Reproductive and cardio-metabolic health

One in every 30 children in the UK is now born through IVF, yet up to 40% of all pregnancies—whether conceived naturally or by IVF—end in complications such as pregnancy loss, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, premature birth, or an infant born dangerously small or large. This matters because doctors currently cannot predict which women will face these problems or how to prevent them. The research will analyse data from very large studies using new statistical methods that separate true causes from misleading factors—called confounders—that can make something look like a cause when it is not. By doing this, the team aims to identify what actually drives pregnancy complications and how to improve IVF success rates. If successful, this work could change how fertility treatments are designed and how pregnancy care is delivered, reducing the number of women who experience serious complications. It could also reveal which risk factors during pregnancy influence a child’s long-term risk of obesity, diabetes, or heart disease—conditions that affect millions of people and place heavy demands on the NHS. The findings would help clinicians target prevention efforts earlier, potentially reshaping antenatal care guidelines and improving lifelong health outcomes for the next generation.