Actively Recruiting
Placental Biology in Health and Disease
Led by University of Oxford · Updated on 2026-03-13
360
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
232 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Pre-eclampsia (PET) is a condition characterised by high blood pressure and damage to other organs, and is a leading cause of maternal and fetal complications such as fetal growth restriction (FGR). Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) involves abnormal blood sugar levels during pregnancy and can have both short and long-term impacts on the health of the mother and child. Both conditions are linked to placental dysfunction but the precise mechanisms behind these links remain unclear. A major focus of this study is on extracellular vesicles (EVs) which are tiny, bubble-like particles released by the placenta into the mother's and baby's bloodstreams. These EVs act as messengers, carrying proteins, lipids and genetic material that can influence how cells function, even in parts of the body far from the placenta. Notably, the number and content of these EVs change in conditions like PET and GDM, suggesting they may play a role in the development of these complications. This single-site, observational, laboratory study aims to investigate how these EVs contribute to maternal health and disease. To enable analysis across different physiological and pathological conditions pregnant participants with healthy pregnancies, pregnancies predisposed to PET and pregnancies complicated by GDM, FGR and PET will be recruited alongside healthy non-pregnant controls. Recruitment will be from the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive Health, University of Oxford (who fund the research). Demographic and clinical data will be collected as well as blood, urine, breath, placenta, umbilical cord, umbilical cord blood, amniotic fluid and/or uterine vein blood samples. Through examining EV content and function, it is hoped a better understanding of their role in pregnancy complications will be gained, including their potential as non-invasive biomarkers for early detection and targeted treatments, improving outcomes for mothers and babies worldwide.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Placental Biology in Health and Disease
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Female, aged 18 years or above
- Willing and able to give informed consent for participation in the study
- Able to read and understand written and spoken English to comprehend study materials and give informed consent
- Non-pregnant women in good general health OR pregnant women with one of the following: healthy pregnancy, pre-eclampsia (PET) defined by clinical diagnostic criteria including hypertension and proteinuria, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) diagnosed by glucose tolerance tests, fetal growth restriction (FGR) diagnosed by fetal weight or Doppler abnormalities, or predisposed to PET with high-risk factors such as maternal type 1 or type 2 diabetes, autoimmune diseases, or multiple pregnancies
You will not qualify if you...
- Non-pregnant participants with active health conditions that could confound study outcomes
- Pregnant participants with conditions unrelated to PET, GDM, or FGR that could influence EV profiles such as active infections or malignancies
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
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Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Oxford, United Kingdom
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
P
Professor Manu Vatish
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Masking
N/A
Allocation
N/A
Model
N/A
Primary Purpose
N/A
Number of Arms
6
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