WOMBAT Newsletter
    January 2009


Welcome to the January 2009 issue.

In this issue:


FORTHCOMING WOMBAT MEETINGS

WOMBAT Protocol Workshop

Thursday April 16, 2009, 9.00 – 5.00pm
Friday April 17, 2009, 9.00 am - 5.00pm
VIBE Hotel, Kitchener Drive, Darwin
The VIBE Hotel is in close proximity to the Darwin Convention Centre

Aim
To develop a protocol for a clinical trial in maternal and perinatal health.

Objectives
1. participants will write a protocol document which covers all the fundamental aspects of trial design and methodology
2. at the end of the course participants will have the knowledge and resources to complete the protocol on their own
3. participants will have the opportunity to work with other researchers and clinicians who are involved in or intending to carry out a clinical trial in maternal or perinatal healthcare

Workshop Leader
Professor Caroline Crowther – The University of Adelaide

Confirmed faculty
Dr Jodie Dodd – The University of Adelaide
Ms Vicki Flenady – Mater Health Services
Ms Philippa Middleton – The University of Adelaide
Associate Professor Peter Morris – Menzies School of Health Research
Dr Alice Rumbold – Menzies School of Health Research & The University of Adelaide
Dr Georgie Stamp – The University of Adelaide
Professor William Tarnow-Mordi – University of Sydney

Outline of the course
The Research Cycle and CONSORT
Question formulation using PICO
RCT methods
Trial outcomes and sample size calculations
Data collection and analysis
Data monitoring committees and other trial committees
Submission writing, ethics, trial registration
Resource and staffing requirements, funding, budgets, timelines

Small groups will work on all aspects of writing a trial protocol with the aim of presenting a draft protocol outline to the workshop on the Friday for comment and discussion. Participants will receive a trial protocol workbook and resource folder for preparing their trial protocol.

Earn CPD points
Approved by the Australian College of Midwives for 11 MidPlus CPD points
Eligible for CPD points for RACP

Cost: $180 (including GST)

Download Workshop Information Flyer

Download Workshop Tax Invoice
        


WOMBAT NEWS

We are delighted to welcome Dr. Georgie Stamp as the new national WOMBAT coordinator. (Philippa Middleton has stepped down from this role although she will continue to be actively involved in the WOMBAT Collaboration).

Georgie has worked as a midwife for several years; and as a researcher has designed and conducted perinatal randomised trials. She recently returned to Adelaide after living on the west coast of South Australia and continues to work in partnership with Aboriginal researchers, Stephanie Brown and a team of researchers in the Aboriginal Families Study, a large population based study in South Australia and Victoria.
 


NEW PUBLICATIONS

Issue 1, 2009 of The Cochrane library has published the following new protocols, reviews and updates:

Pregnancy and Childbirth Group

Protocols

Alternative positions for the baby at birth before clamping the umbilical cord

Fetal and umbilical Doppler ultrasound in high-risk pregnancies

Group versus conventional antenatal care for pregnant women

Interventions for nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy

Interventions for reducing nausea and vomiting at caesarean section

Maternal position during caesarean section for preventing maternal and neonatal complications

Medical methods for preventing blood loss at caesarean section

Mind-body interventions during pregnancy for preventing or treating women’s anxiety

Routine pre-pregnancy health promotion for improving pregnancy outcomes

Reviews

Antibiotics for mastitis in breastfeeding women

Interventions for treating painful sickle cell crisis during pregnancy

Maintenance therapy with oxytocin antagonists for inhibiting preterm birth after threatened preterm labour

Postnatal parental education for optimizing infant general health and parent-infant relationships

Prenatal education for congenital toxoplasmosis

Regimens of fetal surveillance for impaired fetal growth

Treatments for suppression of lactation

Updates

Abdominal decompression for suspected fetal compromise/pre-eclampsia

Antenatal perinatal massage for reducing perineal trauma

Antibiotic prophylaxis for operative vaginal delivery

Aspirin or anticoagulants for treating recurrent miscarriage in women without antiphospholipid syndrome

Episiotomy for vaginal birth

Fetal electrocardiogram (ECG) for fetal monitoring during labour

Magnesium sulphate for women at risk of preterm birth for neuroprotection of the fetus

Oral misoprostol for induction of labour

Phenobarbital prior to preterm birth for preventing neonatal periventricular haemorrhage

Preconception and antenatal screening for the fragile site on the X chromosome

Prophylactic use of ergot alkaloids in the third stage of labour

Vitamin K prior to preterm birth for preventing neonatal periventricular haemorrhage

Neonatal Group

Protocols

Banked preterm versus banked term human milk to promote growth and development in very low birth weight infants

Community based management of neonatal sepsis in developing countries

The effect of community health educational interventions on newborn survival in developing countries

Fluid restriction and prophylactic indomethacin versus prophylactic indomethacin alone for prevention of morbidity and mortality in extremely low birth weight infants

Interventions for prevention of neonatal hyperglycemia in very low birth weight infants

Local anaesthetic eye drops for prevention of pain in preterm infants undergoing screening for retinopathy of prematurity

Neonatal Reviews

Interventions for treatment of neonatal hyperglycemia in very low birth weight infants

Oral lactoferrin for the treatment of sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis in neonates

Updates

Early (< 8 days) postnatal corticosteroids for preventing chronic lung disease in preterm infants

Early versus late discontinuation of oxygen in preterm or low birth weight infants

Early volume expansion for prevention of morbidity and mortality in very preterm infants

Early volume expansions versus inotrope for prevention of morbidity and mortality in very preterm infants

Gradual versus abrupt discontinuation of oxygen in preterm or low birth weight infants

Late (>7 days) postnatal corticosteroids for chronic lung disease in preterm infants

Multiple versus single doses of exogenous surfactant for the prevention or treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome

Prophylactic caffeine to prevent postoperative apnea following general anesthesia in preterm infants

Restricted versus liberal oxygen exposure for preventing morbidity in preterm or low birth weight infants

Early childhood sustained home-visiting

Kemp L, Harris E, McMahon C, Matthey S, Vimpani G, Anderson T, Schmeid V. Miller. Early childhood sustained home-visiting (MECSH) trial: design, method and sample description. BMC (2008),8:424

World breakthrough in treating premature babies
Read more about this RCT

Makrides M, Gibson RA, McPhee AJ, Collins CT, Davis PG, Doyle LW, Simmer K, Colditz PB, Morris S, Smithers LG, Willson K, Ryan P. Neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm infants fed high-dose docosahexaenoic acid: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2009;301(2):175-182

Read the article

Magnesium Sulphate protects babies against cerebral palsy
Read more about this Cochrane Review

Doyle LW, Crowther CA, Middleton P, Marret S, Rouse D. Magnesium sulphate for women at risk of preterm birth for neuroprotection of the fetus. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2009, Issue 1.
Read the article


Other workshops, meetings and conferences relevant to maternal and perinatal health

National Conferences and Events

PZANZ Victoria Branch

Hot Topic: Perinatal Brain Injury
Wednesday 18th February, 1st floor of the main building, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne
For more information contact Cate Nagle: cate.nagle@deakin.edu.au 

Improving the Delivery of Maternity Care: sharing the lessons learnt

26-27 February 2009
Sheraton Perth Hotel
207 Adelaide Tce Perth,
Western Australia, Australia
For further information, please visit here.
Telephone Change Champions on +61 (2) 4963 5150 or
email:
change.champions@bigpond.com 

25th Fetus as a Patient International Congress

6-8 March 2009
Hilton
Sydney Hotel, Sydney
For further information, please visit: www.fetus2009.com

Satellite workshop to PSANZ 13th Annual Congress 2009 - ANZSA

Australian and New Zealand Stillbirth Alliance in collaboration with the PSANZ Perinatal Mortality Group
Date: Saturday 18th April 2009
Venue: VIBE Hotel,
Kitchener Drive, Darwin

This one-day workshop will consist of a half-day educational program (using the SCORPIO educational technique) for clinicians on perinatal mortality including investigation, classification and communication with parents. The second half will include presentations on stillbirth and preterm birth prevention, perinatal mortality audit and communication.

Abstracts of papers for oral or poster presentations are welcomed.

For further details: http://www.stillbirthalliance.org/anz  or contact Vicki Flenady: vicki.flenady@mater.org.au  

Satellite workshop to PSANZ 13th Annual Congress 2009  - IMPACT

The IMPACT (Interdisciplinary Maternal Perinatal Australasian Clinical Trials) NETWORK, within the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand, is dedicated to the improvement of maternal and perinatal health by the promotion of appropriately designed randomised controlled trials (RCTs), and dissemination and application of their results.

Saturday 18 April 2009, 13.30 – 17.00.

Session 1: 13.30 – 14.30: Presentations of trials in the planning stages

Session 2: 15.00 – 17.00: Presentations of trials in the planning stages

Investigators are invited to present their trials for discussion and input by workshop participants. IMPACT workshops are designed to facilitate the presentation and discussion of trials that are at the planning stage. See below for details of how to submit an abstract

Sunday 19th April 2009, 08.30-13.00.

Session 3: Workshop – Participating in Clinical Trials –What you never knew!
Workshop led by Prof Stewart Dunn – This dynamic facilitation will raise skills and challenge beliefs about the underlying processes by which we invite participation in clinical trials.

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: CLOSING DATE FOR SUBMISSION: 6 FEB. 2009

An invitation is extended to investigators wishing to present either an oral or a poster presentation at the IMPACT Workshop, on a planned trial for input and discussion by IMPACT Workshop Participants. Oral presentations are 15 minutes total duration with 10 minutes for presentation and 5 minutes for discussion. Computer projection facilities will be available at all sessions and are the preferred format.

ABSTRACT FORMAT: Abstracts for oral or poster presentations should be in 11 point, Arial font and fit on a single A4 page with margins of 2 cm on all edges, single-spaced and fully justified. Email to klevett@med.usyd.edu.au  

For further information about the IMPACT Workshop contact: Jodie Dodd (IMPACT Committee Chair) jodie.dodd@adelaide.edu.au  ; or Kate Levett (Communications Officer) klevett@med.usyd.edu.au

Register Here  or at  http://www.wombatcollaboration.net

DOWNLOAD REGISTRATION FORM

Satellite workshop to PSANZ 13th Annual Congress 2009  - Cochrane work-in

Sunday 1330- 1700, 2009

The IMPACT workshop will be followed by a Cochrane Work-in. The work-in provides and opportunity for Cochrane authors to progress their Cochrane review titles, protocols, and reviews with the support of experienced reviewers. For further details please contact Philippa Middleton: philippa.middleton@adelaide.edu.au  Phone 08 8161 7612

13th Annual Congress of the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand

PZANZ 2009, A Top End Experience: Better Birthing, Better Babies
Darwin Convention Centre, Northern Territory, Australia
19-22 April 2009
For More Information Contact:
PSANZ09 Congress Managers
c/ Event Planners Australia
PO Box 1517
Eagle Farm Qld 4009
Australia
T: +61 7 3858 5575
F: +61 7 3858 5499
psanz09@eventplanners.com.au
http://psanz09.eventplanners.com.au

CHIPS Lunchtime Meeting

CHIPS (Controlling Hypertension In Pregnancy Study) will be holding an informal, lunchtime Q & A session at PSANZ in Darwin. This exciting study has important ramifications for both hypertensive mothers and their babies so if you would like to know more, please come along and see us. If you have already had an Interested Centre Pack but still have questions or are unsure how to get started, this session is for you too!
To ensure that you get a take-home study info pack please register your interest with Claire Parker: 
cparker@meddent.uwa.edu.au  

THE TWENTY-THIRD FETAL AND NEONATAL WORKSHOP OF AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

Travelodge Mirambeena Resort
Darwin, NT, Australia
17-18 April, 2009
Abstracts close 14 March
For more information please contact: Dr Robert De Matteo robert.dematteo@med.monash.edu.au
Phone: (03) 9902 9108 or
Ms Vicki Stacy victoria.stacy@med.monash.edu.au, Phone: (03) 9902 9110

Australian College of Neonatal Nurses Inc
Annual Neonatal Care Conference

"New Horizons: Nursing Neonates, Families and Communities"
Saturday 18 April 2009 (welcome reception & poster viewing), Sunday 19 April 2009
The Convention Centre, DARWIN, NORTHERN TERRITORY, AUSTRALIA
For further details go to http://www.acnn.org.au/ or contact Karen New at: acnn@acnn.org.au

The Australian Lactation Consultant Association (ALCA) National Conference:
Breastfeeding: A Key Public Health Issue

September 4th - 6th 2009,
Canberra ACT, Australia.
For more information visit http://alca.asn.au/

Australian College of Midwives 16th Biennial Conference: "Women & Midwives - A Brilliant Blend"

Held from 22nd-25th September 2009,
Adelaide Convention Centre
For more information: http://www.midwives.org.au  and click on Events

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES AND EVENTS

International Stillbirth Alliance Conference

8-10 March 2009, South Africa
For Further information: www.stillbirthalliance.org
The XXIst Asian and Oceanic Congress of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
26-30 March 2009, Auckland, New Zealand
For further information: http://www.aocogranzcog2009.co.nz/

RANZCOG Annual Scientific meeting in conjunction with the XXIst Asian and Oceanic Congress of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

26-30 of March, Auckland, New Zealand
For further information: http://www.aocogranzcog2009.co.nz/ 
International normal birth research conference in Grange over Sands
June 10-12th 2009.
For further information, contact:
Soo Downe. Email: sdowne@UCLAN.AC.UK 

Women & Birth: Politics, Power and Practice

Worcester, England
14th & 15th July 2009
http://www.worcester.ac.uk/midwiferyconference/ 
Final Abstract Submission Date: Friday 6th February 2009

XIX FIGO World Congress of Gynaecology and Obstetrics

4-9 October 2009, Cape Town, South Africa
First Announcement is now available on the Congress website: www.figo2009.org.za/announcements/First%20Announcement%20Final%201.pdf

The 9th World Congress of Perinatal Medicine in Berlin, Germany

October 24-28, 2009.
For further information: www.wcpm9.org

6th World Congress on Developmental Origins of Health and Disease

November 19-22, 2009
Santiago, Chile
For more information: http://www.mrc.soton.ac.uk/dohad/index.asp?page=71

7th International Conference of Neonatal Nursing 2010.

Durban, South Africa
24 – 27 October 2010
For more information: http://www.coinnurses.org/coinn_conf/2010_int_neonatal.htm


New trials

ACTRN12608000608369
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of aminophylline in infants less than 12 months of age with bronchiolitis who require intensive care, to assess if aminophylline is superior to placebo in reducing the duration of ventilator support.

ACTRN12608000473369
Effects on environmental, child, maternal and family outcomes for children born to at risk mothers (who have one or more risk factors for poorer parental coping) receiving sustained nurse home visiting compared with usual care.

ACTRN12608000540314
Ultrasound guided transverse abdominis (TAP) block for analgesia after caesarean surgery
Open for recruitment

ASTEROID
Not yet recruiting women, but this large multicentre trial comparing two different sorts of antenatal steroids is now 'recruiting' centres. Ten or more centres have already received their ethics approvals or are currently progressing through ethics. The first women are likely to be recruited to the trial in early 2009. More centres are still required. Please contact Pat Ashwood (pat.ashwood@adelaide.edu.au) if you would like to discuss the possibility of becoming a centre. The trial has been submitted to ANZCTR and a number is expected shortly.


TRIALS REQUIRING MORE CENTRES & MORE RECRUITS

CHIPS Trial: Control of Hypertension in Pregnancy Study
If you would like more information on becoming involved in this trial: visit http://www.utoronto.ca/cmicr/chips/ or contact Tara Morris at chips@cw.bc.ca 

BOOST II: Benefits of Oxygen Saturation Targeting Study
If you would like more information on becoming involved in this trial: visit perinatal trials page or email boost2@ctc.usyd.edu.au

PPROMT Trial: Preterm Pre-Labour Rupture of Membranes Close to Term Trial
If you would like more information on becoming involved in this trial: visit perinatal trials page or email ppromt@med.usyd.edu.au

PROGRESS Trial: Progesterone after previous preterm birth for the prevention of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome
If you would like more information on becoming involved in this trial: visit perinatal trials page or email progress@adelaide.edu.au

TWINS: Timing of Birth at Term – a randomised controlled trial
If you would like more information on becoming involved in this trial: visit perinatal trials page or http://www.health.adelaide.edu.au/og/research/mpctu.html or email twins@adelaide.edu.au


RESEARCH GRANTS AVAILABLE

Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation supports grant applications up to $75,000 per annum from professionals in the areas of health, education and welfare of children. (http://www.crf.org.au/default.shtml)

The Bonnie Babes Foundation is now accepting applications for 2008/2009 Medical Grants. Applications close at 5pm on Friday 6th February, 2009. (www.bonniebabes.org.au)


Further Information

For more information on WOMBAT initiatives, please contact the WOMBAT Collaboration national co-ordinator: p.middleton@WOMBATcollaboration.net

The WOMBAT Collaboration is funded through a NHMRC enabling grant.