Understanding Pregnancy and Child Health in South Carolina
A South Carolina ECHO Pregnancy Cohort
This project invites pregnant women and their children in South Carolina to help us learn how experiences during pregnancy and early childhood might influence a child's health, particularly their risk for obesity.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Medical University of South Carolina NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charleston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11319129 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
We know that experiences during pregnancy, like exposure to certain environmental factors or complications, can shape a child's health as they grow. This project focuses on understanding how these early life events might influence a child's risk for conditions like obesity. Many current efforts to prevent obesity may not be effective because they begin after the most critical developmental period has passed. Our goal is to gather information from pregnant women and their children, from conception through early childhood, to identify key factors that could help prevent obesity later in life. We plan to welcome over 500 pregnant women and their babies from the Medical University of South Carolina to participate in this important effort.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are pregnant women in South Carolina who are willing to participate with their children from birth through early childhood.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate medical treatment or direct health interventions for existing conditions may not receive direct benefit from participating in this observational project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to support healthier pregnancies and prevent conditions like childhood obesity by understanding and addressing factors early in life.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have shown that early life experiences can impact long-term health, and this project aims to build upon that knowledge by focusing on a specific population and critical developmental window.
Where this research is happening
Charleston, United States
- Medical University of South Carolina — Charleston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hunt, Kelly J — Medical University of South Carolina
- Study coordinator: Hunt, Kelly J
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.