UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 11 FEBRUARY
Improving outcomes for an estimated 95,000 babies admitted to neonatal units across the UK, Birmingham City University’s (BCU) Elizabeth Bryan Multiple Births Centre has already established a significant legacy.
So, on International Day of Women and Girls in Science (11 February), which shines a spotlight on incredible females driving scientific advances, who better to profile than Elizabeth Bryan herself.
As a pioneering consultant paediatrician, Elizabeth devoted her career to the support and care of families with twins, triplets and other multiples, supporting their needs as they embarked on parenthood with more than one baby.
Elizabeth became interested in twins when carrying out research into low birth-weight babies, with a particular interest in twins who share one placenta. This can lead to the rare twin-twin transfusion syndrome, where the blood supply between the babies becomes unbalanced.
Seeing this firsthand, Elizabeth helped set up the Twins Club Association, which later evolved into the Twins and Multiple Births Association, a self-help organisation for parents of multiples.
She established the Multiple Births Foundation (MBF) in 1988, conscious that healthcare and allied professions were largely unaware of the specific needs of families experiencing multiple births.
During her pioneering work, Elizabeth helped numerous families with multiples through specialist clinics at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital, and in both Birmingham and York.
Her extensive knowledge informed the MBF education programme along with many publications and lectures. She was internationally renowned for her expertise.
Elizabeth died in 2008 but her legacy lives on through the work carried out at Birmingham City University, where the Elizabeth Bryan Multiple Births Centre was established in 2017 through a partnership with the MBF.
Throughout its 30-year history, the MBF supported professionals in the specialist care of multiple births. This work continues at the Centre now bearing Elizabeth’s name.
An archive of her writing, papers and books, as well as many other resources developed and accumulated during the MBF’s history, are held within the archives of the Wellcome Collection.
Additional items are still used by the Centre, providing resources on the history of family care perspectives on multiple births.
The Centre continues to build on Elizabeth’s work and is committed to driving the best possible care for multiple birth families through professional education, practice engagement and a dedicated research programme.
There remains a need to focus on the support of multiple pregnancies and the wellbeing of families. Recent reports have highlighted the increased risks associated with multiple pregnancy and how good quality care is essential to avoid poor outcomes (MBRRACE-UK, 2021).
Work undertaken by the Centre has highlighted that professionals such as midwives and health visitors have received little or no specialist training on multiple births.
In response, it has developed an online short course called Twinning Trends and Types, which allows students to study the material at their own pace and at a time that suits them.
Pictured: Elizabeth Bryan