FAQs

What makes someone eligible to participate?

    • We are looking for healthy pregnant women who:
      • are about 14 weeks along in their pregnancy
      • are 18 years old or older
      • have a BMI less than or equal to 35 kg/m2
      • plan to deliver baby at Seton Medical Center Austin on 38th Street, St. David’s Medical Center on 32nd, or the North Austin Medical Center
      • are having one baby (not twins or triplets)

What makes someone ineligible?

    • If someone…
      • has diabetes *we will not drop someone from the study if they develop gestational diabetes*
      • has claustrophobia
      • had a recent significant weight loss or gain before pregnancy
      • had a weight-loss related surgery
      • is currently in a weight loss program
      • is currently regularly breastfeeding
      • smokes any type of cigarette
      • has a history of eating disorders
      • has any mechanically or magnetically activated implants (like a pacemaker, insulin pump, cochlear implant, etc.) or anything else that would not allow them to be scanned in an MRI
      • is living with HIV

Someone may become ineligible and are dropped from the study if the baby is diagnosed with, or there is a known, congenital abnormality that is not consistent with life.

How is MINT recruiting participants?

We are recruiting participants from Facebook advertisements and by partnering with different provider groups around Austin. We are looking for 50-60 healthy volunteers that meet all the criteria above.

The MINT flyer can be found here.

Is it safe to get scanned in an MRI while pregnant?

Yes, MRIs are considered safe during pregnancy. The American College of Obstetrician Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends using MRIs instead of other scanners (X-rays or DXAs, for example) for imaging scans during pregnancy.

This document  has more information about why we are using MRIs and what experts recommend for imaging scans during pregnancy. You can also read the opinion statement from ACOG.

What does someone get for participating?

One of the many ways we would like to thank our participants is by giving a cash incentive and/or electronic gift card (Tango Card) at the end of each visit. See the breakdown below:

    • Visit 1 (14-15 weeks gestation): $60
    • Visit 2 (24-25 weeks gestation): $60
    • Visit 3 (34-35 weeks gestation): $60
    • Birth visit (in the hospital): $20
    • 1 Week baby visit: $30
    • 6 Week postpartum visit: $120
      • Mom visit: $60
      • Baby visit: $60
    • Partner visit (at any time): $20
    • 6 Month postpartum visit: up to $90
      • Mom visit: $60
      • Baby visit: $30
    • 12 Month postpartum visit: up to $130
      • Mom visit: up to $80
      • Baby visit: up to $50
    • 24 Month postpartum visit: up to $130
      • Mom visit: up to $80
      • Baby visit: up to $50

Participants also get other smaller incentives for participating in the study (a scale, baby items, images from the MRI scans, etc.).

Where do these visits take place?

All of the maternal visits are in the Health Discovery Building at The University of Texas’ Dell Medical School by UT campus (we’ll provide parking passes). The birth visit will be done in the hospital where you give birth. All of the infant visits will be at the Dell Pediatric Research Institute in Mueller.

What time do you usually schedule visits? How much time does each visit take?

Since some study visits include a fasting blood draw (we provide snacks immediately afterward), we like to start visits between 7:00-9:00 AM. If these times do not work, we will absolutely work with our participants’ schedules.

Most visits last around 1.5-2  hours. However, we will absolutely pause everything when our participants need to take a break.

Can partners or other children come to study visits? 

Yes, partners or other children can also come to study visits.  We just ask our participants to give us enough notice to arrange for additional study staff and for partners to complete a form before the visit.

What will you collect at these visits? 

For a more detailed review of what we collect during the study visits, please go to our “Study Visits” page

How long are the MRI scans?

While we reserve about an hour of time in the MRI suite for the pregnancy scans, the scans themselves are short. For MINT, we have a sequence of 4 or 5 scans that each takes about 5 minutes to complete. Between sequences, we take breaks and re-position participants before the next sequence.

What happens if there is something that looks off in the MRI scan?

If a member of the research team suspects something doesn’t look right with the scan, they will consult with the radiologists that work with UT. In the case that more treatment may be needed, the radiology and research teams will connect with the participant and guide them through the next steps (like talking with their primary health care provider).

I have piercings, can I still get scanned in an MRI?

To make sure everyone is safe during the MRI, we do ask participants to remove all jewelry before study visits and especially the MRI scan.

What is the Pea Pod? Is it safe for babies?

The Pea Pod is a piece of equipment that measures baby’s body composition based on the air they take the place of inside a temperature and pressure-controlled chamber (see below).

The Pea Pod is used to measure the different types of body mass (water, muscle, or fat) without poking or prodding the baby. Baby only has to spend 2 minutes in a chamber, and they are visible at all times. The chamber also has all the safety features of an incubator, including:

      • Constant temperature
      • Ventilation
      • Integrated carbon dioxide sensors inside the chamber
      • HEPA filter to protect against airborne disease transmission
      • Redundant emergency stop

The Pea Pod also allows for most common baby behaviors, like crying and moving. You can learn more about the Pea Pod from their website or watch this video.

What is Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA)? Is it safe?

The DXA scan is a non-invasive way to assess body and bone composition in children and adults. For children 6-24 months, it is the only method available to measure whole body composition and is widely used in pediatric research. The effective radiation dose from one whole body DXA scan (less than 10 microSieverts) is about the same amount as background radiation from one day at sea level, and less than a single chest X-ray (about 50microSv). The scan lasts only a few minutes for both adult and pediatric scans. Out of an abundance of caution, we will not perform a DXA scan on anyone who is pregnant.

For more information, you can refer to this document or visit the company website.

What are the BodPod and Fit3D scans?

The Fit3D and BodPod are additional measures of that will help us better understand the body composition changes and weight trajectories throughout pregnancy and postpartum. A Fit3D scan creates a 3D rendering and measures body fat.  The BodPod uses air displacement and whole body density to determine body composition. Both of these scans take only a few minutes to complete and offer us different methods to measure body composition so we can get a deeper understanding. You can learn more about each by visiting the Fit3D website or the BodPod website.

What is a Veggie Meter?

The Veggie Meter shines light through your finger to measure the amount of carotenoids in your skin. This measure provides a non-invasive measure of your fruit and vegetable intake. You can learn more about the Veggie Meter by visiting the company website.

Can someone participate in this study if they are participating in other studies too?

Yes, our participants can still participate in other studies in addition to the MINT study.