Research prioritization of interventions for the primary prevention of preterm birth: An international survey. (May 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Allotey, John; Matei, Anca; Husain, Shahid; Newton, Sian; Dodds, Julie; Armson, Anthony B.; Khan, Khalid S.; Vogel, Joshua P.
• Is Part Of: European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology. Volume 236(2019)
• Page Start: 240
• Page End: 248
• Publication Date: 2019-05
• Subjects: Research priorities -- Preterm birth -- Primary prevention -- Survey -- Intervention; Obstetrics -- Periodicals; Gynecology -- Periodicals; Reproductive health -- Periodicals; Gynecology -- Periodicals; Obstetrics -- Periodicals; Reproduction -- Periodicals; Obstétrique -- Périodiques; Gynécologie -- Périodiques; Reproduction -- Périodiques; Verloskunde; Gynaecologie; Voortplanting (biologie); Gynecology; Obstetrics; Reproduction; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 618.05
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2019.01.021
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0301-2115

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: To identify research priorities of interventions for the primary prevention of preterm birth (PTB), by conducting an international stakeholder survey. Study design: A prospective cross-sectional online survey was conducted in November 2016. Fifteen interventions to prevent spontaneous PTB were identified and ranked by stakeholders (n = 159) in the field of maternal and perinatal health research, using nine equally weighted criteria. Medians and interquartile ranges (IQRs) were calculated and the interventions ranked accordingly. Results: Respondents to the survey were from 46 different countries, mostly from low and middle-income countries (62%, 99/159) and were mainly clinicians (80%, 127/159). Of the fifteen interventions ranked, the following five were identified as research priorities in the primary prevention of PTB: dietary counselling and nutritional education, risk scoring, vitamin D supplementation, exercise and antioxidant supplementation. Conclusion: We have identified research priorities of interventions to prevent spontaneous PTB through a global stakeholder survey. The interventions prioritized in this exercise can be used by researchers, grant funding bodies and research-policy decision makers to inform calls on future clinical trials or individual patient data meta-analyses on the primary prevention of PTB.