Project Title: Fever in Labour: Which factors predict adverse maternal outcomes?
Primary Investigator: Dr. Julie van Schalkwyk
Primary Contact: Chelsea Elwood, B.M.ScH, M.Sc, MD, FRCSC, Reproductive Infectious Diseases Specialist, Medical Lead Antimicrobial Stewardship, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of British Columbia Chelsea.Elwood@cw.bc.ca
About the Study: Sepsis in labour is currently the leading cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Despite significant advances in medical care, sepsis is on the rise. Intraamniotic infection (IAI) is the most common precursor to sepsis in the setting of labour and delivery. We are reviewing all women with fever in labour in order to identify clinical parameters that can better predict the need for escalation in care. This is in the hopes of proposing a modified scoring system to determine if it is possible to accurately identify patients at risk of IAI, sepsis and adverse fetal and maternal outcomes. If validated, this tool would allow BC Women's Hospital, and other isolated obstetric care facilities in the province, to predict which women will need escalated care, and could significantly impact the health outcomes of mothers and their newborns. Bacteremia in Pregnant and Postpartum Women"]
Study Status: Chart review and data analysis
Project Title: Bacteremia in Pregnant and Postpartum Women
Principal Investigator: Dr Chelsea Elwood
Primary Contact: Chelsea Elwood, B.M.ScH, M.Sc, MD, FRCSC, Reproductive Infectious Diseases Specialist, Medical Lead Antimicrobial Stewardship, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of British Columbia Chelsea.Elwood@cw.bc.ca
About the Study: Maternal sepsis is one of the most common contributors to global maternal death and sepsis related maternal morbidity and mortality remains a significant problem even in developed nations. The objectives of this study are to describe the incidence of bacteremia at our institution, the source of the bacteremia and organisms recovered from the positive blood cultures, and the antibiotics used to treat the identified positive blood cultures. The secondary objectives of this study are to describe maternal, fetal and/or newborn outcomes. A retrospective hospital-based chart review of women who had positive peripartum blood cultures drawn will be undertaken for the years 2015-2018. This data will be linked to an existing study database containing the same data from 2011-2015, and existing hospital readmission data.
Study Status: Chart review and data analysis
2020
Edwards W, Dore S, van Schalkwyk J, Armson BA. Prioritizing Maternal Sepsis: National Adoption of an Obstetric Early Warning System to Prevent Morbidity and Mortality. J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2020 May;42(5):640-643. doi: 10.1016/j.jogc.2019.11.072. Epub 2020 Mar 12. PMID: 32171506.
2018
Money D, Allen VM. No. 298 The Prevention of Early-Onset Neonatal Group B Streptococcal Diseas. J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2018 Aug;40(8):e665-e674. doi: 10.1016/j.jogc.2018.05.032
2017
Elwood C, Money D. (2017). Underlying maternal infection likely cause of study findings. CMAJ. 189(27): E918.
2015
Money D; Infectious Disease Committee Members, Yudin MH, Allen V, Bouchard C, Boucher M, Boucoiran I, Caddy S, Castillo E, Kennedy VL, Money D, Murphy K, Ogilvie G, Paquet C, van Schalkwyk J. SOGC committee opinion on the management of a pregnant woman exposed to or infected with Ebola virus disease in Canada. J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2015 Feb;37(2):182-91.
Money, D. Ebola in Pregnancy: Have We Learned Any Lessons? J Obstet Gynaecol Can 2015;37(2):105-107