GenV is one of the world’s largest ever parent and birth studies. New mum Sangita joined GenV to help find new answers for autism and diabetes.
Generation Victoria (GenV) is a research project with a simple but hugely important goal: To transform the health and wellbeing of an entire generation of Victorians.
Over a 2 year period, they’re asking parents of newborns to be a part of GenV by safely and securely sharing information about themselves and the health and wellbeing of their newborn.
This information could help researchers find new solutions to many of today’s most common childhood conditions.
We know you may have lots of questions about the program, so we spoke to Sangita, a new mum who signed up to be part of the project.
NBB…. Why did you decide to become a part of GenV?
Sangita: I think it’s important for children’s health, now and later on, that we gather as much information from as many parents as possible. The more information researchers have, the more they can find. It’s important to get as many people as possible into this kind of study.
NBB…. Your point about needing as many parents as possible – why do you think that matters so much?
Sangita: The more diversity you can build into the types of people you ask to join means you will get more accurate information – if it’s a limited number of people then the researchers just won’t know if what they find out is actually real. Lots of people involved will help show them that what they find out is linked.
NBB…. GenV was created to help find new answers to many childhood conditions – What types of health conditions would you like to see GenV help with?
Sangita: For me personally autism is something I’d really like to know more about- it’s something that there’s currently no way of knowing about until kids are slightly older. If there’s anything that could be done during pregnancy to identify if there’s an issue, that’s something I would like to see happen.
Diabetes is the other condition because it’s hereditary in my family. I had gestational diabetes during my last pregnancy, so it would be good if there were ways to identify these types of conditions early on- before they become a bigger problem.
NBB…. What sort of experience have you had with GenV so far?
Sangita: In the hospital everything was done on an iPad that GenV provided. They did a swab of Maddie’s cheek, and the questions were all easy to understand and very straightforward. Overall, the process was really simple.
NBB…. What would you say to other parents who are thinking about being a part of GenV?
Sangita: The more information we can get the more valuable the whole program will be – if you don’t get that many people join then the information isn’t as valuable- you need that large amount of information to see the links with certain conditions – I’m surprised nothing like this has been done before!
NBB…. How important was it to you knowing the Royal Children’s hospital is part of GenV?
Sangita: Incredibly important. Having places like the Royal Children’s and the University of Melbourne involved just said to me this is a genuine program where they are going to do world class research. It’s a lot bigger than just a program run by the hospital that you are having your baby.
Thank you Sangita and family for sharing your GenV story.
To learn more about GenV head over to their website.
If you’ve had a baby in Victoria since October 2021, you may be eligible to join the program. Fill out an expression of interest form and a GenV team member will contact you.
