Active not recruitingOBSERVATIONAL

Defining, Recognising and Escalating Maternal Early Deterioration (DREaMED)

Every year, many women in the UK experience serious health problems during or after pregnancy, with some nearly dying or suffering long-lasting effects. Sadly, women from certain backgrounds are more at risk. Currently, doctors and midwives use 'early warning scores' (MOEWS) based on things like blood pressure, but these don't always catch problems early enough. This study, called DREaMED, wants to improve how we identify and help women who are becoming unwell. They are developing an 'electronic early warning system' (eMOEWS) that could use more information, like blood tests, to spot issues sooner. The goal is to find better ways to describe, recognise, and treat these problems, ultimately making childbirth safer for all mums and babies.

At a glance

Status

Active not recruiting

Sponsor

University of Oxford

Enrolment target

459,160

Start

02 May 2023

Estimated completion

01 May 2029

Pregnancy Complications Pregnancy, High Risk

What is this study about?

Every year in the United Kingdom, over 700,000 women give birth. While most pregnancies are straightforward, some women experience serious health complications. Unfortunately, around 8,700 women each year become very unwell – what we call a 'near-miss' – and fewer, about 70, sadly die. Many more women experience health problems that can affect them for the rest of their lives. We know that women from less wealthy areas or certain ethnic backgrounds are sadly more likely to face these challenges.

Currently, doctors and midwives use simple health checks, like measuring blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing, to spot if a woman is becoming unwell. They use a system called 'Modified Obstetric Early Warning Scores' (MOEWS) which gives a score based on these measurements. However, these scores mostly look at the very latest measurements, and sometimes they don't pick up problems soon enough. This study believes that using more information, such as details from blood tests, alongside these routine checks, could help identify women who are getting unwell much earlier.

This research project, called DREaMED, aims to create better ways to understand, spot, and treat women who are becoming poorly during or after childbirth. The team plans to develop an 'electronic advanced maternal obstetric early warning system' (eMOEWS). This new system hopes to use a wider range of information to give a more complete picture of a woman's health. The study involves four main steps to build this new system, working closely with patients and the public. After these steps are complete, they plan to run another study to see if this new eMOEWS really does lead to better outcomes for mums compared to the current methods.

Key takeaways

Aims to make pregnancy safer for all mums.
Developing new, improved ways to spot unwell pregnant women earlier.
Uses existing health information; no extra appointments or tests for patients.
Focuses on improving care for women with higher risks.
Could lead to better health for mums during and after childbirth.

Who may be eligible?

This study focuses on collecting important health information. For women whose data is used, it includes anyone aged 16 or over who is pregnant and receiving care at one of the hospitals involved in the study. Your health information would not be used if you have specifically asked for your data not to be used for research (for example, through the NHS opt-out system).

Additionally, the study will involve healthcare staff who work in maternity services at partner hospitals. This includes staff members aged 16 or over who are involved in caring for pregnant or recently delivered women who become unwell. Staff would only take part if they agree to do so.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 16 years old or older?
Are you pregnant or have you recently given birth?
Are you receiving care at an NHS maternity unit that is part of this study?
Have you opted out of your health data being used for research?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

This study primarily involves collecting and looking at existing health data from pregnant women and those who have recently given birth. This means that if your data is used, you wouldn't need to attend extra appointments, take new medications, or have any additional tests specifically for this research. Your involvement would be indirect, through your routine medical records, if you meet the criteria and haven't opted out of research data use. For healthcare staff, participation would involve contributing their expertise and experiences, likely through interviews or discussions, but this would be explained fully if they choose to take part.

Potential risks and benefits

A potential benefit of this research is that it could lead to new tools that help doctors and midwives spot serious health problems in pregnant women much earlier. This could improve safety and lead to better health outcomes for mothers in the future. As this study mainly involves looking at existing health information, there are no direct physical risks to patients. For staff, the main commitment would be their time if they choose to be involved. Everyone involved has the right to withdraw their consent at any time, meaning their data or input would no longer be used in the study.

Locations (1)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

Critical Care Research Group, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford
Verified postcode
Oxford, United Kingdom

Common questions

What is the main goal of this study?

The main goal is to make pregnancy safer by improving how doctors and midwives spot and treat women who become unwell during or after childbirth, especially those at higher risk.

How will this study help pregnant women?

It aims to create a new electronic system that uses more information to identify health problems in pregnant women sooner, potentially leading to earlier treatment and better outcomes.

Will I have to do anything extra if my data is used?

No, if your data is used, it will be from your existing health records. You will not need to attend extra appointments or have any additional tests specifically for this study.

Who is at higher risk of complications?

The study notes that women from less wealthy areas and those from particular ethnic groups are more likely to experience serious health problems during or after pregnancy.

What happens after the new system is developed?

After developing the new system, researchers plan to conduct another study to see if it actually leads to better health outcomes for mums compared to the current methods.