WebMD and La Jolla, Calif.-based Scripps Translational Science Institute are conducting a study to investigate what factors lead to a healthy pregnancy.
The organizations will leverage WebMD's existing iPhone pregnancy app, which provides expectant mothers with guidelines and advice. The app will incorporate Apple's ResearchKit, a software framework that will help medical researchers enroll expectant mothers into the study.
The expectant mothers who participate in the study will anonymously answer questions and share device data about their pregnancies. This information might include data related to medications, pre-existing conditions, sleep and weight change, among other details.
The participants, in return, will receive information about data trends throughout their pregnancies.
"The results of our Healthy Pregnancy Study — on the foundation of an exceptionally popular smartphone app — will ultimately provide expectant mothers, researchers and healthcare professionals with new medical insights to avoid complications during pregnancy," said Eric Topol, MD, director of STSI.