The CONCEIVE Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A longitudinal investigation into maternal cardiovascular and metabolic changes in pregnancy from pre-conception till the post-partum period (CONCEIVE).
IRAS ID
152076
Contact name
Christoph Lees
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Research summary
During pregnancy, a woman's body adapts with changes in blood pressure, heart function and protein production. Abnormal cardiovascular and/or metabolic adaptation to pregnancy may be linked to the development of pregnancy complications such as pre-eclampsia and/or small for gestational age babies. It is also theorized that some women have a predisposition to later cardiovascular disease that is unmasked in pregnancy, and this may manifest as pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and/or small for gestational age babies.
To characterize women who either have predisposition to disease, or develop cardiovascular/metabolic maladaptation in response to pregnancy, it is important to investigate women before they are pregnant. This ensures that any changes associated with pregnancy can be compared to baseline values obtained prior to conception, and therefore the magnitude of any abnormal adaptation can be quantified and profiled.
For the CONCEIVE study, we will recruit 600 women prior to conception, and carry out cardiovascular and metabolic tests before, throughout, and after pregnancy. The study is observational with no intervention. All cardiovascular tests are non-invasive, and women will be required to provide a urine and blood sample for metabolite analysis.
Data from this study will establish a profile of baseline values and changes through pregnancy for cardiovascular and metabolite processes. It may potentially identify pre-symptomatic characteristics associated with the development of poor pregnancy outcome. This could have clinical application in 'risk-stratifying' pregnant women, such that antenatal care can be better matched to those women at greater risk to ensure safe pregnancy for mother and baby. Further, if abnormalities in cardiovascular function are associated with adverse pregnancy outcome, it raises the prospect of intervention prior to the disease becoming apparent.
The CONCEIVE study will be conducted at Queen Charlotte's & Chelsea Hospital, Imperial Healthcare NHS Trust in close collaboration with the University of Cambridge.
REC name
East of Scotland Research Ethics Service REC 1
REC reference
14/ES/1046
Date of REC Opinion
31 Jul 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion