Heart Month: research into cardiovascular health in preterm-born children

Yvonne Kenworthy is a senior clinical research manager and lead research midwife at the University of Oxford Radcliffe Department of Medicine Cardiovascular Clinical Research Facility at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital. To mark February’s Heart Month, Yvonne talks about research into cardiovascular health in preterm-born children.

CHAPTER Study (Cardiovascular Health Assessment of Preterm and Term-born children)

The CHAPTER study is a follow-up of preterm and term-born three to 12-year-old children previously recruited into the EPOCH study on the impact of pregnancy complications on childrens’ cardiovascular health. CHAPTER is funded by the British Heart Foundation and supported by NIHR and aims to investigate cardiac remodelling, changes in the heart’s size and shape, in preterm-born children and how this relates to alterations in cardiovascular and metabolic physiology.

We know that complications during pregnancy, such as preterm birth, may affect the way a child’s heart and blood vessels develop. The purpose of CHAPTER is to help understand why this occurs. The study visits include an ultrasound and MRI of the heart as well as blood pressure measures, a retinal scan and blood tests. The study visits take place in the Cardiovascular Clinical Research Facility and Oxford Centre for Magnetic Resonance at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. 

I was Lead Research Midwife for the EPOCH study, recruiting 200 babies who had pregnancies complicated by either preterm birth and/or maternal high blood pressure, to help understand how the development of the cardiovascular system is influenced by birth history.

It is now exciting to be part of the study team for CHAPTER to see the return of so many of our study babies. Some of the lovely mums were also part of another study called OXWATCH that followed them through pregnancy, so these children have been part of three studies already. I really enjoy the interaction with the study families and value how dedicated they are to our research. I feel lucky to be part of a great study team.

For more information visit the CHAPTER study website.