Pregnant woman in country Australia will help Adelaide researchers figure out why cases of type 1 diabetes have doubled over the past two decades.
Australia's largest ever study, led by the University of Adelaide, aims to identify environmental factors that contribute to the development of the disease.
Nearly one-third of people in regional areas haven't been able to take part before because they couldn't get to a hospital.
They can now collect and ship their own samples from home.
Pregnant woman who already have children with a direct relative with diabetes and babies younger than six months are eligible.
"We believe the environment a child is exposed to early in life holds the key to understanding type 1 diabetes," Women's and Children's Hospital professor Jenny Couper said on Thursday.
Kelly Porter, from Berri in SA's Riverland, has diabetes and is the first mother to take part in the regional program.
"With our second child on the way, we are glad to help further knowledge of type 1 diabetes - not just for people diagnosed but also their families," she said.
"Knowledge is power and the more we have the closer we might be to prevention."
People interested in joining the study can ring (06) 8161 8655 or visit www.endia.org.au.
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