Limerick maternity staff engage in UHL brain injury masterclass

MATERNITY staff from all over the country flocked to University Hospital Limerick for a special two-day masterclass on preventing brain injury in newborn children.

Led by experts Dr Edwin Chandaran, of St George’s University Hospital, London, and Dr Susan Pereira, of Kingston Hospital NHS Trust, the masterclasses centred around CTG, or cardiotocography.

CTG  allows staff to record fetal heartbeat and contractions during labour and the technique is essential in detecting early signs of fetal distress, including hypoxia, or a lack of oxygen to the brain.

UL Hospitals Group’s clinical director of maternal and child health, Dr Gerry Burke said University Maternity Hospital Limerick has made “the eradication of neonatal brain injury its first priority”.

He said that Dr Chandtaharan has carried out the masterclass in some 30 countries, and that UMHL is “only hospital where it is provided to the participants free of charge as a public service”.

“The UL Hospitals Group is committed to making a national contribution to reducing neonatal brain injury in our maternity hospitals.   The next masterclass will be held over the weekend of August 10 and 11 2019 at the fabulous CERC Building on the main UHL campus,” Dr Burke said last week.