Georgina Ferry interviews José Villar, Professor of Perinatal Medicine, 8 November 2022.
Topics discussed include (00:00:42) early interest in field, training as a gynaecologist and obstetrician, work in Central and Northern America particularly at Johns Hopkins, Human Reproduction Programme; (00:03:20) public health concerns around maternal health, the role of the WHO, rural areas of Africa and Southeast Asia; (00:05:52) multi-country studies relating to caesarean sections, randomised trials on the effects of maternal factors; (00:07:30) relocation to Oxford in 2006, work on maternal conditions affecting pregnancy, research to understand the risk factors, possible interventions and targeting of subgroups to reduce negative pregnancy outcomes; (00:12:00) standardisation of care, involvement of Oxford in efforts to change obstetric practices, evidence-based medicine and work of Iain Chalmers of the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit; (00:14:30) INTERGROWTH project; (00:26:52) first awareness of COVID-19, involvement of INTERGROWTH project, work with Stephen Kennedy and Aris Papageorgiou; (00:35:00) study design; (00:42:30) end of the study in October 2020, issues around funding; (00:49:00) risk to pregnant women from COVID-19; (00:52:00) delay of publication into findings, rejections from clinical medical journals; (00:57:10) press coverage generated after publication; (00:59:20) risk of no vaccination to pregnant women, evidenced by the study; (01:00:19) affect on public policy around the world, including the Center for Disease Control; (01:03:00) vaccination of pregnant women in the US, particularly health professionals; (01:05:00) risk to pregnant women by variants such as omicron; (01:08:00) impact of the pandemic on personal and working life; (01:12:10) personal threat from COVID-19; (01:15:00) changes in attitude or approach to work owing to the pandemic.
