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What does anaemia do to a developing brain? by Inside Neuroscience
Anaemia affects up to 37% of pregnant women worldwide,and efforts to reduce these numbers have stagnated. But how does anaemia in pregnancy impact the developing baby? And what can be done to help?Jessica Ringshaw, Research Fellow in PaediatricNeuroimaging, speaks to Dr Francesca Greenstreet about her latest research into the effect of anaemia around the time of pregnancy on the size of different parts of babies’ brains. She speaks about why pregnant women are particularly atrisk of anaemia and what can be done to help.During her PhD at the University of Cape Town, Jessicafollowed babies and their mothers up to a year after birth, taking brain scans to see how the babies’ brains developed. She also used a special type of scanner that makes reaching communities most effected by anaemia easier. Through a Wellcome Trust International Training Fellowship, she had opportunity to collaborate with Professor Steve Williams at King’s College London. She also received a Wellcome Trust Research Enrichment Grant, which sheused to fund public engagement work in the community.Her research has been featured by The Guardian and BBCWorld Service. More information about the study and her public engagement projects can be found here:https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/anaemia-in-pregnancy-linked-to-differences-in-babies-brain-development-study-finds
