We are interested in investigating the impact of pregnancy and high blood pressure during pregnancy on the maternal brain function.

Principal Investigator: Dr Joana Pinto (joana.pinto@eng.ox.ac.uk)

Funding: Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Alzheimer's Research UK, John Fell Fund

-------------------

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR BRAIN STUDY

We are looking for women:

1. who have never been pregnant
2. pregnant
3. within 6 months after baby delivery

(1) Never been pregnant?

Who are we looking for?

• Fluent English-speaking female volunteers
• Above 18 years of age

Exclusion criteria include: 

• Contraindications to respiratory challenge (severe asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sleep apnoea)
• Inability to understand verbal and written English or provide informed consent.
• Contraindications to MRI (such as a pacemaker, metal implants or a history of claustrophobia).

MORE DETAILS BELOW

(2,3) Are you currently pregnant? Have you been recently?

STUDY WILL BE PERFORMED AFTER CHILD BIRTH

Who are we looking for?

• Fluent English-speaking female volunteers
• Above 18 years of age

Exclusion criteria include: 

• Contraindications to respiratory challenge (severe asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sleep apnoea)
• Inability to understand verbal and written English or provide informed consent.
• Contraindications to MRI (such as a pacemaker, metal implants or a history of claustrophobia).

---------- 

All participants will be invited to come to the University of Oxford (OHBA, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging), for ONE SESSION (2 hours), where we will collect the following, using safe and non-invasive methods:

• magnetic resonance imaging brain scans (MRI) in combination with breathing tasks
• other physiological testing (pupil reaction to light, blood flow velocity, saliva sampling)

If you take part, you will be asked questions about your medical history to check your suitability for an MRI scan.

Please contact maternalbrainstudy@eng.ox.ac.uk for further information without any obligation.

Thank you!

-------------------