HBCD-E
Participants in the HBCD Study at MGH may also enroll in the ancillary study, HBCD-E (The HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study – Enhanced). Participation involves 1-2 extra blood samples during pregnancy, in addition to samples that would otherwise be discarded at delivery, such as cord blood and placenta. Collection of these samples will allow us to examine how biological changes in the mother, placenta, and cord blood may be linked to brain development and behavior throughout the first 10 years of life.
We offer additional monetary compensation for participating in HBCD-E.
MOMi
The MOMI (Maternal ‘Omics to Maximize Immunity ) study is a multi-site consortium between MGH, MIT, and Mt. Sinai School of Medicine (MPIs Andrea Edlow, Michal Elovitz, Doug Lauffenburger) to map the human pregnancy immunome across trimesters using single cell transcriptomics, epigenomics, antibody-omics, and proteomics. This five-year, $12M study, funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) as part of the Human Immunology Project Consortium (the first HIPC project to focus on pregnancy), aims to use de novo and recall vaccines in pregnancy to probe the maternal immune system and understand maternal immune responses by trimester, as well as the transfer of protective immunity to the neonate.
BUMP
BUMP (Biorepository for Understanding Maternal Immunity and Pregnancy) is a departmental pregnancy biorepository that aims to answer questions about maternal immunity and pregnancy complications. To learn more about this study, visit: https://www.massgeneral.org/obgyn/research/bump.
If you are interested in participating, please email us directly at mghpregnancybiobank@mgb.org or respond to our Rally post (https://rally.massgeneralbrigham.org/study/bump).
MARVELOUS
Marvelous (Maternal RSV Vaccination: Evaluating Optimal Immune Responses) is a multi-site study at MGH, Mount Sinai, Cornell, and Yale investigating Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccination in pregnancy. Using samples collected from the pregnant individual and infant, we hope to understand more details about how maternal vaccination influences neonatal protection against RSV.
If you are interested in participating in this research at MGH, please contact us at mghpregnancybiobank@mgb.org.
PRiSM
The COVID PRiSM (Pregnancy Registry of Immune responSes and Maternal Microbiome) study seeks to further our understanding of COVID infection and vaccination in pregnancy. With over 1,200 participants, we have made numerous discoveries regarding the immune response of pregnant individuals to COVID and COVID vaccination in pregnancy. Some of what we have learned is featured in the Publications and Press portions of this website.
Any interested participants can email us at COVIDPregnancy@partners.org.
BABY
With the BABY (Baby Antibody StudY) study, we are interested in learning more about the transfer and persistence of antibodies in babies born to individuals who received a COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy. The study involves collecting samples at 2 and 6 months of life. We are able to do the study visits at a time and location convenient to you (i.e. home visit or at pediatrician visit, whatever you are most comfortable with). The samples we are interested in collecting are:
If you’re currently breastfeeding/pumping, we would be interested in collecting a couple drops of breast milk (only if you’re comfortable and have extra)
A dirty diaper from baby with stool in it (if they have one within 24 hr of the visit)
A blood sample from baby – we are using a microneedle device that collects surface capillary blood from the babies in order to avoid a painful heel prick/venipuncture. The collection takes about ~2 min and is painless for the little ones – we haven’t had a baby cry yet!
If you are interested in participating in our study, please email us at COVIDPregnancy@partners.org.
HUGS
The MGH HUGS (Helping Us Grow Stronger) study /Abrazos program is a community health intervention designed for pregnant or recently pregnant individuals who would benefit from short-term community and behavioral health services. Currently, our study is investigating the effectiveness of the HUGS/Abrazos program by administering questionnaires regarding a variety of participants' mental health indicators before and after completion of the program. Participants are also given a chance to provide feedback on the program, in an effort to strengthen the program's delivery and individual services.
If you are interested in participating, please email us at COVIDPregnancy@partners.org or email the MFM team lead, Dr. Molly Siegel directly at msiegel@mgh.harvard.edu.
HBCD
With the HBCD (HEALthy Brain and Child Development) study, we hope to better understand how the brain develops in early childhood and is affected by exposure to substances and other environmental conditions during pregnancy and after birth. Families will be asked to participate in activities once during pregnancy and across several visits during early childhood for the first 5-10 years of life. These activities include surveys, child-friendly brain scans using MRI and EEG, child body sensors to measure their heart, sleep, and movement, and lastly, collection of blood, saliva, and some other tests to help us learn more about your child’s development.
We offer monetary compensation for participation, compensation for travel expenses/parking, and childcare for any siblings who may come along. Your child will also receive a small toy at each visit. Together we aim to shed light on factors that impact child development to better support families and children as they grow.
If you are interested in participating in our study please call (617) 919-1726 or email us at mgbhbcd@mgb.org.
