Will You Be a Source for PregSource?

In the new year, many of us are looking for ways to give back or get involved in helping the greater good. Volunteering your time and resources can provide tremendous help to those in need and to organizations that are working toward the advancement and empowerment of specific groups. Sometimes, the ways to get involved and make a difference are really easy, like this opportunity with PregSource!

PregSource^TM is a research project that captures information about pregnancy directly from pregnant women in order to improve future maternity care in the United States. Even though we seem to know a lot about pregnancy problems, we know relatively little about the everyday pregnancy experience. The data collected through PregSource will help provide a more complete picture of what people experience during pregnancy to inform strategies for better maternity care. This is your chance to tell researchers and health care providers what pregnancy is really like! As a result, you will help create better care for the future, which affects you, your children, and your grandchildren!

PregSource also benefits your current pregnancy. The PregSource tool allows you track your weight, sleep, mood, morning sickness, and physical activity throughout pregnancy. PregSource also gives you the chance to:

• Share updates with your health care provider
• Compare your experience with pregnant women around the nation
• Get expert health information from trusted sources

PregSource was created by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and is partnered with several supporting organizations, including Lamaze International. With the data collected from people like you, PregSource hopes to find answers to important questions like:

• How many women experience morning sickness? How long does it generally last? At what stage of pregnancy is it more common? Is it related to weight gain?
• How much does being pregnant affect sleep patterns? How do these patterns change over the course of the pregnancy?
• When are women most likely to gain weight during pregnancy, and how does the timing of this weight gain affect the health of moms and babies?
• How do other factors'such as medication use, diet, and exercise'change over the course of the pregnancy?
• How do those with particular challenges, such as physical disabilities or chronic diseases, experience pregnancy and new motherhood?

It's important for you to know that PregSource collects information only for research purposes. It keeps your information secure and confidential, and will never sell your information. You won't be bombarded with ads or sales pitches.

So what are you waiting for?! If you're pregnant, track your experience while improving health care for future moms-to-be. Sign up with PregSource today!