Skip to content

The detrimental effects of hardship during pregnancy in immigrants on their children

Pregnancy | Brain | MRI | Behavior Disorder (Unusual Behavior)

Material hardship (e.g., housing hardship and bill-paying hardship) is common among international immigrants as immigration presents enormous challenges (e.g., financial problems, language barriers and unmet health services). As such, newcomer women tend to experience less maternity care and be vulnerable to hardship exposure during pregnancy, causing more prevalent postpartum depression than non-immigrants and thereby having long-lasting adverse impacts on child behaviours. Our study aims to examine atypical brain alterations via which maternal hardship caused by immigration affects infant temperament which is a significant predictor of behavioural problems later in life. The findings will provide pilot data for optimizing child neurodevelopment and lifelong mental health among Canadian new arrival communities.

null

Participation Requirements

  • Sex:

    Female

  • Eligible Ages:

    18 to 55

Participation Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:
Pregnant women who are 1) 18 years of age or older.;2) with a singleton pregnancy; 3) arrived in Canada within the last 12 months; 5) Able to read, write and speak English; and 6) live in Calgary, Alberta
Exclusion Criteria:
You are not eligible to participate if you 1) were born in Canada, 2) over 35 weeks pregnant and 3) understand English consent forms

Study Location

University of Calgary
University of Calgary
Calgary, Alberta
Canada

Contact Study Team

Study Sponsored By
University of Calgary
Participants Required
More Information
Study ID: REB25-1099