Pregnancy

MammaInForma Project: your child’s health begins even before conception

Thanks to a “colleague” of mine at the University, I learned of an extremely interesting project aimed at promoting the health of women during pregnancy and that of the embryo from the very first moments of its development.

It is a real scientific study, called Mamma InForma and supervised by the Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital in Rome.

How was the project born?

The firm point of the initiative is that the child’s health must be protected even before conception  and there are quite a few scientific studies to support this statement. It was once thought that caring for a child began at the moment of its birth. Subsequently we began to protect her during the nine months and finally, it was understood that  there are quite a few preconceptional measures to be taken to  increase  the probability of having a healthy baby . I underlined the term INCREASE because there is nothing that can guarantee us that we have a perfect baby but certainly a lot can be done to reduce the risks of more or less serious fetal problems.

Immediately after the conception of the child, the single cell resulting from the union of egg and sperm undergoes a very high rate of cell division. Division, cellular specialization, formation of the placenta and the beginning of organ formation are extremely delicate steps that take place at very high speed even before taking a pregnancy test and realizing that you are expecting a child. And many of the problems associated with the progress of pregnancy and the health of the unborn child arise in this period of time.

For this reason it is very important, if not fundamental, that the expectant mother adopt a healthy lifestyle and be in good health right from the start or at least from the moment she decides to have a baby.

This is the message promoted in Italy by Pensiamoci Prima , a preconceptional health promotion project carried out by ICBD – Alessandra Lisi International Center on Birth Defects and Prematurity – and financed by the CCM National Center for Disease Prevention and Control of the Ministry of Health.

The MammaInForma Project was therefore born on the basis of what has been said to inform about the importance of the preconceptional period.

It is a medical-scientific research designed for all women of childbearing age looking for a child.

The study is carried out entirely via the internet and aims to identify the risks of adverse reproductive outcomes. In a nutshell, prevent incorrect behavior thanks to targeted information intervention. We also want to evaluate which are the most common risk factors and therefore verify whether the best information obtained thanks to the project can help prevent the various problems that can occur during a pregnancy (e.g.: spontaneous abortions, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, fetal malformations , etc.)

For this reason, I urge anyone who is looking for a child or intends to “hunt for the stork” in the coming months to participate in the scientific project in question.

How to participate in the research?

Participating is very simple, and free. Just register on the website  www.mammainforma.it  . Everything will take place completely online. After giving your informed consent, two questionnaires will be completed anonymously, one with personal data (age, height, weight..) and one with some questions to understand your lifestyle and various habits. Once you have completed the questionnaire, you will receive a personalized information sheet, based on the information you have provided, which will allow you to understand what conditions, if any, could interfere with your health and that of your future child.

The study will last 6 months after which you will be asked a few questions to understand if, thanks to the information received and in anticipation of a pregnancy, you have changed your lifestyle or not.

Being the project aimed at future mothers, if during the study you realize you are expecting a child you will be excluded from it and invited to participate in the NINFEA PROJECT with which you will “contribute a little of your time to the progress of medical knowledge on the causes of diseases  and complications of pregnancy, the neonatal period and early childhood.

Why participate?

Because by participating you will be able to have benefits for you and for your child (the research is aimed at reducing the risks of reproduction before conception) and because thanks to your contribution it will be possible to identify which are the main risk factors and then extend them to all future mothers targeted information to minimize adverse reproductive events.

Never underestimate the importance of research! A heartfelt thanks to those who work to improve the health of us women and our children!

Dr Kathryn Barlow

Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.

Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.

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