Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

All Outputs (27)

Implementation of Public Health England infection prevention and control guidance in maternity units in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (2022)
Journal Article
Hanley, S. J., Jones, A. B., Oberman, J., Baxter, E., Sharkey, D., Gray, J., & Walker, K. F. (2022). Implementation of Public Health England infection prevention and control guidance in maternity units in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Hospital Infection, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2022.04.018

Background: This study aimed to explore the successes and barriers to the implementation of Public Health England (PHE) infection prevention and control guidance in English maternity units during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Qualitative semi-struc... Read More about Implementation of Public Health England infection prevention and control guidance in maternity units in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Maternity services' responses to the COVID-19 pandemic: how Public Health England guidance was implemented in practice (2022)
Journal Article
Hanley, S., Raybould, G., Baxter, E., Gray, J., Sharkey, D., & Walker, K. F. (2022). Maternity services' responses to the COVID-19 pandemic: how Public Health England guidance was implemented in practice. Journal of Hospital Infection, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2022.04.019

Introduction: The rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic required systemic change in how healthcare was delivered to minimize virus transmission whilst maintaining safe service delivery. Deemed at ‘moderate-high risk’, maternity patients are an important... Read More about Maternity services' responses to the COVID-19 pandemic: how Public Health England guidance was implemented in practice.

Impacted fetal head during second stage Caesarean birth: A prospective observational study (2022)
Journal Article
Wyn Jones, N., Mitchell, E. J., Wakefield, N., Knight, M., Dorling, J., Thornton, J. G., & Walker, K. F. (2022). Impacted fetal head during second stage Caesarean birth: A prospective observational study. European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 272, 77-81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2022.03.004

Objective: To determine the incidence of, and complication rates from, impacted fetal head at full dilatation Caesarean birth in the UK, and record what techniques were used. Design: Prospective observational study using the UK Obstetric Surveillance... Read More about Impacted fetal head during second stage Caesarean birth: A prospective observational study.

Managing an impacted fetal head at caesarean section: a UK survey of healthcare professionals and parents (2022)
Journal Article
Hanley, S. J., Walker, K. F., Wakefield, N., Plachcinski, R., Pallotti, P., Tempest, N., …Mitchell, E. J. (2022). Managing an impacted fetal head at caesarean section: a UK survey of healthcare professionals and parents. European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 271, 88-92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2022.01.033

Objective(s) To understand current practice, expertise and training requirements for management of an impacted fetal head (IFH) at caesarean section (CS) in the UK, and whether a clinical trial of techniques to manage an IFH is acceptable. Study... Read More about Managing an impacted fetal head at caesarean section: a UK survey of healthcare professionals and parents.

COVID-19 and pregnancy: A comparison of case reports, case series and registry studies (2021)
Journal Article
Young, E. M., Green, O., Stewart, J., King, Y., O'Donoghue, K., Walker, K. F., & Thornton, J. G. (2022). COVID-19 and pregnancy: A comparison of case reports, case series and registry studies. European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 268, 135-142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2021.12.002

Background: Selection, outcome and publication biases are well described in case reports and case series but may be less of a problem early in the appearance of a new disease when all cases might appear to be worth publishing. Objective: To use a pro... Read More about COVID-19 and pregnancy: A comparison of case reports, case series and registry studies.

Case of successfully delivered dicavitary twins in uterus didelphus (2021)
Journal Article
Barnes, E., Walker, K., Sayed, H. M., & Green, A. (2021). Case of successfully delivered dicavitary twins in uterus didelphus. BMJ Case Reports, 14(11), e245139. https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2021-245139

Uterus didelphus is a congenital abnormality arising from failure of fusion of Mullerian ducts, creating two separate uterine horns, two cervices and, in some cases, a vagina divided by a longitudinal septum. In this case, a 26-year-old woman with pr... Read More about Case of successfully delivered dicavitary twins in uterus didelphus.

Treatment of COVID-19 in pregnant women: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2021)
Journal Article
Giesbers, S., Goh, E., Kew, T., Allotey, J., Brizuela, V., Kara, E., …Mofenson, L. (2021). Treatment of COVID-19 in pregnant women: A systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 267, 120-128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2021.10.007

Objective: Clinical trials evaluating pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment of COVID-19, either excluded pregnant women or included very few women. Unlike the numerous systematic reviews on prevalence, symptoms and adverse outcomes of COV... Read More about Treatment of COVID-19 in pregnant women: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Evidence around early induction of labor in women of advanced maternal age and those using assisted reproductive technology (2021)
Journal Article
Venkatanarayanan, N., & Walker, K. F. (2021). Evidence around early induction of labor in women of advanced maternal age and those using assisted reproductive technology. Best Practice and Research: Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 77, 42-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2021.08.007

Worldwide, there has been a trend toward later motherhood. Concurrently, the incidence of subfertility has been on the rise, necessitating conception using assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs). These pregnancies are considered high risk due to f... Read More about Evidence around early induction of labor in women of advanced maternal age and those using assisted reproductive technology.

Evaluating the influence of progesterone concentration and time of exposure on in vitro endometrial decidualisation (2021)
Journal Article
Suthaporn, S., Jayaprakasan, K., Thornton, J. G., Walker, K. F., Castellanos, M., May, S., …Maalouf, W. E. (2021). Evaluating the influence of progesterone concentration and time of exposure on in vitro endometrial decidualisation. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, 528, Article 111242. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mce.2021.111242

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of progesterone (concentration and time of exposure) on endometrial decidualisation using an in vitro model cell line: Human Endometrial Stromal Cells (HESCs). HESCs exposed to progesterone (1 and 10 μM) had... Read More about Evaluating the influence of progesterone concentration and time of exposure on in vitro endometrial decidualisation.

The challenges of randomised control trials in obstetrics and gynaecology (2021)
Journal Article
Harper, S. L., Thornton, J. G., & Walker, K. F. (2021). The challenges of randomised control trials in obstetrics and gynaecology. Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, 31(2), 59-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ogrm.2020.12.006

In this short article we explore some of the challenges faced by those conducting randomised trials in obstetrics and gynaecology. We discuss the current status of trials comparing induction of labour versus expectant management, so called ‘deliver o... Read More about The challenges of randomised control trials in obstetrics and gynaecology.

Fetal Movement Counting Using Optical Fibre Sensors (2020)
Journal Article
Abeywardena, C. L., Vanheusden, F. J., Walker, K. F., Arm, R., & Zhang, Q. (2021). Fetal Movement Counting Using Optical Fibre Sensors. Sensors, 21(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.3390/s21010048

Daily fetal movement counting based on maternal perception is widely deployed to monitor fetal wellbeing. However, the counting performed by the mother is prone to errors for various reasons. There are limited devices on the market that can provide r... Read More about Fetal Movement Counting Using Optical Fibre Sensors.

Suboptimal mid-luteal progesterone concentrations are associated with aberrant endometrial gene expression, potentially resulting in implantation failure (2020)
Journal Article
Suthaporn, S., Jayaprakasan, K., Thornton, J., Walker, K., Medrano, J. H., Castellanos, M., …Maalouf, W. E. (2021). Suboptimal mid-luteal progesterone concentrations are associated with aberrant endometrial gene expression, potentially resulting in implantation failure. Reproductive BioMedicine Online, 42(3), 595-608. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2020.10.018

Research question What is the difference in endometrial transcriptomics between women with normal and with low mid-luteal progesterone during the implantation window? Design An endometrial biopsy and serum progesterone concentration were taken f... Read More about Suboptimal mid-luteal progesterone concentrations are associated with aberrant endometrial gene expression, potentially resulting in implantation failure.

Timing and mode of delivery with advancing maternal age (2020)
Journal Article
Walker, K. F., & Thornton, J. G. (2021). Timing and mode of delivery with advancing maternal age. Best Practice and Research: Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 70, 101-111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2020.06.005

In 2017, 23% of all live births in the United Kingdom were to women aged over 35 years. Decisions around the timing of delivery for such women must balance the risks of prolongation of the pregnancy and of iatrogenic harm from timed delivery. Women o... Read More about Timing and mode of delivery with advancing maternal age.

The test accuracy of antenatal ultrasound definitions of fetal macrosomia to predict birth injury: a systematic review (2020)
Journal Article
Robinson, R., Walker, K. F., White, V. A., Bugg, G. J., Snell, K. I., & Jones, N. W. (2020). The test accuracy of antenatal ultrasound definitions of fetal macrosomia to predict birth injury: a systematic review. European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 246, P79-85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2020.01.019

Objectives To determine which ultrasound measurement for predicted fetal macrosomia most accurately predicts adverse delivery and neonatal outcomes. Study Design Four biomedical databases searched for studies published after 1966. Randomised tr... Read More about The test accuracy of antenatal ultrasound definitions of fetal macrosomia to predict birth injury: a systematic review.

Childbirth experience questionnaire 2: Validating its use in the United Kingdom (2019)
Journal Article
Walker, K. F., Dencker, A., & Thornton, J. G. (2020). Childbirth experience questionnaire 2: Validating its use in the United Kingdom. European Journal of Obstetrics && Gynecology and Reproductive Biology: X, 5, Article 100097. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurox.2019.100097

© 2019 The Authors Objective: To validate the Childbirth Experience Questionnaire 2 (CEQ2) in the UK to see if it is an effective tool for evaluating labour experience. Study design: The CEQ2 and part of the Care Quality Commission Maternity Survey (... Read More about Childbirth experience questionnaire 2: Validating its use in the United Kingdom.

Advanced maternal age (2019)
Journal Article
Walker, K. F., & Thornton, J. G. (2019). Advanced maternal age. Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, 29(9), 259-263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ogrm.2019.06.001

The average age of women at childbirth in industrialised nations has been increasing steadily for approximately 30 years. Women aged 35 years or over have an increased risk of gestational hypertensive disease, gestational diabetes, placenta praevia,... Read More about Advanced maternal age.

Is it time to ban oxytocin for poor labour progress? (2019)
Journal Article
Walker, K. F., & Bugg, G. (2019). Is it time to ban oxytocin for poor labour progress?. Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, 29(6), 175-176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ogrm.2019.03.002

Oxytocin causes myometrial contractions and prostaglandin release. It is commonly used as an intervention for women in established labour with slow progress. However recent large randomised trials of oxytocin for this indication have shown no differe... Read More about Is it time to ban oxytocin for poor labour progress?.

Delivery at term: when, how and why (2018)
Journal Article
Walker, K. F., & Thornton, J. (2018). Delivery at term: when, how and why. Clinics in Perinatology, 45(2), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clp.2018.01.004

The optimal timing of delivery for the baby is 39 weeks, avoiding the morbidity associated with early term birth and reducing the risk of antepartum stillbirth. There is compelling evidence that among high-risk pregnancies and in settings where ce... Read More about Delivery at term: when, how and why.