The My Baby and Me study is interested in looking at the effect of stress during pregnancy and the effect this has on the development of your baby. In particular, we are trying to understand the mechanisms through which stress experienced by the mother may affect the baby in the womb. We know that maternal well-being is important for a baby’s healthy development. Some women experience stress during or after pregnancy and we are interested in how this may affect their baby’s development.
We recruited 95 healthy pregnant women undergoing an elective caesarean section with an uncomplicated pregnancy. As part of this study, participants are to complete a few questionnaires about how they have been feeling throughout this pregnancy on the night before their elective caesarean section. Once their baby is born we collect some placental cord blood samples and the placenta to look at how they may be affected by stress during pregnancy. When the baby is approximately 4 months of age we are inviting the participants and their babies back to Queen Charlotte and Chelsea Hospital (or at a place of mutual convenience) for a short assessment. At this time we ask the participants to conduct some very simple tasks with their baby. Throughout these tasks we collect saliva samples from the babies. During this visit the participants fill out a couple of questionnaires about themselves and their baby’s development. Finally, when the participant’s baby is approximately 6 months of age we contact the participants again to ask them to fill out the same postnatal questionnaire pack by post.
We recruited 95 healthy pregnant women undergoing an elective caesarean section with an uncomplicated pregnancy. As part of this study, participants are to complete a few questionnaires about how they have been feeling throughout this pregnancy on the night before their elective caesarean section. Once their baby is born we collect some placental cord blood samples and the placenta to look at how they may be affected by stress during pregnancy. When the baby is approximately 4 months of age we are inviting the participants and their babies back to Queen Charlotte and Chelsea Hospital (or at a place of mutual convenience) for a short assessment. At this time we ask the participants to conduct some very simple tasks with their baby. Throughout these tasks we collect saliva samples from the babies. During this visit the participants fill out a couple of questionnaires about themselves and their baby’s development. Finally, when the participant’s baby is approximately 6 months of age we contact the participants again to ask them to fill out the same postnatal questionnaire pack by post.
