The aim of this pilot study is to determine the feasibility of Do-It-Yourself studies in pregnant women to detect changes in health parameters by assessing compliance and user experiences of participants. Besides, the measured health will be analysed to increase insight in physiological development in pregnant women.
The study is designed as an open, parallel, do-it-yourself, explorative, two-group study. Subjects are women who are pregnant for approximately 3 months at the start of the study. Subjects will be included between week 12 and 15 of their pregnancy (T=-1). Week 16 is the start of the study (T=0). In the first group obese pregnant women (BMI ≥ 30) will be included; the second group will consist of lean pregnant women (BMI 18,5 - 25). The women will be requested to assess physiological parameters at regular intervals from three months pregnancy until giving birth (week 40). The assessment after giving birth, until three months after giving birth (total study duration of approximately nine months), is optional. Health parameters are known to be subject to change in pregnant women; the self-monitoring devices should be able to show these changes. Included subjects will be provided with the do-it-yourself devices, manuals and the study protocol. During the nine-month study, the subjects will use these do-it-yourself devices to self-monitor multiple health parameters in an at-home setting. They will be reminded to perform these tests via SMS. There are two frequency intervals defined (two week interval and eight week interval).
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
16
Spaarne Gasthuis
Hoofddorp, North Holland, Netherlands
compliance (percentage of complete datasets)
as a measure of the potential of DIY-monitoring in pregnant women
Time frame: end of study (3 months after giving birth)
Capability of and burden for participants of the use of DIY tools
as assessed by a questionnaire on user-experience with do-it-yourself devices in an at-home setting
Time frame: end of study (3 months after giving birth)
fasting blood glucose
as measured using a do-it-yourself glucose meter after an overnight fast
Time frame: at enrollment (between w12-15 of pregnancy), baseline (w16 of pregnancy), w18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 of pregnancy; optionally after delivery in w42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52
body weight
as measured by a smart-scale
Time frame: at enrollment (between w12-15 of pregnancy), baseline (w16 of pregnancy), w18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 of pregnancy; optionally after delivery in w42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52
physical activity (calories burned, minutes of physical activity, number of steps)
participants continuously wear the activity tracker during the day for the whole week in each of the above mentioned measurement-weeks
Time frame: at enrollment (between w12-15 of pregnancy), baseline (w16 of pregnancy), w18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 of pregnancy; optionally after delivery in w42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52
blood pressure (diastolic, systolic, heart rate)
as measured with a do-it-yourself blood pressure meter
Time frame: at enrollment (between w12-15 of pregnancy), baseline (w16 of pregnancy), w18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 of pregnancy; optionally after delivery in w42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52
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GPS location
measured with an app that will be installed on the Smartphone of the participant at enrollment in the study
Time frame: measured continuously during the entire study
Cholesterol (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, cholesterol/HDL-ratio)
measured using a do-it-yourself cholesterol meter
Time frame: at enrollment (between w12-15 of pregnancy), baseline (w16 of pregnancy), w24, 32, 40 of pregnancy; optionally after delivery in w52
oral glucose tolerance test (glucose, insulin, c-peptide)
in week 16 the test will be done in a clinical setting; the other tests will be done at home by the participants
Time frame: baseline (w16 of pregnancy), w24, 32, 40 of pregnancy; optionally after delivery in w52
fecal and salivary microbiota composition
using do-it-yourself sample collection kits (at home by participants; samples will be send to the lab)
Time frame: at enrollment (between w12-15 of pregnancy), baseline (w16 of pregnancy), w24, 32, 40 of pregnancy; optionally also in w18, 27 and 36, and after delivery in w44, 48 and 52
dried blood spots for HbA1c, fatty acids and blood biomarkers
do-it-yourself using finger-prick and blood spot collection cards that can be send to the lab.
Time frame: at enrollment (between w12-15 of pregnancy), baseline (w16 of pregnancy), w24, 32, 40 of pregnancy; optionally after delivery in w52
cortisol in hair
measured by taking a hair sample that is send to the lab
Time frame: at the end of the study (3 months after delivery; week 52)
food intake as measured by a web-application
in each measurement week, participants will register their food intake on two week days and one weekend day
Time frame: at enrollment (between w12-15 of pregnancy), baseline (w16 of pregnancy), w24, 32, 40 of pregnancy; optionally after delivery in w52
cognition
using online cognition tests (on a study portal)
Time frame: at enrollment (between w12-15 of pregnancy), baseline (w16 of pregnancy), w24, 32, 40 of pregnancy; optionally after delivery in w52
Groninger Sleep Scale
online; can be accessed via the study portal
Time frame: at enrollment (between w12-15 of pregnancy), baseline (w16 of pregnancy), w24, 32, 40 of pregnancy; optionally after delivery in w52
Vita16 - vitality questionnaire
online; can be accessed via the study portal
Time frame: at enrollment (between w12-15 of pregnancy), baseline (w16 of pregnancy), w24, 32, 40 of pregnancy; optionally after delivery in w52
visual analogue scales for general health
online; can be accessed via the study portal
Time frame: at enrollment (between w12-15 of pregnancy), baseline (w16 of pregnancy), w24, 32, 40 of pregnancy; optionally after delivery in w52