Doctors are better prepared to identify those at increased risk of preterm birth following a special training session with pregnant volunteers and preterm birth specialists.
Eight doctors were helped by 48 pregnant volunteers at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury, to carry out an additional ultrasound scan to measure the length of the cervix at 14-34 weeks gestation.
Almost 150 pregnant volunteers have already helped with the region-wide training programme since it got under way this summer. Two sessions have already taken place in Oxford with another planned in November. Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs Stoke Mandeville, is planning to host a second one in January.
Dr Aparna Reddy, Consultant in Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine at Buckinghamshire Healthcare, said: “Cervical length training and education helps doctors quickly identify women at risk of preterm birth so that they receive the right care at the right time. It means better outcomes for mums and babies, fewer unnecessary transfers and less pressure on beds and services. This programme is a great example of effective collaboration across our region.”
Pregnant volunteer Senzeni Nyoko
Pregnant volunteer Senzeni Nyoko said: “I volunteered through seeing the patient recruitment poster on Facebook. I was keen to support the training/research. I also wanted to get some advice about the procedure as I have never had an internal scan before – so was unsure what to expect.”
Pregnant volunteer Chloe Hall said: “The doctors were really reassuring throughout, and I felt that they were really engaged during the procedure. The actual procedure was fine, and it was nice to know all was OK!”
Lauren Little, Specialist Midwife for Preterm Birth at Buckinghamshire Healthcare, said: “To see our faculty expanding the knowledge of our registrars for vital clinical practice was really rewarding. It was also a good networking event, allowing different specialists to interact and discuss practices.”
Natalie Kyley, Lead Midwife for Preterm Birth at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, was an observer at the session. She said: “The doctors providing the training were all very positive and encouraging and that was conducive to a great learning environment. I am hopeful that we can cascade the training locally having such a good guide to go by.”
This training and education programme is coordinated by the maternity and neonatal patient safety team at Health Innovation Oxford and Thames Valley (HIOTV). Eileen Dudley, Senior Programme Lead Patient Safety & Maternity/Neonatal Safety Improvement Programme Lead at HIOTV, said: “This training programme is attracting interest from far and wide and is clearly meeting a need. We’re planning more sessions for doctors working in NHS maternity units across our region. We are so grateful to all the pregnant volunteers for their invaluable help.”