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Andrew  Shennan

Professor Andrew Shennan

Tommy's Chair in Maternal and Fetal Health

  • Professor of Obstetrics

Research interests

  • Women

Biography

Andrew Shennan is Professor of Obstetrics at King’s College London, based at St. Thomas’ Hospital and is Clinical Director of South London Clinical Research Network. He leads an NIHR Global Health Research Group (2021-2024). He is Chair of the FIGO Preterm Birth Committee (2012-23). He sits on the UK HTA commissioning board. He is current Chair of Action on Pre-eclampsia UK charity.

He specialises in clinical trials in antenatal and intrapartum care. His research interests include interventions to predict and prevent preterm birth, pre-eclampsia, and reduce global maternal and perinatal mortality. He has published >500 peer reviewed research reports (H index >50).

He has an active clinical role in managing high risk obstetric patients, including a regular hands-on labour ward commitment, and a specialist award winning preterm birth surveillance clinic that accepts national and international referrals.

He is the recipient of the international 2017 Newton Prize for excellence in research and innovation in support of economic development and social welfare in low and middle-income countries. He was awarded an OBE in 2018 for services to maternity care.

He is a dedicated “parkrunner”, and is a founder member of the parkrun research board.

    Research

    caesarean-stitch
    CRAFT: Cerclage after full dilatation caesarean section

    An investigation into the role of previous in labour caesarean section in future preterm birth risk and management strategies

    Project status: Starting

    global
    Global Maternal Health

    Global Maternal Health

    hypertension 2
    Maternal Hypertension

    The Hypertension group strategy focuses on improving outcomes for women with hypertension in pregnancy

    mother and child hands
    INSIGHT-2

    Mechanistic Studies into Pregnancy Complications and their Impact on Maternal and Child Health

    News

    Professor Andrew Shennan OBE appointed as Tommy's Chair of Maternal and Fetal Health

    Professor Shennan takes over from Professor Lucilla Poston CBE, who has held the role since it was created in 1995

    Lucilla Poston / Andrew Shennan 780x450

    Planned delivery reduces risk of maternal and perinatal complications caused by pre-eclampsia

    The study, conducted in India and Zambia, also found that the intervention reduced stillbirths by 75%

    Young Indian mother

    News tracker: COP27 expert commentary and updates

    All the latest from across King's relating to COP27, climate, sustainability and more.

    Cop27 News 2

    Toxic cooking fumes cause complications in some pregnant women

    Exposure to indoor household pollution has been linked to poor pregnancy outcomes for women in low- and middle-income countries in a new study.

    Cooking Fumes

    Premature birth could be predicted as early as 10 weeks pregnant

    Mothers at risk of premature birth could be identified far sooner in pregnancy than current tests allow by looking for specific bacteria and chemicals in...

    baby and mother

    Thresholds for diagnosing hypertension in pregnancy should not be lowered

    New study shows that lowering the threshold for a high blood pressure diagnosis in pregnant women is unlikely to lead to improved outcomes in low-resource...

    Mother carrying baby

    Emergency Caesarean sections can cause recurring early labour, study finds

    Women who have had emergency Caesarean section and a subsequent preterm birth or miscarriage are more likely to go into early labour during their third...

    caeserean stitch

    App developed to determine risk of preterm birth recommended by NHS England

    A mobile-phone app and best practice toolkit used to calculate a woman’s individual risk of preterm birth were recently launched due to COVID-19 and are now...

    Pregnancy

    Abdominal stitch is more effective for women with recurrent preterm births and will save babies' lives

    The results of a clinical trial, from King’s have shown that an abdominal cerclage, or stitch, is proven to save babies’ lives and reduce preterm birth in a...

    baby holding hand of mother

    Events

    13May

    KGHI Research Seminar - PRECISE & CRADLE

    Focusing on King's research in global health by the PRECISE and CRADLE networks

    Please note: this event has passed.

    Spotlight

    Improving outcomes of high-risk pregnancy

    Addressing an unmet meet need for strategies to identify women and babies at risk of serious complications of pregnancy

    A health professional talking to a patient.

      Research

      caesarean-stitch
      CRAFT: Cerclage after full dilatation caesarean section

      An investigation into the role of previous in labour caesarean section in future preterm birth risk and management strategies

      Project status: Starting

      global
      Global Maternal Health

      Global Maternal Health

      hypertension 2
      Maternal Hypertension

      The Hypertension group strategy focuses on improving outcomes for women with hypertension in pregnancy

      mother and child hands
      INSIGHT-2

      Mechanistic Studies into Pregnancy Complications and their Impact on Maternal and Child Health

      News

      Professor Andrew Shennan OBE appointed as Tommy's Chair of Maternal and Fetal Health

      Professor Shennan takes over from Professor Lucilla Poston CBE, who has held the role since it was created in 1995

      Lucilla Poston / Andrew Shennan 780x450

      Planned delivery reduces risk of maternal and perinatal complications caused by pre-eclampsia

      The study, conducted in India and Zambia, also found that the intervention reduced stillbirths by 75%

      Young Indian mother

      News tracker: COP27 expert commentary and updates

      All the latest from across King's relating to COP27, climate, sustainability and more.

      Cop27 News 2

      Toxic cooking fumes cause complications in some pregnant women

      Exposure to indoor household pollution has been linked to poor pregnancy outcomes for women in low- and middle-income countries in a new study.

      Cooking Fumes

      Premature birth could be predicted as early as 10 weeks pregnant

      Mothers at risk of premature birth could be identified far sooner in pregnancy than current tests allow by looking for specific bacteria and chemicals in...

      baby and mother

      Thresholds for diagnosing hypertension in pregnancy should not be lowered

      New study shows that lowering the threshold for a high blood pressure diagnosis in pregnant women is unlikely to lead to improved outcomes in low-resource...

      Mother carrying baby

      Emergency Caesarean sections can cause recurring early labour, study finds

      Women who have had emergency Caesarean section and a subsequent preterm birth or miscarriage are more likely to go into early labour during their third...

      caeserean stitch

      App developed to determine risk of preterm birth recommended by NHS England

      A mobile-phone app and best practice toolkit used to calculate a woman’s individual risk of preterm birth were recently launched due to COVID-19 and are now...

      Pregnancy

      Abdominal stitch is more effective for women with recurrent preterm births and will save babies' lives

      The results of a clinical trial, from King’s have shown that an abdominal cerclage, or stitch, is proven to save babies’ lives and reduce preterm birth in a...

      baby holding hand of mother

      Events

      13May

      KGHI Research Seminar - PRECISE & CRADLE

      Focusing on King's research in global health by the PRECISE and CRADLE networks

      Please note: this event has passed.

      Spotlight

      Improving outcomes of high-risk pregnancy

      Addressing an unmet meet need for strategies to identify women and babies at risk of serious complications of pregnancy

      A health professional talking to a patient.