Our research

In the UK, a baby is lost every two minutes as a result of miscarriage, stillbirth or premature birth. This area has traditionally received sparse government funding and consequently we know little more about why these tragedies occur than we did 60 or 70 years ago. That's why we, as the UK's leading baby charity, are determined to provide the answers through dedicated research.

We want to know why these complications occur, why some people are more at risk than others, and how these pregnancy complications can be prevented. If you are interested in supporting Tommy's research have a look at the Tommy's Pioneers Club. Or to find out more about our programme of research grants, click on Apply for a Grant. To look at a particular project in more detail, just click on the links below.

WHAT WE'VE DONE

1) Set up the first Maternal and Fetal Research Centres in the UK
2) Appointed the first (and award-winning!) Professors of Maternal and Fetal Health
3) Proven that Vitamins C & E do not prevent pre-eclampsia in high risk women
4) Challenged antibiotic treatments, which can increase the risk of preterm birth
5) Developed the UK's first accurate blood pressure monitor for pre-eclampsia
6) Made crucial breakthroughs in miscarriage research by investigating the placenta
7) Developed training mannequins to help doctors
8) Increased our understanding of how contractions start and are regulated

WHAT WE'RE DOING

1) Developing a predictive test for pre-eclampsia
2) Investigating the clinical and economic cost of premature birth
3) Seeing whether it's possible to "switch off" genes causing premature birth
4) Investigating the role of calcium in triggering premature birth
5) Testing whether a cervical stitch really works to prevent premature birth
6) Developing a test for obstetric cholestasis, which causes 5% of unexplained UK stillbirths
7) Investigating the role of oxytocin in inducements
8) Seeing if a high-fat maternal diet 'programmes' problems for the offspring
9) Investigating the fetal problems associated with teenage pregnancy
10) Seeing whether Viagra could be used to prevent pre-eclampsia
11) Trying to prevent babies born too small (IUGR) by looking at placental circulation and gene therapy