Westmead Women’s Institute for Research and Data Collection (W2IRED)
Westmead Women’s Institute for Research and Data collection (W2IRED) was formed in 2015 to assist with research undertaken by the Westmead Women’s and Newborn Health division. The Institute supports innovative projects which will improve the lives of women and babies locally and worldwide.
Westmead Hospital’s Birth Unit is one of the busiest in Australia and our women’s health clinics provide expertise in a wide range of gynaecological conditions. This creates an ideal situation to conduct and participate in research trials focusing on women's and babies’ health.
We know that time spent in the womb, the birth process, and the early months of life profoundly affect health for the rest of people’s lives. Our research team strives to find ways to provide the safest and healthiest environments for mothers and their babies, during pregnancy and after birth.
W2IRED concentrates on obstetric and neonatal research. However, our studies also encompass other aspects of women’s health, ranging from conditions as varied as sexual dysfunction, polycystic ovarian syndrome and the management of endometriosis, to the prevention and treatment women’s gynaecological cancers.
W2IRED aims to guide and coordinate research and help with collection of data, a process also known as auditing. By creating W2IRED, we have increased opportunities for researchers to easily access hospital data and to efficiently run their research trials. In this way the findings and results of our research will benefit our patients and women in the community sooner.
The program seeks to encourage research by all medical staff, including medical and midwifery students, by providing training in:
• data collection
• designing successful and ethical research studies
• publishing papers and creating research posters
• presenting results and findings at state, national, and international conferences.
W2IRED consists of a dedicated and experienced team of doctors, nurses and researchers. Our permanent staff members are:
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Associate Professor Seng Chua
[MBBS(USyd), Dip(RANZCOG),FRANZCOG]
Senior Consultant in Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Westmead Hospital
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Associate Professor Marjan Khajehei
[PhD, MSc, RM]
Clinical Midwifery Consultant, Women's and Newborn Health, Westmead Hospital
Principal Research Fellow, University of Sydney
Conjoint Senior Lecturer, University of New South Wales
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Ms Beata Gidaszewski
Clinical Midwifery Consultant, Women's and Newborn Health, Westmead Hospital
Clinical Associate Lecturer, University of Sydney
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W2IRED is in involved in research projects which encompass our rural hospitals thus helping improve medical communication between the city and the bush.
Anaemia (low blood count) After Birth study
Recently Dubbo Base Hospital joined our research trial into the prevention of post-partum anaemia. Post-partum anaemia means having a low number of red cells in the blood count after the birth of your baby. If not recognised and treated, anaemia can lead to problems such as tiredness and lack of energy, it may even contribute to post-natal depression. Prevention and early recognition of the problem should help new mothers cope better. The trial is assessing whether iron infusion or blood transfusion is the best treatment for women with anaemia after birth as well ways to best predict anaemia. We are also looking at quality of life issues for women with anaemia after birth. This trial now involves three metropolitan and one rural hospital.
Knowing that medical research and progress are globally important, the W2IRED team is involved in multinational studies and events. This includes several collaborative projects in China and elsewhere. The multicultural and diverse community which makes up Westmead Hospital’s patients and staff is ideally suited for this type of far-reaching cooperation.
This global impact is exemplified in W2IRED and The Way In Network’s medical student / graduate scholarship to work at the UN for two months. There were a minimum of 48 applicants for these two coveted positions when it was advertised in 2018.
W2IRED’s Chairman Associate Professor Seng Chua recently visited Westmead Hospital’s sister hospital Qilu in Shandong Province China to discuss research proposals such as joining the keloid scarring prevention trial.
In recognition of W2IRED’s ongoing commitment to collaborative research with China, and for his work with Chinese migrants in Australia, Associate Professor Seng Chua was also invited to the embassy celebrations of the 69th Anniversary of The People’s Republic of China.
W2IRED has also set up the Student Research Centre (W2IRED.SRC) to assist keen candidates applying for the UN scholarships and to provide interested students with exposure to clinical Women and Newborn Health research.
W2IRED is inviting applications for a merit-based 'WAY IN NETWORK' Bursary of AUD$5,000 to undertake a voluntary WHO residency in Geneva in 2020. The successful candidate will spend a mininmum of 2 months working for WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland! Applications close at 12pm Friday 29 November 2019.
You can access a PDF of the information here.
We would like to congratulate the first recipients of the W2IRED World Health Organisation (WHO) scholarships.
You can read about the recipients here. [PDF]
Medical and postgraduate students who are interested in research opportunities and considering a career in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Women’s Health or Public Health are invited to contact the W2IRED team via this email address
We encourage patients to participate in our research trials in order to help us answer our research questions faster.
To Donate
Credit Card: call 1800 639 037 to pay via credit card
| You may have to leave a message for staff to return your call to obtain your payment details.
Direct Deposit: Westpac Bank
| BSB: 032340
| ACCT: 961488
| ACCT NAME: Westmead Medical Research Foundation
| DESCRIPTION: W2IRED Women's and Newborn Health
BPay:
| using biller code 246926
W2IRED would like to acknowledge the generous sponsorship of:
Wayln Network
Australian Chinese Medical Association (Inaugural sponsor)
DaiCorp
Westmead Private Hospital
The aim of this registry is to keep a record of all authorised research activities conducted within Women’s and Newborn Health.
To register your interest in conducting research involving Women’s and Newborn at Westmead hospital, please click here.
- Intravenous iron infusion versus red blood cell transfusion on the management of acute post-partum anaemia: A prospective randomized multicentre trial.
- A formula for predicting haemoglobin level based on estimated blood lost and other parameters in women with postpartum haemorrhage: A prospective trial.
- Post-partum quality of life and breastfeeding quality with different levels of anaemia after post-partum haemorrhage.
- Correlation between symptoms, signs and haematological parameters in postpartum haemorrhage: Have we discharged patients too early?
- Efficacy of sub-dermoid injection of Triamcinolone Acetonide for treatment of caesarean section keloid scars: Randomized controlled trial.
- Effect of keloid scar during pregnancy: a prospective longitudinal study.
- Psychological effects on mother-child bonding and marital relationship in women who suffer keloid scars after caesarean section.
- Patient satisfaction with intra-lesional Triamcinolone Acetonide Injection for keloids following repeat caesarean section: A retrospective review.
- Comparison of post-operative pain scores and use of analgesia between Veress and Hasson techniques in diagnostic laparoscopy: A randomized trial.
- Factors leading to increasing respiratory distress in the near term premature delivery between 34-36 week gestation.
- Predictors of women decision on trialling vaginal birth after caesarean section and its influence on outcomes.
- Comparing outcome of vaginal birth after caesarean section in those having inter hospital versus no transfer: Efficacy and patients satisfaction.