Members of The Ritchie Centre met at the Monash Campus in
Prato, just north of Florence, this month to showcase the Centre’s research and
to establish and further develop collaborations with their European colleagues.
Attended by more than 60 researchers from 10 different
countries, this year’s workshop focused on fetal growth restriction (FGR), a
serious, but common, pregnancy complication describing the fetus that fails to
achieve normal growth.
The Ritchie Centre’s Professor Rosemary Horne said FGR is
present in up to 9% of pregnancies in Australia and is strongly associated with
stillbirth, or serious health complications in survivors.
“Our European Workshop brought together international
experts who discussed definitions of fetal growth restriction and how to
achieve a consensus definition; potential imaging and biomarker methods that
show promise for early detection; the outcomes of current clinical trials
together with plans for future trials,” Professor Horne said.
“Presentations included the latest research on the mechanisms
that underpin the adverse consequences for the cardiovascular system and
neurodevelopment for the fetus and newborn, as well as interventions currently
being trialled and potential new interventions before and after birth.”
The Ritchie Centre has held an annual colloquium since 2000
and this was its second European meeting. The meetings have forged a
significant number of collaborations with institutions from around the world
and have significantly contributed to the international reputation of The
Ritchie Centre in leading research in Women’s and Children’s Health.
This year’s workshop was generously supported by The Ritchie
Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Monash University and Cell Care.
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