Listen2Baby:Improving monitoring of the baby in uncomplicated labour
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Listen2Baby - Improving monitoring of the baby during uncomplicated labour: a study using experience-based co-design
IRAS ID
320333
Contact name
Rachel Rowe
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Oxford / Research Governance, Ethics and Assurance
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
researchregistry8463, Research registry
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 6 months, 31 days
Research summary
For women experiencing an uncomplicated labour, UK guidance recommends that midwives monitor the baby’s heart rate using a hand-held fetal stethoscope or ultrasound device. This is known as ‘intermittent auscultation’ (IA), which means ‘listening at regular intervals’, and is used in the labours of up to 300,000 women every year in the UK. Several national investigations have found issues with the way IA is carried out in practice that have contributed to death or severe injury in babies. Problems include IA not being carried out at the right time or often enough; the baby’s heart rate not being recorded properly; and midwives not recognising or acting on concerns about the baby’s heart rate. There is no research evidence about the best way to do IA in practice. Our research will find out how midwives do IA in practice, what devices and counting methods they prefer to use and why, and what problems they have in following national guidance about IA. We will also find out what IA is like for women and their partners. \nWe will carry out a national survey to find out what IA devices, counting methods and training packages midwives use. We will watch midwives using IA in different units across the UK and talk to them about what doing IA is like from their point of view. We will also speak to women with different experiences of having their baby’s heart rate monitored using IA. We will work with midwives, women and their partners, and other national experts, to use this information to design and test a practical ‘toolkit’ to help midwives do IA in the best way to ensure safety for babies. \n
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/NW/0085
Date of REC Opinion
16 May 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion