Participants

Mother & Child Health Initiative

Participants

Thank you for your interest in participating in the Mother & Child Health Initiative. By participating in this initiative, you can contribute to improving health care and medical assessment for both mother and child during pregnancy. All study forms can be completed online! Blood donation can occur at any LifeLabs near you (within GTA).

Please note that as of February 2, 2024, we are no longer recruiting participants for this study.

Simple steps to participate:

Healthy pregnant individuals aged 18 to 40 years with no history of chronic illness, regular prescribed medication use, and acute illness within 7 days of participation.

Click here to let study team know you are interested. They will be in touch through phone or email with next steps.

Study team will schedule a 15 minute virtual appointment to complete all online forms and answer any questions.

Walk-in or schedule an appointment to donate a small blood sample at a LifeLabs location near you. Study team will provide a requisition after your virtual appointment.

Participants can receive their blood test results, upon request. To thank you for your participation, a $25 gift card is also provided.

Participants have the option to participate once, or up to four times (once each trimester and once postpartum), and receive remuneration each time. Click links below to access study forms (do not complete until your virtual appointment with study team):

Have questions?

See our FAQs below or contact our clinical research project coordinators at motherand.child@sickkids.ca.

This research study aims to improve the medial assessment (e.g. diagnosis, treatment) of pregnant individuals across Canada. We are trying to determine what is normal and healthy when a pregnant individual is screened for disease. Our findings will be used by healthcare providers in order to compare healthy and normal blood levels to those of their sick patients in pregnancy.

Participation requires the completion of informed consent (online), a health questionnaire (online), and a small blood donation.

No, all study forms can be completed online during a 15 minute virtual appointment with study team member. A small blood sample can then be donated at a LifeLabs near you.

Yes, blood test results are available upon request

Approximately three tablespoons of blood is collected.

We test for many different markers within the blood. This includes hormones, vitamins, proteins etc. These levels ultimately look at serum chemistry, enzymes, proteins, and haematology markers.

Pregnant individuals aged 18 to 40 years can participate up to four times (1st trimester, 2nd trimester, 3rd trimester, and postpartum) and receive remuneration each time. Participants can withdraw at any time.

Yes, all data collected will be kept confidential and results published are anonymous.

All results will be returned with an interpretation (e.g. normal, abnormally low, abnormally high). Results can also be forwarded to your primary physician to assist in interpretation and any needed action.