up to 22 weeks and 6 days of pregnancy. This is a very precise timeframe. The baby must have been born in a special unit where a team of baby doctors and nurses (called a neonatal team) was present at the birth.

Also, if a baby was born somewhere else but was moved to a special care unit within the first three days of life, their information might also be included. This helps gather as much information as possible on these very delicate situations.

Babies born earlier or later than this exact 22-week window, or babies known to have certain serious birth defects, would not have their information included in this particular study.

Quick self-check

Was your baby born between 22 weeks and 22 weeks and 6 days of pregnancy?
Was your baby born in a hospital with a special baby care team present?
Or, was your baby admitted to a special baby care unit within 3 days of birth?
Does your baby not have any known major birth defects?

This is a guide only — the research team will confirm whether you can take part.

What does participation involve?

If your baby meets the criteria for this study, there will be no changes to their medical care whatsoever. Your baby will simply receive the best possible care from the doctors and nurses, as they would normally. The study involves healthcare staff looking at your baby's existing medical notes to securely collect specific information about their care and progress. This information will not include any personal details that could identify your baby. You will receive a leaflet explaining how your baby's anonymous information is being used. This is an observational study, meaning no extra tests, procedures, or follow-up appointments will be needed for your baby as part of the study.

Potential risks and benefits

There are no direct risks to your baby from this study, as it only involves collecting existing, anonymous information from medical notes and does not change their care in any way. The potential benefit is that by understanding how babies born at 22 weeks are cared for across the UK, we can learn more about what works best. This could lead to improved care for future babies born extremely prematurely and help families receive more accurate information. You will be given a leaflet explaining the study, and you have the right to ask questions or decline to have your baby's anonymised information included if you wish.

Locations (1)

Imperial College
London, United Kingdom· Recruiting

Common questions

Will my baby's name or personal details be shared?

No, absolutely not. All information collected will be anonymised, meaning identifying details like your baby's name, date of birth, or hospital number will not be included.

Will my baby's care change because of this study?

No, this is an observational study. Your baby's medical care will continue exactly as it would normally, based on the clinical team's decisions.

How will I know about my baby's information being used?

Parents of eligible babies will receive an information leaflet explaining that anonymous data from their baby's medical notes is being used for the study.

How long will the information be collected for?

The information about your baby will be collected from their admission until they are discharged from the special care unit or, sadly, if they pass away.

How will this study help?

By looking at information from many babies, the study aims to improve understanding of how to best care for very premature babies in the future and provide better information to families.

How to find out more

Cheryl WS Battersby

c.battersby@imperial.ac.uk 02075941862 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.