Frequently Asked Questions

    • Yes, you will be compensated up to $200 per visit.

    • You may receive an additional $50 for completing in-person data collection procedures, if applicable.

    • You will be provided with transportation assistance if needed, such as UBER or gas cards.

  • In order to be eligible to participate, you must be a pregnant person living in the Greater Denver Metropolitan Area and fulfill ALL the requirements below:

    • 16 years old or older

    • Under 20 weeks of pregnancy

    • If you decide to participate, you and your unborn child will complete 8 visits throughout a period of 5 years. After this, we will collect information and samples from your child once a year up until they turn 21 years old. Some of these visits will be remote and some will be in person at the LEAD Center, Anschutz Medical Campus. You and your child will be compensated for each visit completed. We may also ask your partner to join ECHO, if they are available.

    • At these visits, you will be asked to complete questionnaires about you and your child. You will also be asked to provide samples from you and your child such as blood, urine, saliva, stool, placenta, hair, and teeth that fall out (child).

    • ECHO might also collect information and samples before you become pregnant again to help understand how things that happen before pregnancy affect child health. If you become pregnant again while you are part of ECHO, we may ask to collect information and samples about that pregnancy, and from that baby when it is born.

    • You, your child, and your partner (if participating) have the right to stop participating in the study at any time.

    • ECHO will continue at least until 2030 and maybe longer.

    • We will contact you at least once a year to complete questionnaires and forms, or to collect samples.

    • We will ask for information (including dates of birth and addresses) and samples like saliva, blood, or hair.

  • If you are interested in participating click HERE.

  • Thanks to your participation, your information will help researchers learn how the environment affects:

    1. Pregnant people’s and babies’ health before, during, and after pregnancy.

    2. Children’s breathing problems and breathing‑related illnesses.

    3. Nutrition, physical activity, risks of becoming overweight, and weight-related illnesses.

    4. Brain development, including the ability to think and understand, social development, speech, attention, behavior, and emotions.

    5. Overall health and well-being.

  • ECHO has answered questions on a broad range of health topics, such as:

    1. How do neighborhood conditions affect pregnancy and infant health?

    2. What types of household products may be harmful to pregnant people?

    3. How free lunch programs promote healthy growth?

    For a full description of results, please visit the ECHO website.

    • ECHO will maintain information in secure databases for research only.

    • ECHO will place genetic and health information about you in databases where researchers outside ECHO may ask permission to use it. That information will not identify you.

    • Providing ECHO information and samples is low risk, but as with all research studies, loss of confidentiality is possible.