Professor Caroline Crowther, of Auckland, CNZM for services to maternal and perinatal health
Professor Caroline Crowther is a leading researcher of maternal and perinatal care, influencing policy changes and global clinical practice. Professor Crowther’s research led to routine diabetes testing during pregnancy; a lowering of the threshold for intervention; and changes in international guidelines for care of preterm birth and mothers with gestational diabetes. A trial she conducted with colleagues provided clear evidence that doses of corticosteroids to mothers at risk of preterm birth reduced serious problems in their babies, and subsequently informed World Health Organisation guidelines. She contributed to research proving magnesium sulphate reduced the risk of cerebral palsy in pre-term babies, and her rigorous evaluations of emerging medicines have ensured that ineffective or harmful treatments are not adopted. Professor Crowther founded the Interdisciplinary Maternal Perinatal Australasian Clinical Trials (IMPACT) Network in 1994, and was a foundational editor for the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Collaborative Review Group.