IMPACT SNAPSHOT: BaBi Network

Our BaBi Network is transforming maternal health research by embedding research infrastructure within routine NHS maternity services, capturing 10% of England’s births and training 10% of England’s midwives in research skills.

#Analogue to Digital
#Sickness to Prevention

The Born and Bred In (BaBi) Network has transformed maternal health research across England by embedding research infrastructure within routine NHS maternity services. This innovative approach has boosted research participation, enabling NHS Trusts that previously lacked research capacity to contribute to national health studies. By linking existing healthcare data without burdening clinical staff, BaBi has created a sustainable model for large-scale health research that directly informs policy and improves family health outcomes.

Key impacts include:

• Enrolled over 60,000 mothers and babies across 13 sites, capturing 10% of England’s births
• Trained 1,500 clinical midwives in research skills, enabling informed consent and research delivery (10% of all midwives in England)
• Attracted nearly £1 million in external funding for expanded research activities
• Established 3 national communities of practice (communications, data management, research delivery) creating sustainable knowledge-sharing infrastructure
• Enabled multiple NHS Trusts to offer maternity research participation for the first time
• Created one of the UK’s largest pregnancy research cohorts through efficient data-linking methodology

The network’s coordinating centre, BiB4All, maintains consistent ethical standards while preserving local autonomy. This systematic capacity-building approach has increased research opportunities for underserved populations and generated evidence that continues to shape local and national healthcare policy, demonstrating how embedded research can deliver population-level health improvements.