Funding outcome

A baby's birth is a happy time. Sadly, medical issues on this day are common and, although rare, newborn death can occur. This is especially a problem for mothers who have to travel far to reach a hospital. Many of these deaths could be prevented if doctors could predict when a mother will go into labour. We are working on a test that can tell moms and doctors when labour will happen. However, we need to understand how labour begins. Right before labour, the mother's white blood cells are ordered to move out of the blood vessels to the reproductive system, where they will help start contractions. For these cells to move quickly, they have to follow a set of instructions given to them by tiny chemical messengers sent by the reproductive organs. These messengers tell white blood cells where they need to go and the quickest routes. Usually, the white blood cells must change their shape to squeeze through tight spots between other cells. We found that moms who went into labour had more white blood cells that had changed their shape than moms who did not go into labour. In my study, I will identify the chemical messengers that direct the white blood cells. I will measure how many and which messengers are in the blood of moms in labour and moms not in labour. We will also look at how many cells have changed their shape and predict labour that way. This information will help us create a test that tells mothers and their doctors when labour will start. This test will allow mothers to know when to prepare for labour and will help save the lives of babies.