September 13, 2023
1,500 mums and babies join the world-leading research study working to improve the lives of families living in Wakefield District and north Kirklees
Born and Bred in Wakefield (BaBi Wakefield) now has 1,000 mums from across Wakefield District and north Kirklees signed up to the study.
BaBi Wakefield is an important research initiative which aims to find out what influences the health and wellbeing of families. Over time, this will help to shape local services, creating a healthier environment for families to enjoy.
The 1,000th mum-to-be that signed up is Ellie from Pontefract who is currently expecting her first baby. Ellie said: “After my midwife explained what BaBi Wakefield is, I decided to sign up because it sounds like a great research project and I wanted to help.
“I’d like to see BaBi Wakefield make everyone’s lives a bit easier and improve the quality of life for families and individuals.”
The study has also seen 500 little ones born into the BaBi Wakefield family since the study opened last year. These two milestones are an important achievement for the study.
Judith Holliday, Head of Research at Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust, said: “We are thrilled that so many mums have signed up and that we’ve welcomed 500 babies into the BaBi Wakefield family so far.
“Every single person that signs up is providing invaluable insights into families lives over time. The more people that sign up, the bigger impact we can have on the future health and wellbeing of families living in Wakefield District and north Kirklees.”
BaBi Wakefield works by collecting routine data recorded by the services consenting pregnant women access for themselves or for their babies. This data is joined together anonymously. The data collected helps to create a bigger picture of local people’s health, for research purposes.
Routine recorded data includes lots of different things, such as blood pressure measurements during ante-natal appointments, or the details of baby’s height and weight recorded by health visitors.
Anyone living in Wakefield District or north Kirklees who is receiving maternity care at Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust can sign up to the study.
More information about BaBi Wakefield is available on the Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust website.
