Aims of the EPICure study
The EPICure Study was established in 1995 to determine the chances of survival and later health problems for children who were born before 26 weeks of gestation in the United Kingdom and Ireland during a 10 month period in that year. The study has also identified some of the factors at birth that can give an indication of the long term outcome. This group of children have been followed up at 1 year, 2.5 years, 6-8 years, and 10-11 years of age. A brief study at 16 years is underway and plans are being made for a further study at 18-19 years.
Between 1995 and 2006, neonatal intensive care had changed and we repeated the study to see if this has had any effect on chances of survival and health for surviving children.
The new study, called EPICure2, collected information on babies born before 27 weeks in England and these children have been seen at 3 years as the first age at which we assessed their health and development.
EPICure is the first and largest study to look at the very long term outcomes for such premature births. We are very grateful to the children and their families who have helped us collect this important information and continue to do so.
In this website you can read about some of the information we have collected and analysed.
Much more is to be found in the scientific papers we have published from the research work that the children and their families have helped us carry out. This information is really helpful to parents, doctors, nurses and midwives who are looking after children born so very early and has been used nationally and internationally to improve the care we provide for babies, and later on for older children and young adults.
Latest News
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March 2011 23 WEEK BABIES: THE PRICE OF LIFE Many will have seen the BBC2 documentary on Wednesday 9 March. After the programme I was contacted by Adam Wishart who made the documentary as I had questioned ... read more... |
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Move to London As from 24 September 2010, the EPICure Study Office will no longer be based at the University of Nottingham, but will move to the Institute of Women's Health, UCL, London, with Professor Marlow. read more... |
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Neurodevelopmental disability at 11 years - results published A paper discussing neurodevelopmental disability at 11 years has been published in the journal Pediatrics and is available online. Click here ... read more... |
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Education paper published A report discussing academic attainment and special educational needs based on the assessments of the 11 year olds has been published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal ... read more... |
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First Report Published from the 11 year Assessments 12 March 2009 Press release from the University of Nottingham Extremely premature babies are at high risk of learning difficulties in middle childhood A major study charting the development of ... read more... |
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Newspaper Articles 12 March 2009 The Independent The Telegraph Children and Young People Now read more... |
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EPICure child in local news One of the EPICure children has been featured on her local television network. See link (it follows the advert!) ... read more... |
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EPICure 2 - 2 year questionnaires All the children born in 2006 who were recruited to the EPICure 2 Study are being sent an EPICure teddy bear, birthday card and folder around the time of their second birthday. The folder ... read more... |
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July 2008 Professor Neil Marlow, one of the Principal Investigators of the EPICure Study, is leaving his post as Professor of Neonatal Medicine at the University of Nottingham and the Queens Medical Centre, ... read more... |
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June 2008 Dr Sue Thomas who is one of the paediatricians who has assessed EPICure children in the north of England, was ordained as a deacon at Ripon Cathedral on 29 June 2008. read more... |
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May 2008 This week MPs will have a free vote on amendments that would reduce the upper limit for abortions from 24 weeks to 22 or even 20 weeks. The Medical Research Council (MRC) has published a news ... read more... |
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November 2006 The Nuffield Council on Bioethics published a report - Critical care decisions in fetal and neonatal medicine: ethical issues. Read report read more... |
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BBC coverage PANORAMA: The Miracle baby grows up Sept 2004 Transcript of the program televised on Sept 22 2004 Professor Marlow's Interview read more... |