A Mirfield mum is hoping to become one of the UK’s leading experts on premature birth.

An estimated 60,000 women each year in the UK go through the trauma of their little ones turning up well before they are due.

Sadly thousands of the premature babies are too fragile to survive.

Those that do make it can suffer lifelong health problems whilst causing their poor parents years of heartache.

The scenario is a familiar one to Kerry Parris, whose first daughter Sophie was born at 29 weeks weighing just 3lb 6oz.

Kerry’s second daughter Emily, arrived even sooner, born at 27 weeks – about three months early – weighing an incredible 2lb 2oz, the same as a bag of sugar.

Both thankfully survived after weeks in hospital as tiny tots, and are now healthy teenagers aged 17 and 15.

The first pictures Sophie Parris (left) who was born 27 weeks early weighing 3lb 6oz and Emily Parris (right) who was born 29 weeks early weighing 2lb 2oz

But for Kerry, the trauma of her daughters’ untimely welcome to the world sparked a determination to find out what caused her to go into labour so early.

Despite being a young mum of three, she took it upon herself to do a degree in biology.

She followed that with a Masters in reproductive and developmental medicine.

But her work is far from done and there are still answers needed to the question of why millions of mums worldwide don’t go the full pregnancy term of about 40 weeks.

Kerry, 36, now wants to do a PHD on the subject of premature birth under the wing of Dr Neil Chapman, Britain’s leading authority on the issue.

But she needs to raise a stunning £89,000 to fund the work.

Kerry, who also has a son Daniel, said having premature babies had been incredibly tough.

Mum of three Kerry Parris of Mirfield with daughters Sophie, 17, and Emily, 15, who were both born prematurely. Mum is now doing a PHD on premature babies.

“It is very traumatic,” she said. “Some people think they’re just small babies but they’re so under-developed.

“Both girls had bleeds on their brains and problems with their kidneys.

“We were told with Sophie that it was about a 50/50 chance of her surviving.

“It’s not like being a normal mum, you can’t pick up your baby, give them their first bath or cuddle them.

“With Emily it was seven weeks until we could give her a bath.

“You can’t have visitors and you don’t get the joy of sharing your new baby with your family.

Mum of three Kerry Parris of Mirfield with daughters Sophie, 17, and Emily, 15, who were both born prematurely. Mum is now doing a PHD on premature babies.

“It’s a time that you should be pregnant but it’s almost like a bereavement.

“It’s still the case that about one-in-ten births are premature. That’s a ridiculous amount when you think about it.

“And most parents get no explanation of why their child came early.”

Kerry is crowdfunding the money needed to pay for her research, which she hopes will lead to a better understanding of the cause of premature births.

To read more or contribute go to https://hubbub.org/p/phdborntoosoon