Unit goal and objectives

To end preventable stillbirths and newborn deaths, ensure adequate support for parents and families whose baby dies and reduce associated stigma.

Unit objectives are to:

1. Develop and evaluate sustainable, cost-effective solutions to strengthen maternity and newborn care and reduce stillbirths and neonatal deaths in high-burden settings.
2. Determine how best to support parents, families, attending health providers and communities who experience a stillbirth or neonatal death.
3. Strengthen research capacity with particular (but not exclusive) emphasis on midwives and nurses.
4. Create and embed mechanisms of knowledge-transfer in high-burden settings.

What we do

Using a whole systems approach, our activities cover the entire spectrum of maternal and newborn health from preconception to post/neonatal care, with a strong focus on meaningful community and stakeholder partnerships. We co-produce research with women, families, front-line health workers and policy makers.

Activities are underpinned by the MRC Framework for Complex Interventions, building on existing programmes. Development include early phase evidence syntheses, exploratory studies and methodology; feasibility include operationalisation to guide planning of subsequent evaluation; evaluations include full scale trials. Implementation will enable tested interventions to be embedded into care. With our integrated and new CEI groups (lay members and consumer advocates) in partner countries, we address identified knowledge gaps e.g. adolescent care; antenatal care quality/uptake; testing and implementation of strategies to improve intrapartum outcomes, including respectful care.

Capacity strengthening, development and training

Capacity strengthening for maternal and newborn health research, across all partner countries is embedded throughout the Unit. We have a particular, but not exclusive, interest and experience in developing midwifery and nursing research capacity to address global shortages in these disciplines. Our development programmes span masters, PhD and post-doctoral fellowships as well as project specific and institutional skills training. All staff have regular development reviews, we have an active mentorship programme and facilitate networking opportunities across partner institutions and research sites.

For current vacancies, please visit: https://www.lstmed.ac.uk/vacancies