Dr Christopher Lear, from the Fetal Physiology and Neuroscience Group in the Department of Physiology, has been awarded an AMRF project grant entitled ‘An obstetric blind spot: does hyperglycaemia predispose to hypoxia-ischaemia during labour?’
This grant will investigate whether hyperglycemia during birth, as may occur with gestational or pre-existing diabetes, impairs a fetus’ ability to tolerate hypoxia during labor and whether this increases the risk of severe brain injury. Its findings may suggest that an immediately available intervention including tighter control of maternal hyperglycaemia and a lower tolerance for abnormal fetal heart rate patterns in labour with rapid escalation to expedited delivery may materially reduce the risk of severe hypoxia and lifelong neurodevelopmental disabilities.
Congratulations Christopher!