An observational cohort study to assess the clinical utility of the OxNNet Toolkit for the prediction of adverse pregnancy outcomes.
The First PLUS study is a single centre, prospective, observational study recruiting 4000 women from The Harris Birthright Centre, which provides ultrasound scanning for all women who would attend King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust for their pregnancy care. This study aims to develop a tool to provide reliable measurements of placental size and estimate the blood flow within the placenta during the first trimester of pregnancy. These metrics hope to develop a screening tool for fetal growth restriction (FGR), which is a condition in which a baby fails to grow to its full potential and can cause adverse pregnancy outcomes and is the single most common cause of stillbirth. This devastating outcome could potentially be reduced by stratifying pregnancies into high risk, allowing women to undergo additional monitoring and limiting clinician resource to those in need of it most. Stillbirth is also a serious adverse pregnancy outcome that NHS England is looking to reduce the rate of as part of their long-term plan. Women 18 years of age or older, attending their first trimester scan during 11-14 weeks of pregnancy, who has a viable pregnancy with no more than one baby with no major defects identified during the scan will be eligible to take part. The study will take place over 24 months and participants will undergo a single study visit in which their demographics and routine medical history will be recorded, an additional research ultrasound scan will be conducted alongside their routine scan, and blood from a sample taken as part of routine care will be used to assess the level of Placental Growth Factor (PlGF). Participants will then be followed up until the completion of their pregnancy via their pregnancy records (remote follow up) and the outcome of their pregnancy will be recorded.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
4,000
All study interventions/procedures will happen during the participants routine clinic visit in which they will receive their routine Ultrasound scan, followed by an additional research scan, which will take approximately 2-3 minutes. A blood sample will also be taken from participants as part of their routine pregnancy care. Residual blood from the same sample will be used to conduct an additional test to quantify Placental Growth Factor (PlGF). Participants will also be asked questions about their relevant medical history and demographic data which is also routinely collected as part of their pregnancy record.
King's College Hospital NHS, Fetal Medicine Foundation
London, United Kingdom
Fetal Growth restriction (FGR)
Fetal Growth restriction (FGR) defined according to the ISUOG Delphi consensus guidelines for diagnosis of FGR, at the time of delivery.
Time frame: 24 months
Small for Gestational Age (GSA)
Defined if \<10 centile on population-based centiles or \<10th centile on customised centiles, at the time of delivery.
Time frame: 24 months
Pre-eclampsia (with, and without, severe features)
Defined by the ACOG guidelines for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: * Pre-term pre-eclampsia (delivery \<37 weeks) * Late onset pre-eclampsia (delivery ≥37 weeks)
Time frame: 24 months
Gestational hypertension (PIH)
Defined by the ACOG guidelines for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: * Pre-term gestational hypertension (delivery \<37 weeks) * Late onset gestational hypertension (delivery ≥37 weeks)
Time frame: 24 months
Haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelets (HELLP) syndrome
Defined by the ACOG guidelines for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: * Pre-term HELLP (delivery \<37 weeks) * Late onset HELLP (delivery ≥37 weeks) Pre-term pre-eclampsia (delivery \<37 weeks)
Time frame: 24 months
Eclampsia
Defined by the ACOG guidelines for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy(22) * Pre-term eclampsia (delivery \<37 weeks) * Late onset eclampsia (delivery ≥37 weeks)
Time frame: 24 months
Gestational diabetes
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Defined as fasting plasma glucose level ≥5.6 mmol/L and/or 2-h plasma glucose level ≥7.8 mmol/L after ingestion of 75g oral glucose.
Time frame: 24 months
Preterm Birth
Birth ≥24+0 weeks \<37+0 weeks
Time frame: 24 months
Miscarriage
Live fetus at the first-trimester ultrasound scan but subsequent in utero fetal death or delivery \<24+0 weeks
Time frame: 24 months
Stillbirth
Baby born with no signs of life at ≥24+0 weeks' gestation
Time frame: 24 months
Neonatal death
Baby born alive but dies within the first 28 days of life
Time frame: 24 months
Neonatal morbidity
* Neonatal intensive care unit admission and length of stay * Neonatal ventilation - defined as need of positive pressure (CPAP, NCPAP or intubation) * Respiratory distress syndrome - defined as need of ventilation with or without surfactant * Intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) grade II or above - defined as bleeding into the ventricles * Neonatal sepsis confirmed bacteraemia in cultures * Anaemia - defined as low haemoglobin and / or haematocrit requiring blood transfusion * Necrotizing enterocolitis requiring surgical intervention
Time frame: 24 months