The Yale Pink and Blue Study is a collaboration between Drs. Kimberly Yonkers, Kathleen Belanger, and Charles Lockwood at Yale University School of Medicine. The Yale Pink and Blue Study is sponsored by the National Institute of Child Health and Development (NICHD) to study stress in pregnant women in Connecticut and Western Massachusetts. Specifically, the Yale Pink and Blue Study examines stress and related emotional changes in pregnant women and looks to see if these changes have any impact on pregnancy.

The study aims to learn more about stress and other emotional conditions during pregnancy in order to understand and help prevent pregnancy complications. We are currently recruiting patients into this project. Participation is easy and hassle-free. By participating in this research study, you will help us to improve our knowledge about the issues pregnant women face, and help us to improve healthcare for other pregnant women. Pregnant women do not have to be experiencing stress or feeling “stressed” to participate in this project. 

The Yale Pink and Blue Study is looking for both women who are stressed and women who do not identify any difficulties in their lives, or do not feel stressed, or women who feel slightly stressed at times (which many women do)! During the next three years The Yale Pink and Blue Study will enroll 3,400 women.

A participant in this study will:

• Be asked to complete a brief screening questionnaire to determine study eligibility

• If eligible, be enrolled on or before their 4th month of pregnancy

• Be interviewed in person early in pregnancy

• Be contacted by phone for two brief interviews, once late in pregnancy and once after delivery.

   

This study does not require medical procedures, tests, or taking medication of any kind. Participants are paid for all interviews and receive information on emotional health during pregnancy. If you live in Connecticut or the Greater Springfield area, please contact the office of Dr. Kimberly Yonkers at the Yale University School of Medicine and ask to find out more information on the Yale Pink and Blue Study.

Call toll-free at 1-866-600-MOMEE (6663) Or you can fill out the form below 

Importance of Studying Emotions in Pregnancy

Life is never stress free. In pregnancy you may feel happy (pink), scared, sad (blue), and anxious all at the same time. This is normal. In the short term, a high level of stress can cause fatigue, sleeplessness, poor appetite or overeating, headaches and backaches. Studies suggest that high levels of stress may pose special risks during pregnancy. We all know stress is common and many women may feel stressed at some point in pregnancy. We all have good and bad days, days when we feel pink and days when we feel blue. Pregnant women who are concerned about the level of stress in their lives, and their ability to cope with it, should talk with their health care provider.

Managing Stress

We all can take steps to manage stress in our lives. Here are some ways you can aim to reduce stress when you are pregnant:

• Eat regularly—don’t skip meals.

• Rest when you can—try to find time to relax everyday.

• Exercise (with your health care provider’s okay.)

• Relax by listening to music, meditating, practicing a hobby.

• Stay away from stressful people and stressful situations, when possible.

• Talk—to your partner, friends, relatives and health care professionals. If you feel overwhelmed, talk with a trained counselor or other mental health professional.

• Go to all your prenatal care appointments. This will give you the reassurance that everything is okay with your baby. You’ll feel less stressed because you know you are doing the best for your baby.

• Do not drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, or take drugs (except those prescribed by your health care provider) These may make you feel better for a little while, but in the long term they are not good for your own health or your baby’s.

• Seek support from your partner, your family and friends, your co-workers, and your employer. Talk to your friends and relatives about your feelings at this time. Consult a health care professional if you can’t eat or sleep or you feel overwhelmed.

Won't you help us make a difference by participating in the Yale Pink and Blue Study?

This groundbreaking study we are currently conducting will help future mothers deliver healthier babies. Many of the things that health care providers recommend today are known because women have been part of past research studies such as ours. Mothers-to-be from Connecticut and Western Massachusetts can be part of this study, which is funded by the National Institutes of Health.

The study is easy:

• Women who participate will be interviewed twice during pregnancy and once after delivery

• There are no lab tests or medication, and no travel is required

• Eligible women will be paid up to $80 for being part of the study 

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ARE YOU A MOTHER-TO-BE ?

Eligibility requirements:

Participation is voluntary and if you decide not to participate, it will not affect your medical care in any way. 

PLEASE COMPLETE THE FORM BELOW AND HAVE A RESEARCH ASSISTANT CONTACT YOU TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE STUDY

The PMS, Perinatal, & Postpartum Research Program
142 Temple Street, Suite 301
New Haven, CT 06510
Phone: (203) 764-6621
Toll-Free: (866) 600-6663
Fax: (203) 764-6766

women@yale.edu