In the UK one in every 100 babies is born before 32 weeks (very preterm); they have immature lungs and kidneys and often need help with breathing, feeding, and other life support. Those who survive may spend months in hospital, and suffer ill health or disability in childhood. Even modest improvement for these children and their families would be important. Often, clinical research does not address the questions about treatments that are of greatest importance to patients, their carers, and their clinicians.

This programme identifed and prioritised research gaps for preterm birth, developed and assessed ways of providing initial care at birth at the bedside, explored ethical issues in recruiting preterm infants to trials, and assessed whether a large NHS trial comparing deferred cord clamping and initial care at the bedside, with immediate clamping and initial care at the side of the room, for preterm births would be feasible.

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