An interventional study of Choline nutrition education (CNE) in Nutrition During Pregnancy, sponsored by East Carolina University. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 40 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-04-13.
Sponsored by East Carolina University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention
Less than 10% of pregnant women consume adequate levels of choline, an essential nutrient for maternal lipid metabolism, placental efficiency, and fetal development. Most prenatal vitamins do not contain choline; a research survey shows that only 6% of OB/GYNs were likely to recommend choline-rich foods to pregnant women. Nutrition education grounded in the Health Belief Model (HBM) has high efficacy among pregnant women; therefore, it is likely that HBM-driven choline education intervention will increase maternal choline levels. No studies have evaluated the influence of prenatal choline education intervention on maternal, placental, and neonatal outcomes. Our preliminary data suggest that increased choline intake corresponds with lower maternal body fat percentage (BF%), infant 1-month BF%, and MSC lipid accumulation, as well as increased placental efficiency. The central hypothesis is that choline education will increase maternal choline levels and improve placental function and infant health. We will test this hypothesis with three aims: to determine the influence of choline education intervention on maternal choline intake, placental efficiency, and infant health at the whole-body and cellular levels. The proposed study will be the first to provide a critical translational understanding of the influence of prenatal choline education intervention on maternal, placental, and child health.
East Carolina University is the lead sponsor of 84 studies on the registry; 13 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
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The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
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BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
HIV
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants will receive choline nutrition education (CNE) between gestational weeks 16 through 36.
Behavioral: Choline nutrition education (CNE)
Usual care, control group. Participants will receive the intervention materials at 36 weeks of gestation after completion of all 36-wk measures.
All choline nutrition education (CNE) will be delivered virtually once every 4 weeks at Gestational Week 18, 22, 26, 30, and 34. Participants will also receive a check-in message at Gestational Week 20, 24, 28, and 32, asking them to confirm that they have read through the CNE materials and if they have any questions.
Dietary choline consumption
Multiple 24-hour dietary recalls
Time frame: At 16-weeks and 36-weeks gestation: Participants will complete the Automated Self-Administered 24-hour (ASA24) Dietary Assessment Tool on 3 separate days (2 weekdays and 1 weekend day) to determine daily dietary choline intake in grams.
Infant body fat
DXA scan to measure body fat percentage in 1-month old infants.
Time frame: At 1-month postnatal: Infant body composition will be evaluated at 1-month by DXA scan.
Plasma choline concentration
Maternal venipuncture
Time frame: At 16-weeks and 36-weeks gestation: Maternal blood will be collected and centrifuged, then a colorimetric plate-based assay (Choline Assay Kit, ab219944) will be used to quantify choline concentrations in maternal plasma samples.
Infant cellular lipid storage
At delivery: Infant mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) will be isolated from umbilical cord tissue. Undifferentiated MSCs (D0) will be cultured in growth medium, and adipogenesis will be induced for 21 days (D21). Adipogenic differentiation will be confirmed by western blotting for protein expression of adipogenic marker PPARγ at D0 and D21. Cellular lipid accumulation will be evaluated in MSCs at D0 and D21 using Oil Red O (ORO) staining.
Time frame: At delivery: Infant mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) will be isolated from umbilical cord tissue and Oil-Red O staining will be used to measure intracellular lipid accumulation of adipogenic differentiated MSCs.
Maternal body composition
Maternal body composition will be assessed by BOD POD (COSMED) to determine fat mass.
Time frame: At 16-weeks and 36-weeks gestation: Maternal body composition will be assessed by BOD POD (COSMED).
Plan to share: Undecided — De-identified data can be shared upon request to researchers.
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Started May 2025 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for May 2027, 23 months after the start.
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East Carolina University