At just 24 weeks, Penny Williams’ membranes ruptured around one of her twins and she was immediately sent to the Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital (RBWH). She was told that if she were to go into labour at that point, her babies would have a 50% chance of survival and only a 10% chance of being completely healthy. For Penny, like so many other mothers and families, these are terrifying statistics.

The biggest risk for Penny’s babies was some form of brain injury. Every year in Australia approximately 5,000 preterm and term babies are born who are sick and at high risk of brain injury that leads to brain damage, intellectual disability or cerebral palsy. Scarily, however, around 20% of all babies have developmental problems that lead to learning difficulties, and conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), later in their childhood.

The five-year Brain Research Advances in Newborns (BRAIN) Project at the RBWH’s Perinatal Research Centre aims to pinpoint ways to prevent brain injury whilst the baby is still in the womb and also how to prevent injury and rehabilitate the developing brain after birth.

Professor Paul Colditz, Head of the BRAIN project said, ”Aside from promising huge benefits to babies and their families, controlling brain injury in newborns will benefit society in general. It will reduce the need for funding to care for people with disability and decrease the number of children with learning difficulties, thus taking the pressure off teachers and the education system.