Gordon Smith is head of the University Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Cambridge. He plays a full clinical role in service on the labour ward and is one of the leading clinical investigators in obstetrics in the UK. He is distinguished for his work in materno-fetal medicine, particularly his analysis of factors influencing adverse outcomes in pregnancy such as demonstrating the relationship between first trimester growth and low birth weight, and cervical length at mid-pregnancy and risk of primary caesarean section. He is also directly involved with lay groups, in particular the Stillbirth and