Study Visits

The MINT Study has 3 pregnancy visits, 1 birth visit, 1 baby visit, and up to 4 postpartum visits with different measures collected at each visit.

Below you can find a breakdown of what to expect from our visits:

Visit 1 (14-15 weeks gestation)
  • At the Health Discovery Building (HDB)
  • Includes:
    • Reviewing and sign paperwork: study consent forms and medical release forms (so the MINT team can get pregnancy weights recorded at prenatal appointments, glucose screening information)
    • Biospecimen samples: Fasting blood draw and urine sample
    • Body composition scans: MRI scan and Fit3D scan
    • Anthropometric measures (for example, waist circumference, hip circumference, skinfold thicknesses)
    • Veggie Meter score
    • Dietary and demographic surveys
    • Wearing an activity monitor for 1 week after the visit
    • We’ll also give you a smart scale to use at home to measure yourself weekly during the study
  • Usually starts 7-10 AM and lasts about 2 hours
Visit 2 (24-25 weeks gestation)
  • At HDB
  • Includes:
    • Biospecimen samples: Urine sample, vaginal swab (to learn about the vaginal microbiome), and stool sample (done at home with a kit we send to you before the visit)
    • Body composition scans: MRI scan and Fit3D scan
    • Anthropometric measures
    • Veggie Meter score
    • One dietary survey and surveys about your pregnancy so far
    • Wearing an activity monitor for 1 week after the visit
    • Keep weighing yourself weekly at home!
  • Can start anytime between 7-2 PM and usually lasts about 1.5 hours
Visit 3 (34-35 weeks gestation)
  • At HDB
  • Includes:
    • Biospecimen samples: Fasting blood draw, urine sample, and stool sample
    • Body composition scans: MRI scan and Fit3D scan
    • Anthropometric measures
    • Veggie Meter score
    • One dietary survey and surveys about your pregnancy and plans after baby arrives
    • Wearing an activity monitor for 1 week after the visit
    • Keep weighing yourself weekly at home!
    • Take home the ‘Hospital Kit’ to collect the birth biospecimen samples
  • Starts between 7-10 AM and usually lasts about 1.5 hours
Birth Visit (whenever baby arrives)
  • The MINT team visits you at the hospital!
  • Includes:
    • Biospecimen samples: Baby’s first stools (meconium and transitional stool), baby’s vernix (waxy white coating on baby after birth), and the placenta, umbilical cord, and cord blood samples
    • Anthropometric measurements on baby
    • A short survey for mom about baby’s birth
  • We come in whenever it is most convenient for you, this visit lasts about 30 minutes
1 Week Baby-only Visit

  • At Dell Pediatric Research Institute (DPRI)
  • Includes:
    • Biospecimen samples: Baby’s stool sample and saliva sample
    • Body composition scans: Pea Pod scan
    • Anthropometric measurements on baby
    • Veggie Meter score
    • A short survey for mom on mom and baby’s health so far
    • Keep weighing yourself every other week at home!
  • The visit can start at a time that is most convenient for you and will last about 30 minutes
6 Weeks Postpartum
  • At HDB (mom) and DPRI (baby)
  • Mom’s visit includes:
    • Biospecimen samples: Fasting blood draw, urine sample, vaginal swab, stool sample, and breastmilk sample (collected either at home or during the visit)
    • Body composition scans: MRI scan, Fit3D scan, and BodPod scan (just like the PeaPod but for adults)
    • Anthropometric measurements
    • Veggie Meter score
    • One dietary survey and surveys about mom’s health after delivery and how baby is fed
    • Wearing an activity monitor for 1 week after the visit
    • Keep weighing yourself every other week at home!
  • Baby’s visit includes:
    • Biospecimen samples: Stool sample
    • Body composition scans: Pea Pod scan
    • Anthropometric measurements on baby
    • Veggie Meter score
  • Visits can start at any time that is convenient for mom and baby’s schedule and can be scheduled on the same day or on different days
  • Mom’s visit should be about 2 hours
  • Baby’s visit should be about 30 minutes
Partner Visit
  • Can be at HDB or DPRI during any of the other visits
  • Partner visit includes:
    • Biospecimen samples: Saliva sample
    • Anthropometric measurements
    • A short survey about demographics and health history
  • Usually takes about 20 minutes
We also have three postpartum visits…
6 Month Visit
  • At DPRI
  • Mom’s visit includes:
    • Biospecimen samples: Fasting blood draw, urine sample, stool sample, and breastmilk sample (if still breastfeeding)
    • Body composition scans: Fit3D scan, BodPod scan
    • Anthropometric measurements
    • Veggie Meter score
    • One dietary survey and surveys about how mom and baby are doing
    • Wearing an activity monitor for 1 week after the visit
    • Keep weighing yourself every other week at home!
  • Baby’s visit includes:
    • Biospecimen samples: Stool sample
    • Body composition scans: PeaPod scan
    • Anthropometric measurements on baby
    • Veggie Meter score
  • Visits can start at any time that is convenient for mom and baby’s schedule and can be scheduled on the same day or on different days
  • Usually take about an hour
12 Month Visit
  • At HDB (mom) and DPRI (baby)
  • Mom’s visit includes:
    • Biospecimen samples: Fasting blood draw, urine sample, stool sample, and breastmilk sample (if still breastfeeding)
    • Body composition scans: MRI scan, Fit3D scan, BodPod scan, Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) Scan (to measure bone and body density)
    • Anthropometric measurements
    • Veggie Meter score
    • One dietary survey and surveys about how mom and baby are doing
    • Wearing an activity monitor for 1 week after the visit
    • Keep weighing yourself every other week at home!
  • Baby’s visit includes:
    • Biospecimen samples: Stool sample
    • Body composition scans: DXA scan
    • Anthropometric measurements on baby
    • Veggie Meter score
  • Visits can start at any time that is convenient for mom and baby’s schedule and can be scheduled on the same day or on different days
  • Mom’s visit should be about 2 hours
  • Baby’s visit should be about 30 minutes
24 Month Visit
  • At DPRI
  • Mom’s visit includes:
    • Biospecimen samples: Fasting blood draw, urine sample, stool sample, and breastmilk sample (if still breastfeeding)
    • Body composition scans: Fit3D scan, BodPod scan, Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) Scan (to measure bone and body density)
    • Anthropometric measurements
    • Veggie Meter score
    • One dietary survey and surveys about how mom and baby are doing
    • Wearing an activity monitor for 1 week after the visit
    • Keep weighing yourself every other week at home!
  • Baby’s visit includes:
    • Biospecimen samples: Stool sample
    • Body composition scans: DXA Scan
    • Anthropometric measurements on baby
    • Veggie Meter score
  • Visits can start at any time that is convenient for mom and baby’s schedule and can be scheduled on the same day or on different days
  • Usually about 1.5 hours

If you have any questions about any of the visits or measurements, please visit our FAQ page or contact us.