What is expected of me?

Eligible study participants will be provided information during their initial visits from their attending physician, prior to their elective c-section. Further information about the study can then be provided by the study nurse(s) through virtual meetings or phone calls. If interested in participating in the study, the study nurse will meet with the participant at HSC Women’s Hospital prior to their next OBGYN appointment. If a potential participant contacts the study team through advertisements, they will be assessed for eligibility by our study team via in person or through phone or virtual meetings. Through either method, participant informed consent will be obtained during these meetings if desired, or patients may take their time to consider enrolling and can be provided further contact information as needed. 

The participants will be asked to fill out a questionnaire prior to their scheduled c-section. To collect data on demographics, age, income, smoking, medical history, substance use, sexual practices, hygienic practices, past pregnancies, birth control use and other information that may influence the microbiome and reproductive health. These questionnaires can be either filled out in the clinic or brought home to be filled out. Completed questionnaires can be given to the study nurse at the next scheduled clinic visit.

Your attending obstetric physician and the research nurse will collect the following biological samples prior to, and during your elective c-section: vaginal swabs, a sample of amniotic fluid, some placental biopsies, and blood samples (maternal veinous and cord blood). 

You will also be instructed on how to use an online food diary, which will collect information about your diet using the online Automated Self-Administrated 24-hour (ASA24) dietary tool. Dietary information will be collected as a 24-hour food recall from a day close to when your samples are collected. Any questions the participants have on this diet recall can be answered by the study research nurse(s) if needed. A paper food diary recall can also be collected upon request if the online version is not able to be completed.

Further information like child outcomes (weight, etc.) and any noted  pregnancy outcomes will be collected from the participants' chart after the c-section procedure.

Thank you very much for considering to participate in the THRIVE Pregnancy study!