William Petri, MD, PhD, (left) and maternal health team researchers in Bangladesh
The Azithromycin Prophylaxis in Labor Use Study (A-PLUS) trial group, an international coalition of researchers including UVA’s William Petri, MD, PHD, a professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, demonstrated in their global research study that a single dose of azithromycin reduced maternal sepsis during labor and delivery. Dr. Petri led UVA’s participation in the study, in collaboration with experts in Bangladesh at the icddr, b reseach center and LAMB hospital.
In honor of this important scientific achievement, the A-PLUS trial group has been recognized with a 2024 NIH Director’s Award. Nominated by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the study was commended for “excellence in leading the high-impact, multi-country, multi-site A-PLUS study to decrease maternal sepsis and death.”
UVA is one of seven universities involved in the A-PLUS study through the Global Network for Women’s and Children’s Health. In the study, more than 29,000 women in low- and middle-income countries volunteered to take part in the randomized trial; half were given azithromycin and half were given a harmless placebo. Among the 14,637 women who received the placebo, 2.4% developed sepsis or died within six weeks. That’s compared with only 1.6% of the 14,526 women who received azithromycin.
Learn more about the researcher’s findings about using antibiotics to reduce risk of death during childbirth in the UVA Health press release.
Filed Under: Featured, Honors & Awards, Research