Childbirth pioneer hosts ‘Womb Wars’
Sep 9 2008 by Liza Williams, Liverpool Daily Post
LORD Robert Winston will be discussing the problems of childbirth at the University of Liverpool’s BA Festival of Science today.
Womb Wars: From Conception to Delivery will be hosted by the pioneering doctor and scientist, who will introduce researchers currently working to develop a Centre for Better Births in Liverpool.
The centre will bring researchers and clinicians together under one roof at the Liverpool Women’s Hospital – home to the largest number of births in Europe.
Experts will discuss research into emergency caesareans, infertility and recurrent miscarriages.
The event is part of the week- long festival which includes talks, debates, performances and hands- on activities.
Lord Winston is currently at the centre of controversy after he announced his team of scientists are breeding genetically modified pigs in the hope of providing organs for transplant to humans.
He says introducing human genes to the pigs will reduce the chances of humans rejecting the organs.
Critics are concerned animal viruses may spread to humans but Dr Winston says the team is trying to breed virus free pigs.
As part of the festival 20 other events are on the agenda happening today, including Murder, Mystery and Microscopes, which looks at the accuracy of crime fiction and also Between Faith and Reason: the new shape of science in the Islamic world, which will discuss whether religion is beneficial or detrimental to scientific endeavour.
Big Bang – a music show for all ages presents physics and the Universe in a unique way and visitors can also join a tour of the Victoria Gallery and Museum within the university this afternoon. All events are aimed at different age groups and backgrounds – from families to professionals.
During Womb Wars, Dr Siobhan Quenby, from the University’s School of Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, will also talk about advances in medical treatment for women who have recurrent miscarriages.
Dr Quenby said: "The standard management for recurrent miscarriage involves doing 30 blood tests.
"Despite these investigations, no cause has been found for the pregnancy losses in 50% of couples.
"We found that women who had miscarriages of unknown cause had more uterine natural killer cells in the lining of the womb than those who did not have miscarriages.
"We are now trialling a steroid treatment, called prednisolone, which we found to significantly reduce the number of these cells."
Also speaking at the event is Charles Kingsland, head of the reproductive unit at the Liverpool Women’s Hospital, who will discuss modern management of infertility problems in the UK.
WOMB Wars starts at 1pm at the Leggate Theatre in the Victoria Building and costs £5.
For tickets and information about the festival log on to www.the-ba.net/festivalofscience or call the ticket hotline – 07807 106644. Callers are advised this is a mobile number.
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