Since the inception of the Network in 1986, a total of 57 studies (33 randomized trials, 24 observational studies) have been completed or are in process. As of January 2020, Network investigators have made over 600 presentations and published over 350 peer-reviewed manuscripts (over 100 since 2013).
The major aims of the MFMU Network are to:
1. Reduce the rates of preterm birth, fetal growth abnormalities, newborn morbidity, and maternal complications of pregnancy
2. Evaluate maternal and fetal interventions for efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR(S)
ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATOR(S)
RESEARCH STAFF
Katia Barrett, Vinay Bhandaru, Trisha Boekhoudt, Brendan Broderick, Shrestha Choudhury, Lindsay Doherty, Jessica de Voest, Lida Fette, Christian Flores, V. Lynn Flowers Fanomezantsoa, Gary Heinrich, Anne Jones, Barbara Jones-Binns, Roja Kambhampati, Albina Lozitska, Paula McGee, Lisa Mele, Crystal Nwachuku, Tara Pinto, Greg Sandoval, Lynda Ugwu, Marilyn Villanueva, Steve Weiner
MAJOR PUBLICATIONS
Grobman WA, Rice MM, Reddy UM, Tita ATN, Silver RM, Mallett G, Hill K, Thom EA, El-Sayed YY, Perez-Delboy A, Rouse DJ, Saade GR, Boggess KA, Chauhan SP, Iams JD, Chien EK, Casey BM, Gibbs RS, Srinivas SK, Swamy GK, Simhan HN, Macones GA; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) Network. Labor induction versus expectant management in low-risk nulliparous women. N Eng J Med. 2018 August 9: 379(6): 513-523. PMC6186292
Casey BM, Thom EA, Peaceman AM, Varner MW, Sorokin Y, Hirtz DG, Reddy UM, Wapner RJ, Thorp JM Jr, Saade G, Tita AT, Rouse DJ, Sibai B, Iams JD, Mercer BM, Tolosa J, Caritis SN, VanDorsten JP; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Maternal–Fetal Medicine Units Network. Treatment of Subclinical Hypothyroidism or Hypothyroxinemia in Pregnancy. N Engl J Med. 2017 Mar 2;376(9):815-825. PMC5605129
Gyamfi-Bannerman C, Thom EA, Blackwell SC, Tita AT, Reddy UM, Saade GR, Rouse DJ, McKenna DS, Clark EA, Thorp JM Jr, Chien EK, Peaceman AM, Gibbs RS, Swamy GK, Norton ME, Casey BM, Caritis SN, Tolosa JE, Sorokin Y, VanDorsten JP, Jain L; NICHD Maternal–Fetal Medicine Units Network. Antenatal Betamethasone for Women at Risk for Late Preterm Delivery. N Engl J Med. 2016 Apr 7;374(14):1311-20. PMC4823164
Belfort MA, Saade GR, Thom E, Blackwell SC, Reddy UM, Thorp JM Jr, Tita AT, Miller RS, Peaceman AM, McKenna DS, Chien EK, Rouse DJ, Gibbs RS, El-Sayed YY, Sorokin Y, Caritis SN, VanDorsten JP; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Maternal–Fetal Medicine Units Network. A Randomized Trial of Intrapartum Fetal ECG ST-Segment Analysis. N Engl J Med. 2015 Aug 13;373(7):632-41. PMC4631435
Thom EA, Rice MM, Saade GR, Reddy UM, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Maternal–Fetal Medicine Units Network. What we have learned about the design of randomized trials in pregnancy. Semin Perinatol. 2016 Aug;40(5):328-34. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1053/j.semperi.2016.03.011. PMC5080531
Salazar A, Tolivaisa S, Allard D, Bishop TS, Bousleiman S, Clark K, Dalton W, Harris S, Hale K, Hill K, Johnson F, Mallett G, Moseley L, Ortiz F, Willson C, Thom EA; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network. What we have learned about best practices for recruitment and retention in multicenter pregnancy studies. Semin Perinatol. 2016 Aug;40(5):321-7. doi:10.1053/j.semperi.2016.03.010PMID:27174555 PMC5076374
Salazar A, Tolivaisa S, Allard D, Bishop TS, Bousleiman S, Clark K, Dalton W, Harris S, Hale K, Hill K, Johnson F, Mallett G, Moseley L, Ortiz F, Willson C, Thom EA; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network. What we have learned about best practices for recruitment and retention in multicenter pregnancy studies. Semin Perinatol. 2016 Aug;40(5):321-7. doi:10.1053/j.semperi.2016.03.010PMID:27174555 PMC5076374
Wapner RJ, Gyamfi-Bannerman C, Thom EA, for the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network. What we have learned about antenatal corticosteroid regimens. Semin Perinat. 2016 Aug;40(5):291-7. doi:10.1053/j.semperi.2016.03.005. PMC6335646
The network is designed to focus on clinical questions in maternal-fetal medicine and obstetrics, particularly with respect to the continuing problem of preterm birth.
A recently completed trial by the Network found that healthy first-time mothers whose labor was induced in the 39th week of pregnancy were less likely to have a cesarean delivery, compared to a similar group who were not electively induced at 39 weeks. Women in the induced group were also less likely to experience pregnancy-related blood pressure disorders, such as preeclampsia, and their infants were less likely to need help breathing in the first 3 days.