Take part in research

You may be eligible to take part in research at national women's health.

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This research aims to find out whether it is better to perform an Artificial Rupture of Membranes
(ARM, or having your water broken) at the start of an induction of labour, or whether it is better to wait until later in labour. 

If you are having an induction of labour after 37 weeks, you may be eligible to participate in this trial. 

Visit the ARM Trial website and speak with your midwife or doctor for more information.

ARM website

Can we safely reduce the risk of breathing problems for newborn babies by giving corticosteroid injections to their mothers before a planned caesarean section?

This trial is underway at Auckland Hospital and Liggins Institute, The University of Auckland. This trial may be suitable for you if you are having a planned caesarean section at 35 – 39+6 weeks of pregnancy.

Find out more at the C*STEROID Trial website

Contact the team at csteroid@auckland.ac.nz.

You can also watch this informational video on YouTube.

We are investigating whether giving 2 corticosteroid injections to women with diabetes during the week before a planned caesarean section can help reduce the risk of breathing problems in their newborn babies.

This trial is underway at Auckland Hospital and the Liggins Institute, The University of Auckland. This trial may be suitable for you if you are having a planned caesarean section at 35 to 39+6 weeks of pregnancy and you have any form of diabetes.

Find out more at the PRECeDe Trial website

Contact the team at precede@auckland.ac.nz

Are you interested in donating your placenta (whenua) to help better our understanding of this important organ and its role in a healthy pregnancy?

Together with Auckland Hospital researchers at the University of Auckland are studying placentae (whenua) to understand the causes of complications in pregnancy, such as pre-eclampsia and growth restriction. By studying placentae we can learn more about why problems may arise in certain pregnancies and improve care for mothers and babies in the future.

Donations are invited from:

  • pregnancies affected by pre-eclampsia and/or small-for-gestational-age babies
  • healthy women (no form of Diabetes) having healthy babies up to 40 weeks (control)

If you are interested in assisting with this valuable research by donating (part or all) of your whenua, please:

Do inflammatory conditions, such as psoriasis, influence a child’s development? We have designed a study to research this question and are inviting pregnant women with and without psoriasis to take part. All women will have dedicated surveillance of their psoriasis (and dermatology review if needed), and all children will get a full neurodevelopmental assessment at two years of age (plus a small gift and parking and travel expenses). Women less than 15 weeks pregnant will also have blood tests to look at markers of inflammation.

If you are interested or would like more information contact:

For more information, please visit the MaPINO study