Preterm Birth Clinical Trials

There is a fundamental gap in understanding the maternal and neonatal effects of antenatal corticosteroid (ACS) administration in women with threatened preterm birth (PTB) who have diabetes. Since the initial discovery of ACS for neonatal benefit in 1972, more than 40 randomized controlled trials have been performed evaluating its efficacy. However, none of these trials have included women with T2DM, and there is limited data among women with gestational diabetes. While ACS have been shown to reduce neonatal morbidity associated with PTB in non-diabetic women, the side effects of ACS (maternal hyperglycemia and fetal hyperinsulinemia) may mitigate the neonatal benefit of ACS in women with diabetes. Before neonatal benefit of ACS can be evaluated in this population, the first step is to optimize maternal glycemic control after ACS. Previous studies evaluating maternal hyperglycemia after ACS have been limited by small sample size, retrospective study design, or insufficient glucose data. Use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in a randomized clinical trial provides a unique opportunity to overcome these challenges. Our long-term goal is to improve maternal and child health among women with diabetes as an independently funded clinical researcher. The research objectives of this proposal are to test the efficacy of three treatment strategies at achieving maternal glycemic control after ACS and evaluate the association between maternal glycemic control and neonatal outcomes. Our central hypothesis is that treatment with a continuous insulin infusion will improve maternal glycemic control, which is key to improving neonatal outcomes, but at the cost of less patient satisfaction and more health resource utilization. This hypothesis will be tested by pursuing the following specific aims: 1) Test the efficacy of three treatment strategies (addition of sliding scale insulin, up-titration of home insulin, and continuous insulin infusion) at achieving maternal glycemic control after ACS and 2) Quantify the association between maternal glycemic control after ACS and neonatal morbidity. Completion of these aims will determine the optimal strategy to achieve maternal glycemic control after ACS and inform a larger, multicenter trial to improve neonatal outcomes among women with diabetes and threatened PTB. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the Pacifier Activated Lullaby (PAL) intervention on the transition to oral feeding for preterm infants with chronic lung disease and respiratory distress syndrome that require non-invasive respiratory support at 34 weeks PMA. This study will utilize a clinical trial design. Participants will be randomized into two groups. One group will receive the PAL intervention, the other group serving as a no contact control. Participants will be matched based on sex, gestational age at birth, and neurologic injury. Infants in the intervention group will receive two PAL sessions a week until successfully transitioned to \<2L of respiratory support and then receive one PAL session within 24 hours of their first oral feeding attempt. Read Less

Premature babies often need help immediately after birth to open their lungs to air, start breathing and keep their hearts beating. Opening their lungs can be difficult, and once open the under-developed lungs of premature babies will often collapse again between each breath. To prevent this nearly all premature babies receive some form of mechanical respiratory support to aid breathing. Common to all types of respiratory support is the delivery of a treatment called positive end-expiratory pressure, or PEEP. PEEP gives air, or a mixture of air and oxygen, to the lung between each breath to keep the lungs open and stop them collapsing. Currently, clinicians do not have enough evidence on the right amount, or level, of PEEP to give at birth. As a result, doctors around the world give different amounts (or levels) of PEEP to premature babies at birth. In this study, the Investigators will look at 2 different approaches to PEEP to help premature babies during their first breaths at birth. At the moment, the Investigators do not know if one is better than the other. One is to give the same PEEP level to the lungs. The others is to give a high PEEP level at birth when the lungs are hardest to open and then decrease the PEEP later once the lungs are opened and the baby is breathing. Very premature babies have a risk of long-term lung disease (chronic lung disease). The more breathing support a premature baby needs, the more likely the risk of developing chronic lung disease. The Investigators want to find out whether one method of opening the baby's lungs at birth results in them needing less breathing support. This research has been initiated by a group of doctors from Australia, the Netherlands and the USA, all who look after premature babies. Read Less

This study will investigate stress that parents of children admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) experience. Investigation of a novel intervention of using bilateral alternating stimulation to reduce parental stress and anxiety and increase bonding/attachment in NICU. Evaluate parental stress and feelings of bonding using surveys before and after the intervention. Intervention will be done at neonate's bedside while admitted to the NICU. Vital sign data will be collected as a marker of parent and neonate's stress response during the intervention. Read Less

The goal of this randomized clinical trial is to assess sulfasalazine as a potential treatment to prevent recurrent preterm birth. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does sulfasalazine down regulate corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) levels in pregnant persons with a prior history of preterm birth? * Does sulfasalazine reduce the incidence of recurrent preterm birth in pregnant persons given drug vs. controls? Consenting participants will be randomized to receive sulfasalazine or to a control group and will undergo serial blood draws to assess plasma CRH levels. Read Less

This is an observational study of pregnant persons in threatened labor. The study device will record electromyography signals, then the signals will be examined to determine who is in true labor and who is in threatened labor. The two goals are: * To establish the thresholds for the Contraction Synchronization Index (CSI) and the False Labor Index (FSI) to be used by the Labor Status Monitor to diagnose in-Labor or Not-in-Labor for preterm patients with threatened labor * To obtain feedback from subjects and providers to assist with enhancing patient comfort and provider training. Read Less

Azithromycin is an antibiotic that is effective against bacteria that been associated with preterm birth (PTB). The purpose of this study is to evaluate if the addition of azithromycin prior to exam indicated cerclage prolongs gestation. A cerclage is a suture placed in the cervix to prolong gestation. Read Less

This study is a non-blinded, prospective, randomized controlled trial designed to compare the effect of outpatient oral antibiotics (i.e., amoxicillin and azithromycin) on the length of time (days) that pregnancy continues after a patient's water bag has ruptured prematurely. If a patient has been diagnosed with rupture of their water bag between 18 0/7 weeks and 22 6/7 weeks and there are no other associated complications with the pregnancy, the patient is eligible for initial consideration for this study. Patients will be admitted to the hospital for a 24-hour monitoring period. If the patient remains without further complications during this monitoring period, the patient will be eligible for enrollment. If enrollment is desired, the patient will be randomly assigned to receive either antibiotics (treatment arm of the study) or no antibiotics (control arm of the study). The treatment arm will receive an outpatient, 7-day course of oral antibiotics (azithromycin and amoxicillin) with the first dose given in the hospital to ensure no side effects. The control arm will not receive outpatient antibiotics. Both groups will have weekly, office follow-up visits with high-risk pregnancy specialists to ensure no further complications. Both groups will be admitted to the hospital if the patients reach 23 0/7 weeks without complications. At this time the patients will receive all medications and therapies recommended by the governing board of OBGYNs. Subjects of both groups will also be admitted before 23 0/7 weeks if further complications noted either at their clinic follow up visits or anytime outside of the hospital. The duration of time that the patient remains pregnant after breaking of the water bag will be compared in each group. The investigators will also see if there is a difference in the number of patients able to reach 23 0/7 weeks between each group (treatment versus control). Read Less

This is a multicenter randomized study designed to determine if ultrasound indicated cerclage reduces the incidence of spontaneous preterm birth \<34 weeks in asymptomatic women with twin gestations and cervical length ≤15mm, diagnosed by transvaginal ultrasound between 16 to 23 6/7 weeks of gestation. Read Less