Chicago Perinatal Origins of Disease Study Findings

Our research findings will be shared with participants as well as the larger scientific community.

Latest Work

Abstracts:

  • Relationship Between Disinfectant Use and Biological & Environmental Persistence: We studied how a common disinfectant chemical called benzalkonium chloride (BAC) moves from household products into people's bodies. Researchers collected paired samples of household dust, along with blood and urine from the people living in those homes and surveyed them about disinfectant use in their homes. We discovered that the BAC chemical was present in dust, blood, and urine samples. This finding suggests that BAC not only lingers in the home environment but can also be absorbed by people, making this the first study to show how the chemical travels from our homes to our bodies. The research highlights the potential for BAC to accumulate in humans over time, raising questions about its long-term health effects.

  • Relationship Between Pregnancy Depression Symptoms and Placental Health. We investigated the connection between depression in pregnant people and the health of the placenta. Among a subset of 37 pregnant people in our study, we measured their depressive symptoms twice during pregnancy and then examined their placentas after birth for signs of inflammation or blood vessel problems. We found that an increase in depressive symptoms was linked to a 70% higher chance of acute placental inflammation, a condition that can affect the health of both the pregnant person and the baby. However, they also surprisingly discovered that worsening depressive symptoms were associated with a 45% lower chance of a different placental issue called fetal vascular malperfusion. This research suggests that depression during pregnancy can directly impact the placenta, potentially in both harmful and protective ways. This highlights the need for further studies to understand these complex relationships.

  • Association Between Placental Health and Infant Neurodevelopment. In this study, we looked at the link between placental problems and infant development in healthy, full-term babies. Researchers analyzed the placentas of 55 newborns for issues like inflammation and poor blood flow, and then their parents completed questionnaires to screen for any developmental delays at two and four-six months of age. The findings revealed that a specific placental issue called fetal vascular malperfusion (FVM) was associated with a higher chance of abnormal developmental scores. This association was particularly strong for communication and personal-social skills at four to six months of age. The results suggest that even in full-term births, the health of the placenta may play a role in a baby's early brain development, highlighting the need for further research on this topic.

Papers:

  • The Founders’ 400 and Chicago Perinatal Origins of Disease (CPOD) Study Protocol
    This publication describes the design of the CPOD cohort, a longitudinal study following pregnant participants and their children from early pregnancy through two years postpartum. The manuscript describes detailed processes and collection protocols for clinical, social, environmental, and biological data, including biospecimens, which this study will use to investigate how early life exposures influence pregnancy outcomes and early childhood health and development.
  • Parental Perceptions of Perinatal and Early Childhood Research. Before beginning our CPOD cohort study, we explored what new and expecting parents think about participating in perinatal research and uncommon collection methods for environmental data. Researchers interviewed 24 parents from diverse backgrounds, presenting them with a hypothetical study that would use wearable devices, audio recording, and environmental sampling. Overall, the parents were positive and motivated by the idea of helping others, but they also expressed concerns about data privacy, the safety of wearable devices, and the practicality of the study's demands. These concerns were consistent across different racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. The findings suggest that future research involving families will be more successful if it focuses on being transparent and building trust with parents. We have intentionally incorporated these findings into the design of our current study. 

Study Updates and News

2026

2024