uBiome to partner with HelloFlo on crowdsourced pregnancy study
San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) April 08, 2015 -- uBiome has announced a partnership with HelloFlo, a health and wellness resource for women, to crowdsource a study of the pregnancy microbiome. uBiome will be partnering with HelloFlo as they launch their new product geared toward women before, during, and after pregnancy.
uBiome will include a complimentary pregnancy microbiome kit in each pregnancy pack, designed to allow women to sample their vaginal microbiome at critical points in their gestation. “This is a wonderful fusion of two companies; we have provided the personal essentials and comfort-driven items, as well as the opportunity to contribute to our scientific understanding of pregnancy and birth,” says Naama Bloom, founder and CEO of HelloFlo.
HelloFlo has been recognized for their viral videos celebrating women’s health. Jessica Richman, CEO of uBiome, noted, “HelloFlo makes women’s health fun. We’re excited to partner with them to bring research on the pregnancy microbiome to women everywhere.”
While research in the gestational and postpartum microbiome is relatively recent, research findings indicate significant areas for future exploration, including the differences between the vaginal microbiome before, during, and after pregnancy, as well as the correlations between the microbiome and pre-term birth. “We can no longer ignore the fact that exposure to microbes in the womb is likely and may even be a universal part of human pregnancy, serving as the first inoculation of beneficial microbes before birth,” say Funkhouser and Bordenstein in a recent article in PLOS.
If you are interested in participating in uBiome’s pregnancy study, please visit HelloFlo.com to purchase a pregnancy pack or go to uBiome’s Pregnancy Study page for more information.
About uBiome:
There are ten times as many microbial cells as human cells, the 100 trillion that together form the microbiome. These microbes are not harmful, but rather are co-evolved symbionts, essential collaborators in our physiology. Like the rainforest, the healthy human microbiome is a balanced ecosystem. The latest research suggests that the correct balance of microbes serves to keep potential pathogens in check and regulate the immune system. Microbes also perform essential functions such as digesting food and synthesizing vitamins.
In contrast to immutable human genome, the microbiome, has the potential to be modified through simple means such as targeted antibiotics, healthful probiotics, diet and other lifestyle interventions. Thus, the microbiome may provide some of the most important medical breakthroughs of our era. uBiome ultimately aims to empower participants to manage their microbiomes to improve their health. By joining uBiome, citizen scientists can explore their microbiome (with studies at ubiome.com, indiegogo.com/at/ubiomedental, and ubiome.com/pages/pregnancy) and become partners in the process of scientific discovery.
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If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview, call uBiome at +1 415-275-2461 or email CEO Jessica Richman at jessica(at)ubiome(dot)com.
Jessica Richman, uBiome, http://www.ubiome.com, +1 (415) 275-2461, [email protected]
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