Day in the life of clinical research midwives

We're Molly and Amy, clinical research midwives. This means we get involved with the many fascinating research projects that are happening at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust.

Together we're working on an exciting new national research project called the Generation Study, which is researching whether whole genome sequencing (a technique that allows us look at someone's entire genetic code) could be used to screen newborn babies for rare genetic conditions. Our job is to talk to parents about the study and explore with them if they want to get involved. We then support them to be able to take part.

A typical day

No two days are the same but they generally consist of a lot of talking! We talk to parents and carers about the Generation Study and explain how a simple blood sample is taken from the umbilical cord once their baby is born. This small blood sample will then be screened to detect over 220 rare genetic conditions, so their baby can be treated at the earliest possible moment if they have one of these conditions. The majority of babies will not have one of the conditions that we are looking for but their genetic data will still help researchers to learn more about genetics and genetic medicine.

We also spend a lot of time answering parents' and carers' questions. Often we're talking to people on the phone and on wards, but we're also out and about in our local communities spreading the word. At the hospital we're also on hand to collect the blood samples and ensure they get to the laboratory safely for testing.  

The best thing about our job

The Generation Study is aiming to screen 100,000 newborn babies and we're one of the first hospitals to be involved, so it's exciting to be part of something so cutting edge.

We love meeting the women and birthing people participating in the study and supporting them during their pregnancies. It's a privilege to engage and educate people about the value that research can offer us both as individuals and as a nation. We've had so many fascinating conversations as a result.

Our proudest moment

Molly: I've recently moved from Australia to London, and that feels like a huge achievement! This was to complete a master's degree which has allowed me to move into the research space. Now I'm the co-lead midwife on the Generation Study, a job I find really rewarding.

Amy: I'm halfway through a master's degree in genomic medicine. I'm juggling it in between my role as a research midwife and my children so it's tough but I've learnt so much and it is proving to be so helpful for when I'm talking to families about the Generation Study.

What we're working on at the moment

We've previously been very focused on getting the Generation Study up and running, so now our attention can turn to ensuring those involved have the best possible experience. That really is important to us both.

We're also spending time with our colleagues and other teams to ensure as many people as possible know about the study so that they can pass on information to their patients.

What's next for our team

It's really important to us that every pregnant woman and birthing person in England gets the chance to take part in the study. It's also critical that we have a range of genetic ancestry so that we can learn as much as possible about genetic medicine for the future.

We're lucky to have a very diverse community who come to have their babies delivered with us, and we're planning to get out and spend more time talking with pregnant women and birthing people, their families and their communities about the Generation Study and how it could benefit them. If you spot us, come and say hi!

Find out more about the Generation Study.

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