Yesterday saw the launch of the Healthy Pregnancy HUB, an online platform dedicated to providing evidence-based information on medication and pregnancy. Spearheaded by Université de Montréal researcher and professor Anick Bérard, this initiative is part of the pan-Canadian CAMCCO program, which aims to make available research on the benefits and risks associated with the use of medication in pregnancy: “For more than twenty years, I’ve noticed that women are sorely lacking in information when it comes to deciding whether to take their medication during pregnancy,” explained Anick Bérard. “Many choose to err on the side of caution and forego treatment. But being pregnant shouldn’t mean having to choose between your well-being and that of your unborn child. That’s why I’m so proud to present Healthy Pregnancy, an essential resource to help pregnant women make informed, personalized decisions with their doctor or pharmacist.” 

A collaborative project for comprehensive support

The Healthy Pregnancy HUB brings together over 70 researchers from across Canada and is supported by over 2,000 people with real-life experience. Together, they are providing reliable, up-to-date and culturally sensitive information to help future parents make informed decisions. The platform features a bilingual library on medication safety in pregnancy, infographics, videos, podcasts and a conversational agent for easy navigation. Special attention is paid to Indigenous communities as well as cultural and sexual minorities, who are often poorly represented in scientific data. 

Drawing on a wealth of expertise, the HUB is a support network for mothers bringing together research teams, clinicians and patient partners. The aim is to leverage everyone’s know-how to support mothers and children in Canada and abroad. 

This project is funded by the Pan-Canadian Women’s Health Coalition of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s Institute of Gender and Health. The Healthy Pregnancy HUB is the result of several years of research and collaboration with various universities, research centres, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, Black Physicians of Canada, the Canadian Mother-Child Initiative on Medication Safety in Pregnancy, community resources and women who have taken medication during pregnancy. 

A collective adventure that will help ensure a safer, healthier future for generations of mothers and children! 

Top photo, from left to right: Katie Di Caprio (mother with lived experience), Dr. Jacques Michaud, Dr. Lucie Parent (Université de Montréal), Anick Bérard, Dr. Modupe Tunde Byas (co-principal investigator of CAMCCO-Outreach), Dr. Diane Francoeur (Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada), Isabelle Demers, Dr. Simon de Denus (Université de Montréal), Laurie Proulx (mother with lived experience), Nelly Ernestine (mother with lived experience) © CHU Sainte-Justine (Véronique Lavoie) Absent from the photo: Dr. Angela Kaida (Institute of Gender and Health, CIHR)