For Families
Striving to make a difference for generations to come
ABOUT THE STUDY
The HBCD Study will enroll approximately 7,500 participating families from across the United States and follow them and their children through early childhood. We want to understand how the brain develops and is affected by exposure to substances and other environmental conditions during pregnancy and after the baby is born.
Together, we can find answers to questions that you and many other parents and caregivers might ask, such as:
- How do genes and experiences influence development and behavior?
- How does early contact to opioids, tobacco, and other substances affect development?
- Are there key experiences early in development that affect later health and well-being of a child?
- Are there windows during early development that present opportunities to step in that will help children be healthier and happier?
- How do children's interactions with their parent or caretaker affect their health?
STUDY SIGNIFICANCE
The first few years of life are a period of quick growth and brain development. There are many factors that can affect how children develop, yet little is known about how these factors impact health and other outcomes. The HBCD Study will help us understand how child development may be affected by exposures to social and environmental experiences and conditions, including exposure to substances (such as opioids, alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis) during pregnancy.
Recent advances in technology and developments in research allow us to explore in more detail how these exposures interact with brain development and other social and health outcomes. Results from the HBCD Study will provide information that parents, caregivers, and health professionals can use to enhance the well-being of children.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?
Participating families will be individuals who join mostly in the second trimester of pregnancy and continue in the study with their newborn infants. Some individuals may be invited to join the study later in their pregnancy or shortly after delivery. It is important that people who join the study are of different races and ethnicities, with diverse education, income levels, and living environments.
Study locations are across the United States. Each location will have study navigation services available to guide families through the study, answer questions, and provide additional support to families as needed.
STUDY PROCEDURES
During these visits, you will be asked to complete interviews and questionnaires.
In addition, you and/or your child will be asked to:
- Provide samples, such as blood (birth parent), urine and saliva (birth parent and child)
- Participate in behavioral assessments
- Wear activity and heart rate trackers for brief periods of time
- Undergo safe, non-invasive methods that provide pictures of your child’s brain and measure their brain activity
- Allow us to collect growth measurements
- Provide information about your child’s social, emotional, and cognitive development
*After the first year, some of these assessments will be repeated each year
MRI Procedure Video
Participation
Participating families will be individuals who join mostly in the second trimester of pregnancy and continue in the study with their newborn infants. Some individuals may be invited to join the study later in their pregnancy or shortly after delivery.
Study locations are across the United States. It is important that people who join the study are different races and ethnicities, with diverse education, income levels, and living environments.
During these visits, you will be asked to complete interviews and questionnaires.
In addition, you and/or your child will be asked to:
- Provide samples, such as blood (birth parent), urine and saliva (birth parent and child)
- Participate in behavioral assessments
- Wear activity and/or heart rate trackers for brief periods of time
- Undergo safe, non-invasive methods that provide pictures of your child’s brain and measure the brain activity of your child
After the first year, some of these assessments will be repeated each year.
All study assessments and procedures will be provided to you free of charge. You will be compensated for the time spent participating in the study.
All identifying information from or about you will be kept private and confidential, as required by law.
Your family’s information and samples will be stored without personally identifiable information, along with that of others in the study. Researchers will learn from your contributions for many years to come.
BECOME A PARTICIPANT
As parents, caregivers, health care providers, and researchers, we share a common goal: helping our children grow to be healthy and happy.
We invite you to participate in a study that will expand our knowledge of development from the prenatal period through early childhood with the goal of understanding how to better support healthy futures for all children for generations to come.
