Since 2013, researchers at Boston University have been conducting a study to examine how lifestyle and environmental factors contribute to a successful pregnancy.
PREgnancy Study Online (PRESTO) is a non-profit web-based study funded by the National Institutes of Health. They are enrolling women and their male partners who are trying to conceive a baby. Through its examination of certain lifestyle factors PRESTO seeks to help…
Increase couple’s chances of conceiving
Increase healthier pregnancies and babies
Predict and prevent miscarriages, low birth weight, preterm birth, ad other adverse pregnancy outcomes
Now, you can become a part of this groundbreaking PRESTO study! If you are currently trying to conceive, you can be involved in something bigger than yourself by helping future women with successful pregnancies.
Learn how easy it is to become involved with Boston University and join over 11,000 women in the PRESTO study today!
PRESTO is a non-profit, grant funded research study that does not receive money or any other form of compensation from participants and the data they provide. No affiliate links are used in this article. To read the disclosure statement for Pitter Patter of Baby Feet click HERE.
Who’s Eligible To Participate In PRESTO?
In order to enroll in PRESTO, you need to meet the following requirements:
-Be 21-45 years of age
-A United States or Canadian resident
-In a stable relationship with a male partner
-Wanting to become pregnant or thinking about trying within the next 6 months
-Willing to participate in a 12-month study
However, if you are currently pregnant or going through fertility treatment, then you are NOT eligible to take part.
Once you enroll in the PRESTO study, your male partner is also eligible to participate to provide vital information regarding lifestyle factors. But men can only participate in the PRESTO study if their female partners are enrolled, as it is optional for male partners to participate.
What’s Required Of Participants?
This Boston University study is completely web-based, which makes it extremely easy to provide essential information for the PRESTO study.
In order to officially enroll, you will be asked to take a 30-35 minute survey. You will then be asked to complete an NCI-designed dietary survey 10 days after enrollment. If you complete the dietary survey, you will receive a free dietary summary, as well as be entered into a lottery to win a $100 gift card!
Then, every two months over the course of 12 months (or until pregnancy) you will be asked to complete another 10-15 minute follow-up survey.
The questionnaires address the following topics:
- Dietary habits
- Demographics
- Lifestyle factors
- Reproductive history
- Contraceptive history
- Medical history
- Medications
- Body size
- Physical activity
If you become pregnant during the PRESTO study, you are asked to complete a survey in early pregnancy, late pregnancy and at 6 months postpartum.
All the information you provide to PRESTO is secure and confidential. The study’s protocols are reviewed by the Boston University Medical Center Institutional Review Board to ensure confidentiality.
To read additional information about eligibility and requirements
The E-PRESTO Study
Along with participating in the PRESTO study, women living or working in the Boston or Detroit area are invited to participate in the substudy known as E-PRESTO.
E-PRESTO stands for Environmental Pregnancy Study Online. The study will ask women to provide both blood and urine samples to examine how certain environmental chemicals affect reproductive health. After collection, blood and urine samples are shipped and analyzed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Only women in the Boston and Detroit area who are enrolled in the PRESTO study are eligible to participate in E-PRESTO. Eligible women are invited during their pre-conception period, and again during their second trimester if a pregnancy is reported in the PRESTO study.
For your participation in this breakthrough study, you could receive up to $140 in compensation!!
To learn more about the E-PRESTO substudy from Boston University
Semen Testing Study
As part of another PRESTO substudy, male partners enrolled in the main PRESTO study are invited to participate in a semen testing study.
For this susbstudy, 300 men are needed to complete the PRESTO baseline survey and 2 in-home semen tests with the Trak semen analysis device to analyze semen volume, sperm concentration and sperm motility. The study is NOT collecting or banking your specimen. You can perform this test at home, receive the results in minutes, and share your results to PRESTO to receive compensation!
Male partners are awarded a $20 electronic gift card for participating in this substudy.
The semen testing study will examine if lifestyle factors and behaviors affect semen quality and if semen quality affects future fertility. The Trak device is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Compensation For Participating
Your hard work does not go unnoticed! PRESTO realizes your time is valuable and they appreciate your participation in this massive fertility and pregnancy study.
That is why PRESTO has included multiple prizes for your participation in their study!
Each participant in PRESTO has the chance to win the following:
-Selected participants enrolled in PRESTO will receive 6 Clearblue pregnancy tests.
-Half of the female participants enrolled receive a VIP membership to Kindara, an app designed to help you identify fertility signs along with your unique fertile window to help you become pregnant faster.
-Male or female participants who complete the dietary questionnaire will receive a FREE dietary intake summary that includes fat, protein, carbohydrate intake, etc. Plus, participants will be entered into a lottery to win a $100 grocery gift card.
-Male participants who complete their 10-15 minute baseline questionnaire, along with their female partner will both be entered into a lottery for a chance to win a FREE iPad mini!
-Once female participants complete all required questionnaires, they are entered into a lottery for $200.
-Participants in the E-PRESTO substudy can receive up to $140 in compensation.
-Men enrolled in the semen testing study will receive compensation of a $20 electronic gift card.
Why The PRESTO Study Matters
In the United States…
-1 in 8 couples have trouble conceiving and maintaining a pregnancy
-15% to 20% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage
-11.4% of babies are born before 37 weeks
-318,873 babies are born under 5.5 pounds each year
Personally, I believe these numbers are too high! If PRESTO’s research data could help pinpoint which lifestyle and behavioral factors impact fertility and pregnancy, these numbers could substantially decrease.
But… PRESTO cannot lower these statistics without your help!
By enrolling in the PRESTO study, you can contribute to helping researchers at Boston University find lifestyle factors to help potentially lower or prevent miscarriage, low birth weight and preterm birth.
In addition, those who enroll in the E-PRESTO study can help promote future healthier pregnancies by identifying specific environmental chemicals having a negative effect on fertility.
Furthermore, the information you give can help future generations of women have successful pregnancies!
How You Can Become Involved
If you are trying to conceive, or plan to start trying within the next 6 months without the use of fertility treatment, then the PRESTO study is perfect for you!
If you are unsure about enrolling or are not ready to enroll yet, you can fill out an eligibility screener and tell Boston University when you plan to conceive, and they will contact you at a later date when you’re ready.
Enrolling and taking part in the PRESTO study is easy!
Simply head over to the Boston University PRESTO enrollment page and fill out a research consent form, click the link below to become involved today.
Don’t forget about friends and family you know who may be eligible to participate in PRESTO!
If you have any specific questions or concerns about the study, you can reach them at [email protected] or call them at (617) 358-3423.
Final Thoughts
If you follow anything related to Pitter Patter of Baby Feet, you know by now how important increasing fertility is to me.
My husband and I are 1 in 8 couples who have trouble getting pregnant. After 12 months my husband and I were diagnosed with infertility. With the help of science that included a mix of inseminations and fertility medication, we now have two beautiful boys.
Because of my own struggles with becoming pregnant, I believe the PRESTO study from Boston University is extremely important for the future of fertility rates and successful pregnancies.
Plus, my second baby was born at a low birth weight of 4 pounds 13 ounces and I don’t know why. PRESTO has the potential to answer my question of why my son was born under 5.5 pounds. Having infertility issues and having a low birth weight baby, I see the positive impact Boston University could have for future generations of women and babies.
The PRESTO study gives you the opportunity to join over 11,000 women and be a part of something bigger than yourself.
So, what are you waiting for? PRESTO cannot find the answers to promote future successful pregnancies without YOU!
Works Cited
Premature birth facts and statistics
FastStats- birthweight and gestation