Ask to take part

Contact the study team using the details below to take part. If there are no contact details below please ask your doctor in the first instance.

Contact Information:

Prof Rebecca Reynolds
+44 (0)131 242 6762
R.Reynolds@ed.ac.uk


More information about this study, what is involved and how to take part can be found on the study website.

Study Location:

Find another location


Questions to ask
Skip to Main Content
English | Cymraeg
Be Part of Research - Trial Details - Can eye imaging in pregnancy help predict stillbirth?
Back

Can eye imaging in pregnancy help predict stillbirth?

Recruiting

Open to: Female

Age: Adult

Lothian

Medical Conditions

Stillbirth and pregnancy complications linked to stillbirth risk (pre-eclampsia and fetal growth restriction)

This information is provided directly by researchers, and we recognise that it isn't always easy to understand. We are working with researchers to improve the accessibility of this information. In some summaries, you may come across links to external websites. These websites will have more information to help you better understand the study.


This study aims to further our understanding of why some babies are stillborn and help us identify new tests that we can offer people in pregnancy to identify babies that might be at risk. Every year, around the world, more than two million babies are stillborn and in many of these cases no clear cause is identified. Our current monitoring looks at pregnant women and babies’ health using blood tests, blood pressure and ultrasound scans during pregnancy but we know this does not provide a complete picture.
In pregnancy there are changes in the structure and function of blood vessels throughout the body. These blood vessel changes may lead to complications such as pre-eclampsia, high blood pressure and stillbirth. Looking at what is happening to the blood vessels at the back of the eye can help us know what is happening to blood vessels in the rest of the body. This is a simple, quick and non-invasive test that you may have previously had during a visit to the optician.
The purpose of the study is to find out whether monitoring changes in the eye’s blood vessels during pregnancy could be a new way of identifying those at risk of pregnancy complications.

Start dates may differ between countries and research sites. The research team are responsible for keeping the information up-to-date.  

The recruitment start and end dates are as follows:

01 Dec 2023 01 Apr 2026

Participants will be invited to study visits at one (at around 36 weeks) or two (at around 12 or 20 weeks, and at 36 weeks) timepoints during pregnancy. At these visits, pictures of the backs of each eye will be taken using a specialised camera.
At the 36-week visit, an ultrasound scan will also be carried out to look at the womb, placenta, and baby. A blood test will also be taken at the 36-week visit.
Participants will be invited to one follow-up visit 6-18 months after the birth of their baby. At this visit, further pictures of the backs of the eyes will be taken, as well as non-invasive measurements of the heart and blood vessels, and further samples of blood and urine.


Pregnant women living in the Lothian area who are aged between 16 and 50 years, and who are pregnant with a single baby, are eligible to take part.

You can take part if:



You may not be able to take part if:


1. Women who are not pregnant2. Women aged under 16 years or over 50 years 3. Women who are classified as Adults with Incapacity (AWI) as determined by midwife, GP or research team4. Multiple pregnancy


Below are the locations for where you can take part in the trial. Please note that not all sites may be open.

  • Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh at Little France
    51 Little France Crescent Old Dalkeith Road Edinburgh
    Lothian
    EH16 4SA

There will be no direct benefits from taking part in the study, but the results may help to improve the healthcare of pregnant women in the future. None of the measurements taken are expected to pose any risks to the health of participants or their pregnancies. However, there may be inconvenience associated with having to take time to travel to and attend study visits. The blood tests can sometimes cause minor bruising.
There is a small possibility that the measurements may reveal a health problem that a participant was unaware of. In the unlikely scenario that this does occur, the participant will be referred to receive further medical advice and treatment as appropriate.

Prof Rebecca Reynolds
+44 (0)131 242 6762
R.Reynolds@ed.ac.uk



More information about this study, what is involved and how to take part can be found on the study website.


The study is sponsored by Accord (United Kingdom) and funded by Wellcome Leap; Rosetrees Trust.



We'd like your feedback

Your feedback is important to us. It will help us improve the quality of the study information on this site. Please answer both questions.


Is this study information helpful?

What will you do next?
Read full details for Trial ID: ISRCTN40843826

Or CPMS 60001

Last updated 03 October 2025

This page is to help you find out about a research study and if you may be able to take part

You can print or share the study information with your GP/healthcare provider or contact the research team directly.   

Back to the top