A WORLD-first child health study focusing on newborn babies has begun in the Peel region .
The Peel Child Health Study will track hundreds of children from conception to teenage years, giving experts unparalleled insight into child development.
Women across the Peel district are being sought to take part in the study, which is led by child heath expert Professor Anne McMurray.
Almost 70 women are already taking part.
Last week study manager Martinique Sandy, of Murdoch University, collected samples of umbilical cord blood and small pieces of placenta from participants at Peel Health Campus.
Ms Sandy said the samples would be researched as part of the study.
“These samples will be used to monitor the babies’ responses in a variety of ways and we are now moving into a very exciting phase of the study,” she said.
“We have also ‘amped up’ our recruitment strategy by using local research providers.”
Ms Sandy said she was hopeful more than 2000 women would be taking part in the study by next year.
Women who are 18 weeks pregnant or less are encouraged to take part.
For details, call Murdoch University on 9582 5559.