In response to the need for more understanding about the importance of healthy lifestyle practices during preconception, pregnancy and early childhood, the nonprofit Global Wellness Institute™ (GWI) launched The First 1000 Days initiative in 2018. As the Chair of this initiative,  Patricia Ladis - in collaboration with Dr. Sergio Pecorelli, Alina Hernandez, Dr. Elissa Epel (The Telomere Effect), Yamuna USA and other delegates - is working to educate the public as well as wellness and medical industry professionals on the importance of this time period. It has a broader effort to further the prevention of noncommunicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and emotional disorders through perinatal and early childhood wellness interventions and guidance.

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The First 1000 Days typically refers to 270 days of pregnancy, plus the first two years of a child’s life (730 days). However, new research is looking at the impact of the health and lifestyle of both the mother and the father during the six months (180 days) before a baby is conceived. These periods add up to 1,180 days—and a new approach to exploring the many factors that can determine a child’s future health.