Almost 10 million children in the United States are affected by at least one allergic disease and the rates of allergy are rising. Prior public health research shows that children born to individuals who are anxious during pregnancy have higher rates of allergy, but the cause behind this occurrence is not known.

The purpose of this study is to identify changes in the immune system of individuals who have anxiety in pregnancy and to determine whether those changes are related to the risk for allergy in their infants. This study will examine pregnant individuals both with and without anxiety to compare any changes in immune functioning.

Study participation will primarily consist of virtual visits where a member of the research staff will guide you through online surveys and assessments throughout pregnancy and postpartum. There are three in-person commitments for the duration of the study, which will include questionnaires and blood-draws. All visits will be individually scheduled with the research team.

Total study participation will last approximately 18 months and participants will be eligible for compensation up to $256.