Study Details

Open

Stress, queer families, and microbiome

This study has three aims: (1) To understand the sources of stress and social support for queer people undergoing family planning (2) To understand how stress shows up biologically through the gut microbiome and cortisol (3) To understand how stress in parents can be "passed down" to infants through the gut and skin microbiomes

I'm interested

Age & Gender

18 years ~ 99 years
Female, Gender Inclusive

Visit Availability

Standard business hours (M-F, 8-5)
Extended hours (M-F, early morning or evening)
Weekend hours, if needed
In-home visits available
Visits can be combined with regular clinical appointments

Location

North Carolina (Statewide)

What will be asked of you

At the first visit (virtual), you will participate in a semi-structured interview asking you about your experiences with family planning so far. If you are currently pregnant, you will then be asked to participate in the second phase of the study, which includes sample collection. In you third trimester, you and your partner(s) (or other people you would consider parents to your child) will complete surveys and provide fecal samples and skin swabs. After the birth of your infant, you will complete surveys and provide fecal samples and skin swabs from yourself, your partner(s), and your infant(s) at two weeks, two months, and four months postpartum.

Incentives

Up to $110 upon completion of the study, You will be provided diapers for sample collection; any remaining diapers can be kept for your infant

In-person visits:
4

Phone or online visits:
1

Total length of participation:
Up to 6 months

Looking for Specific Volunteers

Able to participate:

Assigned female at birth
LGBTQ+ (partnered in "heterosexual-passing" relationships eligible!)
You are family planning

Not eligible if:

You plan to adopt, foster, or have a non-biological child otherwise

Contact the Team

Visit Location

Contact & Visit Location

Primary Contact

Rebecca Wu
rcwu@unc.edu

Primary Visit Location

UNC Human Biology Lab
Alumni Hall (UNC-Chapel Hill)
207 E Cameron Ave, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA

Additional Study Information

Principal Investigator

Rebecca Wu
Anthropology

Study Type

Behavioral or Social
Observational

Study Topics

Healthy Volunteer or General Population
LGBTQIA+
Microbiome
Minority Health
Pregnancy
Women's Health
UNC or UNC Health employees
UNC Students (undergrad, grad, professional)

IRB Number

25-2111