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Dr Hannah Blencowe

Associate Professor

United Kingdom

I am a maternal, perinatal and child health researcher with twenty years’ experience in global health. My background is as a clinician and epidemiologist. I have experience working professionally across a number of countries including UK, Malawi, Kenya, Mozambique, The Gambia, India, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Uganda and Ghana.

Affiliations

Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and International Health
Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health

Centres

Centre for Data and Statistical Science for Health
Centre for Maternal Adolescent Reproductive & Child Health

Teaching

I am passionate about teaching, mentoring and supporting the development of early-career researchers including the supervision of both PhD and MSc students.

I am programme co-director for MSc Public Health for Development. I co-organise the current issues in Safe Motherhood and Perinatal Health module and am a tutor on the Research Design and Analysis, Study Design and Applying Public Health Principles in Developing Countries modules.

Research

My research areas include

Improving measurement of birth outcomes across various data platforms including household surveys, Health Management Information Systems and Civil registration and Vital Statistics systems.

Global estimates of vulnerable newborns including stillbirths, preterm birth, low birthweight, small-for gestational age, neonatal morbidity and congenital disorders

Stillbirths: Ending preventable deaths and improving care for affected women and families

Impact of ill-health, nutritional, social, environmental and climate exposures starting in-utero and vulnerability at birth on women and children’s physical and mental health, and children’s neurocognitive developmental trajectories.

Selected Publications

Small babies, big risks: global estimates of prevalence and mortality for vulnerable newborns to accelerate change and improve counting.
LAWN, JE; OHUMA, EO; BRADLEY, E; Idueta, LS; Hazel, E; OKWARAJI, YB; Erchick, DJ; Yargawa, J; Katz, J; Lee, AC C; Diaz, M; Salasibew, M; Requejo, J; Hayashi, C; Moller, A-B; Borghi, E; Black, RE; BLENCOWE, H; Lancet Small Vulnerable Newborn Steering Committee,; WHO/UNICEF Preterm Birth Estimates Group,; National Vulnerable Newborn Measurement Group,; Subnational Vulnerable Newborn Measurement Group,;
2023
Lancet
Neonatal mortality risk for vulnerable newborn types in 15 countries using 125.5 million nationwide birth outcome records, 2000-2020.
Suárez-Idueta, L; BLENCOWE, H; OKWARAJI, YB; Yargawa, J; BRADLEY, E; Gordon, A; Flenady, V; PAIXAO, ES; Barreto, ML; Lisonkova, S; Wen, Q; Velebil, P; Jírová, J; Horváth-Puhó, E; Sørensen, HT; Sakkeus, L; Abuladze, L; Yunis, KA; Al Bizri, A; Barranco, A; Broeders, L; Van Dijk, AE; Alyafei, F; Olukade, TO; Razaz, N; ... National Vulnerable Newborn Mortality Collaborativ,
2023
BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Vulnerable newborn types: Analysis of population-based registries for 165 million births in 23 countries, 2000-2021.
Suárez-Idueta, L; Yargawa, J; BLENCOWE, H; BRADLEY, E; OKWARAJI, YB; Pingray, V; Gibbons, L; Gordon, A; Warrilow, K; PAIXAO, ES; Falcão, IR; Lisonkova, S; Wen, Q; Mardones, F; Caulier-Cisterna, R; Velebil, P; Jírová, J; Horváth-Puhó, E; Sørensen, HT; Sakkeus, L; Abuladze, L; Gissler, M; Heidarzadeh, M; Moradi-Lakeh, M; Yunis, KA; ... National Vulnerable Newborn Prevalence Collaborati,
2023
BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
A review of key terminology and definitions used for birth defects globally.
Malherbe, HL; Modell, B; BLENCOWE, H; Strong, KL; Aldous, C;
2023
Journal of community genetics
National data linkage assessment of live births and deaths in Mexico: Estimating under-five mortality rate ratios for vulnerable newborns and trends from 2008 to 2019.
Suárez-Idueta, L; Pita, R; BLENCOWE, H; Barranco, A; Gonzalez, JF; PAIXAO, ES; Barreto, ML; LAWN, JE; OHUMA, EO;
2023
Paediatric and perinatal epidemiology
The PRECISE-DYAD protocol: linking maternal and infant health trajectories in sub-Saharan Africa
Craik, R; Volvert, M-L; Koech, A; Jah, H; Pickerill, K; Abubakar, A; D’Alessandro, U; Barratt, B; BLENCOWE, H; Bone, JN; Chandna, J; Gladstone, MJ; Khalil, A; Li, L; Magee, LA; Makacha, L; Mistry, HD; Moore, SE; Roca, A; Salisbury, TT; Temmerman, M; Toudup, D; Vidler, M; Von Dadelszen, P;
2022
Wellcome Open Research
Impact of secondary and tertiary neonatal interventions on neonatal mortality in a low- resource limited setting hospital in Uganda: a retrospective study.
Kirabira, VN; Nakaggwa, F; Nazziwa, R; Nalunga, S; Nasiima, R; Nyagabyaki, C; Sebunya, R; Latigi, G; Pirio, P; Ahmadzai, M; Ojom, L; Nabwami, I; Burgoine, K; BLENCOWE, H;
2022
BMJ Open
Health and development from preconception to 20 years of age and human capital.
Black, RE; Liu, L; Hartwig, FP; Villavicencio, F; Rodriguez-Martinez, A; Vidaletti, LP; Perin, J; Black, MM; BLENCOWE, H; You, D; Hug, L; Masquelier, B; Cousens, S; Gove, A; Vaivada, T; Yeung, D; Behrman, J; Martorell, R; Osmond, C; Stein, AD; Adair, LS; Fall, CH D; Horta, B; Menezes, AM B; Ramirez-Zea, M; ... Victora, CG.
2022
Lancet (London, England)
Adverse pregnancy outcome disclosure and women's social networks: a qualitative multi-country study with implications for improved reporting in surveys.
Kwesiga, D; Eriksson, L; Orach, CG; Tawiah, C; Imam, MA; Fisker, AB; Enuameh, Y; LAWN, JE; BLENCOWE, H; Waiswa, P; Bradby, H; Malqvist, M;
2022
BMC pregnancy and childbirth
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