Unit gives premature babies hope (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Unit gives premature babies hope

4:08pm Thursday 15th December 2005 in News By Claire Lomax

The world's biggest study to determine the causes of childhood and adult illness has been launched in Bradford. It will give families a unique opportunity to participate in research which will leave a lasting legacy for future generations.

Dr Sam Oddie, a consultant neonatologist at Bradford Royal Infirmary, tells Health Reporter Claire Lomax why it is so important.

Not all babies born in Bradford have the best start in life.

The neonatal unit in the maternity department at Bradford Royal Infirmary cares for about 500 babies born prematurely each year.

The unit has the space to care for 32 babies at one time and it is normally running very close to full capacity.

Some of the babies in its care weigh as little at 700 grams and are small enough to fit into the palm of your hand.

They are cared for in the first few weeks of their lives by a dedicated team of doctors and nurses including Dr Oddie, who hopes that the parents of all the babies cared for on the unit in 2007/08 will agree to take part in Born in Bradford.

The project is the world's biggest research study into children's health. It is hoped to recruit about 10,000 babies born in the district during 2007/08 to the project.

Businesses, community groups and individuals are being urged to get behind the project and raise £1 million towards the £3 million study.

The project, which is being coordinated by the newly-formed Bradford Health Academy made up of the district's health trusts, Bradford and Leeds universities, with support from Bradford Council and Bradford Vision, has already received £1 million from the Department of Health and the European Commission to help set up the study.

Dr Oddie said the Born in Bradford research project would help find out how babies of low birth weight got on in later life in terms of health and education.

"We will find out how it affects their future health in terms of growth and development, " he said. "It is thought that low birth weight for gestation is a factor in cardiovascular development."

He said Bradford had quite a large number of babies born with a low birth weight.

"It is not known why this is and this is what we need to find out, " he said.

The study will also gather evidence about how growth in the womb affects future health.

Dr Oddie said: "It will help us to understand how experiences in early life relate to what happens later.

"How babies who are light for their dates get on at school and in employment terms."

Dr Oddie said he was looking forward to being involved in a research study on the scale of Born inBradford. "It will be a lot of work but it is a really exciting project, " he said. "Bradford has a unique population and this gives us the opportunity to do a very special study."

Survival rates for pre-term babies have soared over the last decade.

Advances in medicine mean that up to 80 per cent of these premature babies will live and quickly catch up with their peers who were born at full gestation.

Indeed the corridors of the neonatal unit are lined with photographs of babies celebrating first birthdays and beyond.

"What we are keen to do now is to enhance the quality of life for those survivors, " said Dr Oddie.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Born In Bradford is a unique opportunity for people to get involved in the world's biggest study into children's health which is taking place in our city.

A £1 million community fundraising appeal, backed by the Telegraph & Argus, has been launched towards the estimated £3 million cost.

The money raised through the appeal will go towards paying for research equipment, research staff and laboratory staff to run the project and to analyse the results to come up with the causes of common childhood illnesses. We are urging businesses, community groups and individuals to back the appeal which will help improve the health of future generations.

To support the appeal, contact project manager Dr Pauline Raynor on (01274) 364021 or e-mail: pauline. raynor@bradfordhospitals. nhs. uk