Innovating pregnancy care and placental therapies

About

The Obstetric Diagnostic and Therapeutic Group at the University of Melbourne is a multidisciplinary team dedicated to improving pregnancy outcomes and advancing regenerative medicine for the treatment of placental disease.

Comprising obstetricians, gynaecologists, midwives, engineers, and scientists, the group focuses on the development of novel technologies and is engaged in the following projects:

• Pregnancy monitoring wearable. It allows remote fetal monitoring, opening the possibility of a virtual hospital for obstetrics.
• Computer analysis of the fetal heart rate to prevent stillbirth, cerebral palsy and reduce the caesarean section rate. Combining artificial intelligence with clinician knowledge, the team are developing algorithms to better interpret fetal heart patterns in pregnancy and labour.
• Regeneration of the placenta. Fetal growth restriction is often caused by a failing placenta. We are investigating medications used in regenerative medicine to see whether they can improve the growth potential of the placenta and fetus. 

The team

The Obstetric Diagnostic and Therapeutic Group consists of the following team members:

• A/Prof Fiona Brownfoot - Group lead
• Dr Elif Kadife
• Dr Emerson Keenan
• Dr Debjyoti Karmakar
• Alesha Harper
• Erica Spessot
• Dr Abu ul Hassan Rana
• Dr Prathima Chowdary
• Lochana Mendis

Our supporters

We are very grateful to our many supporters, including:

• National Health and Medical Research Council 
• The Norman Beischer Medical Research Foundation
• Austin Medical Research Foundation