Welcome to the  DSxHE's Download; our monthly informal, conversational and informative online Meetups!

These are open to anyone in the world, no matter what your level of experience and background. They are really just an opportunity to meet fellow DSxHE-ers and learn a few new things :-)

Join us for a fascinating discussion with Oliver Hugh from the Perinatal Institute. We'll explore how statistical methods integrated into maternity software are improving perinatal outcomes – an innovation that earned the Perinatal Institute the 2024 Florence Nightingale Award. This award recognizes their innovative statistical methods, collaborative development process, and positive impact on care. A summary of their work is below, and more information on the award can be found here.

Summary

Increased-risk pregnancies receive ultrasound scans to calculate estimated fetal weight (EFW)  at regular intervals. EFWs are plotted on charts created using the Perinatal Institute’s GROW software as part of its GAP program (Growth Assessment Protocol). A fetal weight  that plots below the 10th centile is considered small for gestational age (SGA) and at increased risk of growth restriction and adverse outcome such as stillbirth.

However a large proportion of babies are not SGA but still at risk because they have an unrecognised decrease in growth velocity (eg from the 70th to the 30th centile). We created a statistical standard (Projected Optimal Weight Range; POWR) based on sequential scans. Follow up comparative analysis of this method with others showed that POWR was the only one able to identify slow growth related risk even when the fetus is not SGA. 

This new method to assess fetal growth velocity was incorporated into the new electronic version of customised growth charts (GROW 2.0) and rolled out following publication of the research. Early results of pregnancies in the first 44 NHS trusts before and after implementation has shown a significant decrease in stillbirth rates by 23%, from 4.06 to 3.14/1000  (RR 0.77, CI 0.70 – 0.86).

Email Charlotte at info.dsxhe@gmail.com if you want to host next time & share your work or anything interesting that you've encountered lately. Or, if you're looking for some inspiration on what to share, why not have a look at the DSxHE Library?

See you there!