Giunti Labs is helping the Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and the Oxford Maternal and Perinatal Health Institute (Green Templeton College) at the University of Oxford to develop educational material on maternal health for midwives, nurses, and doctors in developing countries - notably in India, Mexico, and Nigeria. The material focuses on pre-eclampsia - a pregnancy condition that is characterised by high blood pressure and protein in the urine.

If untreated, complications can develop such as seizures (eclampsia), strokes, kidney and liver damage, and ultimately death. In fact, eclampsia and severe pre-eclampsia claim the lives of some 63,000 women each year around the world - as well as the lives of many of their babies.

Dr. Stephen Kennedy, head of the Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, explains, "Pre-eclampsia usually develops some time after the twentieth week of pregnancy, and serious complications may affect the mother, the baby, or both. The more severe the condition becomes, the greater the risk that complications will develop."

Since pre-eclampsia is thought to be due to a problem with the placenta, delivering the baby early is the usual treatment, and medication is given to help prevent complications.

Dr. Kennedy's long-term vision is for the Oxford Maternal and Perinatal Health Institute to offer a course in all aspects of maternal health to healthcare professionals globally. His efforts to pursue this have led to a grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation via EngenderHealth, a New York-based charity, to develop eLearning materials relating to one important aspect of maternal health, namely pre-eclampsia and its effective treatment.

With the help of a small team of clinicians, led by Dr. José Villar at the University of Oxford, Giunti Labs has developed a pilot that aims to deliver a self-paced eLearning module consisting of five components of thirty minutes each. There is a basic version for healthcare professionals wishing to understand the fundamentals, as well as a more advanced one that provides the evidence behind the recommendations for those seeking to improve their knowledge of the management of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia.

The target audience for this module is midwives, nurses, and doctors working in local hospitals in India, Mexico, and Nigeria. Giunti Labs has therefore developed versions in both English and Spanish.

"Obviously, the success of this pilot will determine whether or not we are able to secure further funding to develop a whole programme in maternal health", says Dr. Catriona Murray, who has worked on the project for the last two years.

"Between 300,000 and 500,000 women die each year from problems related to pregnancy", she adds. "Ninety-nine per cent of these deaths occur in developing countries, and many of them are preventable."