Join this study focused on active, healthy pregnancies
East Carolina University is leading a federally funded research study on how activity during pregnancy influences the health of women, during and after pregnancy, and their baby’s health.
Dr. Linda May, East Carolina University associate professor in the ECU Department of Kinesiology and co-director of the Human Performance Laboratory, and her multidisciplinary research team are looking for pregnant research subjects, ages 18-40 and less than or at 16 weeks pregnant with one baby, who would like to begin a program to help improve mom and baby’s health. Participants will work with a trained team to help the mother and baby to be as healthy as possible. Participants will receive compensation. This program also is supported by Brooks, Inc and Fleet Feet; all participants will receive free Brooks shoes and Brooks sports bra.
This study is a five-year funded project period totaling $3.3 million from the National Institutes of Health Common Fund.
“This is a challenging study, but the data gathered will be used for years to really figure out why exercise is good for moms and babies during and after pregnancy,” May said. “ECU is the only university world-wide doing this type of study, is evidence of the strides ECU is taken to answer questions related to improving health for all people across the lifespan. The ability to implement this multi-year project involves many people at ECU and ECU Health Medical Center working together as a team.”
Most supervised sessions involve resistance, aerobic or yoga activities within the Human Performance Lab, May said. Her team will monitor the health of mom and baby during and after pregnancy.
If interested in participating, email the ECU Pregnancy research team at activemoms@ecu.edu, or May at mayl@ecu.edu.
Part of the study focuses on why some moms and babies respond better than others to physical activity, as well as decreasing racial disparities.
For more information on the Active Moms – Pregnancy Study, visit https://exercisefortwo.ecu.edu/ to find out more or sign up. May is principal investigator of this NIH grant.