MADRES pregnancy and child health cohort in Los Angeles
Maintenance and Enrichment of the Maternal and Developmental Risks from Environmental and Social Stressors (MADRES) Cohort
The MADRES team follows pregnant people and their children in Los Angeles to track environmental and social exposures and how these affect health over time.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11445500 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, you may be asked about your health, home, and experiences during and after pregnancy while your child has growth and health measurements recorded. The project links your residential addresses to local air pollution and other environmental data and tests stored blood and other biospecimens for chemicals like PFAS and metals. The team plans to re-contact past participants and collect new samples and measurements so researchers can connect early life exposures to risks for asthma, obesity, heart disease, cancer, and preterm birth. Participation can include questionnaires, clinic visits, and providing biological samples such as blood.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Pregnant people and mothers with young children in the Los Angeles area, especially those previously enrolled in the MADRES cohort, are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate clinical treatment or those who live far outside the Los Angeles area are unlikely to receive direct medical benefits from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could reveal environmental and social factors that increase risk for conditions like asthma, obesity, heart disease, and cancer, helping guide prevention and better care for pregnant people and children.
How similar studies have performed: Other birth cohort studies have linked prenatal exposures to later health problems, and MADRES builds on that evidence with a large, diverse Los Angeles cohort.
Where this research is happening
Saint Louis, United States
- Washington University — Saint Louis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bastain, Theresa M — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Bastain, Theresa M
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.