The Ritchie Centre

Maternal-fetal medicine

Laboratory  head: Professor Euan Wallace

Early pregnancy events
The placenta is essential for the healthy development of a fetus and is the interface between an expectant mother and her unborn child. As the placenta develops in the early stages of pregnancy, placental cells ‘invade’ the endometrium as the placental blood supply develops. It is believed that hormones regulating endometrial receptivity and placental invasion play a role in early pregnancy loss (miscarriage).

Scientists are also undertaking research into immunological modulation, cell trafficking events and other maternal-fetal interactions that can lead to pregnancy complications such as fetal growth restriction, preterm labour and preeclampsia.

Late pregnancy events
Preeclampsia occurs during pregnancy and affects the mother and unborn baby. It is a leading cause of maternal and infant illness and death. Expectant mothers with preeclampsia experience high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine. Scientists in the Centre for Women’s Health are examining the roles of activin and related proteins in the inflammatory cascade of preeclampsia, exploring novel therapies for this common condition.

Fetal growth restriction is a term applied to infants with birth weights in the tenth or less percentiles. It can be caused by a range of conditions including hypertension, autoimmune disease, smoking and placenta abnormalities. Scientists are studying how a growth-restricted fetus protects its heart and brain, and what clinical therapies could be either beneficial or detrimental to the comprised fetus.

Intrauterine infection is a leading cause of preterm birth. Scientists are exploring biochemical pathways in the placenta that are triggered by infection. A particular focus is the kynurenine pathway in fetal cerebral damage. They hope this study will help them address whether treatment of women with intrauterine infections should encompass more than antibiotics and delivery.