(From left) Lauren Hilliard, Christopher Ennen, MD, and Amanda Urban
In our latest installment of our series, “A Healthier Future—One Clinical Trial at a Time,” we talked with Christopher Ennen, MD, an assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, who specializes in maternal-fetal medicine. Dr. Ennen was the site investigator for a clinic trial to determine if a mid-trimester biomarker screening followed by targeted therapeutics positively impacts neonatal outcomes for high-risk pregnancies.
Dr. Ennen’s clinical practices focuses on caring for patients with complicated pregnancies, with a particular interest in obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease in expectant mothers. He also serves as director for the maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) fellowship program at UVA. Dr. Ennen joined UVA in 2020 after a 25-year medical career in the United States Navy.
Learn more about Dr. Ennen’s study, titled “Neonatal Impact of Prematurity Risk Biomarker Screening with Targeted Interventions: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial,” in our interview below.
Christopher Ennen, MD
Q. What do you hope to learn from this study? Will the results potentially change the standard of care for future patients?
Ennen: The study aims to evaluate whether a mid-trimester biomarker test, followed by targeted interventions for higher-risk pregnancies, improves neonatal outcomes, including reducing hospital stays and morbidities. If successful, this approach could potentially change clinical practice by offering a personalized, evidence-based strategy for managing pregnancies at risk of preterm birth.
Q. Does your trial give novel treatment or other opportunities to your/our patients?
Ennen: Yes, the trial introduces a novel approach where high-risk pregnancies, identified through a blood test, receive a tailored intervention regimen consisting of progesterone, aspirin, and nursing support. This targeted approach could significantly reduce neonatal morbidity, intensive care unit admissions, and length of hospital stays, improving patient outcomes compared to standard care.
Q. What is novel about your study design/treatment/intervention?
Ennen: What sets this study apart is its use of a mid-trimester blood test to identify women at high risk for preterm birth, followed by a personalized intervention plan. This proactive approach is different from traditional methods that do not rely on biomarker-based screening, providing a more targeted and potentially effective way to manage pregnancies at risk.
Q. How will you ensure inclusion of a diverse subject population?
Ennen: The study was conducted across 19 U.S. centers, enrolling 5,018 participants, which enhances the diversity of the subject population. By including a wide range of geographic locations and patient demographics, the study aims to ensure that its findings are applicable to a broad, diverse population of pregnant individuals, helping to generalize the results to various clinical settings.
Filed Under: Research