PROTECT study through the eyes of participants and researchers

As part of the PROTECT study, researchers have been busy collecting data on pregnancy and infant health outcomes in four African countries – Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique and Uganda. They aim to better understand the burden of infections such as Group B Streptococcus (GBS), the leading cause of sepsis and bacterial meningitis in the first 90 days of life.  

This work is laying the foundation for upcoming maternal vaccine trials and roll-out, with data saved in newly established pregnancy registries. Pregnancy often comes with complications, and with the pregnancy registries, researchers will be able to run vaccine trials in participating hospitals and determine whether health conditions are connected to the vaccine a person has received or caused by something else.

Mavalane General Hospital in Maputo, Mozambique is one of PROTECT’s research sites. We spoke with two women involved in the study – a participant and a researcher – who shared their thoughts on the aims and importance of maternal vaccine research and what it means for the future of protecting infants against infections such as GBS.