Strategies for fetal membrane repairs

Every year, an estimated 1 in 9 pregnancies are born preterm because the fetal membranes rupture spontaneously. This condition is called preterm premature rupture of the fetal membrane (PPROM) and is a common cause of preterm birth. Increasingly, clinicians are treating the fetus in the womb using fetoscopic and open hysterotomy approaches. However, PPROM complicates over 30% of such surgeries leading to preterm birth in treated babies, reducing the clinical effectiveness of fetal surgery. There are no clinical solutions to improve healing of the fetal membranes after surgery or after they rupture spontaneously.Our research has found a reason for this poor healing response. We observed high levels of Cx43 in the amniotic membrane around the defect site after fetoscopic surgery. We believe that in the amniotic membrane, Cx43 influences both cell migration and mechanotransduction processes. To encourage repair, we are developing biomaterials with antisense therapeutics to promote tissue regeneration. Effectively repairing defects in the fetal membranes and preventing PPROM for just a few weeks could prevent the life-long medical conditions and disabilities associated with preterm birth. 

Bio:
Dr Tina Chowdhury is an Associate Professor in Regenerative Medicine at Queen Mary University of London (@ttchowdhury). She is developing novel ways to repair defects in the fetal membranes. Tina works with a global multi-disciplinary team of scientists, clinicians and engineers to address the weakness in the fetal membranes and prevent fetal membrane rupture. The technologies could help to repair defects and prevent the life-long medical conditions and disabilities associated with pre-term birth. Tina also helps women who experience pre-term birth feel more confident about their pregnancies to that they can deliver babies to full-term (https://www.little-heartbeats.org.uk/). Tina’s talk will discuss the exciting aspects of her recent research (https://www.sems.qmul.ac.uk/news/5503/new-bioengineering-approach-to-fix...).

Dr Lynn Paterson