Epidemiologic considerations around a case-control study of oxytocin (mis?)use and baby survival.
A team of researchers from CISMAC (see side bar) have been involved in a nested, case-control study. The study is a good example of researcher curiosity in action.
By: Elinor Bartle
Published: (Updated: )
The researchers were previously involved in a cluster randomised controlled trial evaluating the Indian Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness (IMNCI) programme (see side bar for more info). The researchers noticed something interesting and unexpected in women’s reports of their birth experience: a surprising number reported “receiving an injection to increase their pain”.
Further investigation showed this to be injections of oxytocics to hasten birth and reduce bleeding. They realised that their data gave them a unique opportunity to provide scientific data about the potential negative effects of using such drugs before birth without adequate monitoring facilities.
The study’s important results were published in Epidemiology (external link) in September 2020.
Learn more about the study and results
Sanjana Brahmawar Mohan and Halvor Sommerfelt have presented the main results in a video (external link) produced by the Journal. CISMAC also has a news article about the work. In September, CISMAC leadership have decided to use the CISMAC webinar platform to disseminate information, not only about the important results, but as an example of a methodology, for exploiting data collected in existing studies to generate information and results that are useful for public health and public health policy.
On 9 September Sanjana briefly presented the study rationale and methodology. Halvor then presented the first part of a detailed lecture about the thorough epidemiological grounding for the study results. Discussion was encouraged throughout the lecture and participant discussion hubs were established in Kampala, led by Victoria Nankabirwa and India led by Bireshwar Sinha
Attend the webinars
The first part of the lecture is still available on Adobe Connect (external link). Click on the link to access the lecture (if you are asked to login, just close that login window and you will find yourself in the webinar window!).
The second part of the lecture and discussion will take place Wednesday 23 September. Learn more here.