A research study in Mansfield, Texas, is seeking to understand how the nutrition of pregnant women impacts health outcomes for them and their babies. The study, called Harvesting Health: Advancing Nutrition & Wellness for Moms & Babies, is a collaboration between Methodist Mansfield Medical Center, the Texas A&M AgrilLife Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture, and the city of Mansfield.
Study Details
Researchers will take health assessments for each participant during multiple in-person visits, noting information including height, weight, blood pressure, heart rate, body composition, blood markers, and liver health. They will also ask the participants about their diet.
According to Erica Bender, clinical program director from Texas A&M Agrilife IHA, the study aims to understand how nutrition correlates with the health of pregnant women and their babies. The use of mobile health assessment centers, or MHACs, is a key part of the study, allowing researchers to meet women where they are.
Methodology
The 40-foot mobile clinic is equipped with a private exam room, phlebotomy chair, air-conditioning, and a restroom. Among the technology inside is a BodPod, a capsule that uses air displacement to record body composition. Another piece is a Veggie Meter device that uses light to detect the carotenoids in participants’ skin.
By random selection, half of participants will receive personalized food kits during their pregnancy and for six weeks after they give birth, allowing researchers to see the impact the healthy food has on participants’ health.
Texas has a lot of work to do when it comes to infant and maternal health, said Bender. She noted that Texas has a “D” grade from March of Dimes, a nonprofit that supports and advocates for the health of mothers and babies.
Local Health Statistics
Tarrant County’s infant mortality rate was 5.63 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024, below the state’s rate of 5.73 but above the nationwide rate of 5.53. The maternal mortality rate among non-Hispanic Black women in Tarrant County was 59.6 for 2015-2024, more than double non-Hispanic white women rate of 22.3.
Maternal health is public health, said Bender. Healthier moms create healthier families, and therefore stronger communities. That is our main goal here today, and especially with partnering with the City of Mansfield and Methodist Mansfield Medical Center to make that happen.
The study is now enrolling participants and plans to include 800 women in Phase 1. To qualify, pregnant women must be in their first trimester, be 18 to 45 years old, speak English or Spanish, and have a smartphone. Participants will receive up to $725 and $25 worth of diapers.
Original reporting: Fort Worth Report — read the source article.
