Take part in our research trials

Our cutting-edge research could not take place without the women and birthing people who take part in our research trials. Getting involved in research also gives families the opportunity to benefit from new tests and treatments.

woman getting an ultrasound scan with partner

I am interested in taking part in miscarriage research

Tommy's trials at multiple hospitals

LOCI Pregnancy loss sub-study

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) affects around 20% of women and birthing people, and can lead to them not releasing eggs. Current guidelines suggest using the medication clomifene to improve ovulation in people with PCOS with or without another medication called metformin, which can help improve PCOS, but this does not result in pregnancy in many women and birthing people. The LOCI trial is looking at using another medication called letrozole to see if it is better at improving ovulation and fertility compared to clomifene.

This sub-study of the LOCI trial is assessing whether giving participants metformin can also reduce miscarriage rates.

Who can get involved?

Women and birthing people participating in the LOCI trial that become pregnant after ovulation induction treatment can take part. There are multiple sites recruiting to the LOCI trial across the UK.

Find out more about the trial and whether your hospital or healthcare provider is taking part by emailing [email protected].

I am interested in taking part in stillbirth research

Professor Alex Heazell and researchers at the University of Manchester are investigating if reviews after serious harm in NHS maternity care are good enough.

If your baby has been stillborn, died as a newborn or had a brain injury during labour in the last 5 years, and you had an investigation, the team would like to hear from you.

Help improve care for future families experiencing this by completing this 10-15 min survey.

I am interested in taking part in premature birth research

ABOVE - Cerclage after Caesarean Trial

The ABOVE trial is a study to find out if a cerclage (stitch) placed vaginally or abdominally is better in those who have had a preterm birth (delivery before 37 weeks of pregnancy) or mid-trimester loss (a loss between 14 and 24 weeks of pregnancy) after a previous caesarean section in labour.

The full name of the study is 'Cerclage after Caesarean: a randomised controlled trial to assess the optimal preventative management for preterm birth secondary to caesarean section damage'; it is ABOVE for short.

For more information, including how to participate, please visit the study website.

PRESTIGE preterm birth study

Understanding how genetics can play a role in preterm birth

Our study aims to better predict and understand preterm birth, so that health complications can be avoided and reduced. Our researchers want to find out if there are any genetic factors that could be linked to preterm birth, by looking at genetic data from people of different ethnic backgrounds.

Researchers: Imperial College London in collaboration between all study sites, Tommy's National Centre for Preterm Birth Research and Genomics England Limited.
Researcher centre: Tommy’s National Centre for Preterm Birth Research
Research status: ongoing project

Why do we need this research?

Across the UK, 1 in 13 babies are born preterm (before 37 weeks) - that’s nearly 8% of all live births, and 6 babies every hour. Some babies who are born prematurely can be very vulnerable and parents can endure agonising months in hospital, unsure of their baby’s future. While most preterm babies survive, complications related to preterm birth remain the leading cause of death in children under the age of 5.

Currently, 86% of the genetic data available globally comes from people of European ancestry. We know that people from Black and Asian backgrounds are more likely to experience preterm birth than those from White backgrounds, and this study will help to establish the extent to which this could be explained by genetic factors.

We still do not fully understand the causes of preterm birth and why some people are more likely to have a preterm birth compared to others. However, researchers have found that there are some genetic factors related to preterm birth.

To get a complete picture of preterm birth, we need to also collect genetic data from people of diverse ethnic backgrounds. Completing this research will help us develop more effective ways to prevent preterm birth.

What is ‘genetic data’?

Genetic data is information that is gathered through the genetic sequencing of a small amount of a biological sample such as blood. This allows scientists to better understand inherited (what you got from your parents) characteristics that could affect a person's health. Your genetic data is unique to you. Whole Genome Sequencing is a technique that reads your entire genetic material. It can provide information about whether you are more or less likely to experience certain health conditions. All genetic data collected through this project will be anonymised and held securely.

Who can take part in this project?

Mothers aged over 18 who have experienced a spontaneous preterm birth at the hospitals listed below and are biologically related to the preterm child can take part. We are specifically looking for people who have experienced a spontaneous preterm birth or a preterm birth after the water around the baby broke naturally, rather than a preterm birth that was medically induced (iatrogenic preterm birth).

What does the study involve?

Participants will be asked to provide a small blood sample (about 3ml, less than one teaspoon) from their arm and share information about their pregnancy and birth. Our researchers will use Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) to study the genetic factors related to preterm birth.

What difference will this project make?

In this project, we aim to learn more about the genetic factors related to preterm birth in people from all ethnic backgrounds using WGS.

Our goals are to:

Understand the genetic reasons behind preterm birth.
Improve how we manage and prevent preterm birth.
Develop ways to predict who might be at higher risk of having a preterm birth based on their genetic information.

What if English is not your first language?

Our research team has study information sheets available in various languages. We can also use telephone interpreting services at our local hospital to answer any questions you might have and help you through the consent process.

Did you have a preterm baby / babies at one of these hospitals?

Please check the list below to see if your hospital is included. We're inviting women and birthing people who had preterm births at these hospitals across England to join our study, so we can gather accurate information. If your hospital is on the list, please fill out the self-referral form to get in touch with us. The research team at your hospital will then contact you. We will regularly update the list of hospitals to choose from as and when new hospital sites join the study.

Arrowe Park Hospital (Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust)
Barnet Hospital (Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust)
Birmingham Women's Hospital (Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust)
Broomfield Hospital (Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust)
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Epsom Hospital - (Epsom and St Helier University Hospital NHS Trust)
George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
Hillingdon Hospital
John Radcliffe Hospital (Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)
King’s Mill Hospital (Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)
Leighton Hospital (Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)
Liverpool Women's Hospital (Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust)
Princess Royal Hospital Telford (The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust)
Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital (Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust)
Queen's Hospital (Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust)
Rosie Hospital (Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)
Royal Berkshire Hospital
Royal Bolton Hospital (Bolton NHS Foundation Trust)
Royal Cornwall Hospital (Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust)
Royal Free Hospital (Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust)
Royal London Hospital (Barts Health NHS Trust)
Royal Oldham Hospital (Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust)
Royal Victoria Infirmary (The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)
Southend Hospital (Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust)
St Helier Hospital (Epsom and St Helier University Hospital NHS Trust)
St Mary's Hospital (Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust)
St Mary's Hospital (Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust)
St Michael's Hospital (University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust)
St James's University Hospital (Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust)
Stoke Mandeville Hospital (Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust)
Tunbridge Wells Hospital - Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
University Hospital (University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust)
Warwick Hospital (South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust)
Whittington Health NHS Trust