
Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition Study (APrON Study)
Synopsis
APrON (Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition) is a study involving thousands of women from Calgary and Edmonton, designed to analyze the relationship between maternal nutrient status during pregnancy and maternal mental health and child health and development.
Summary
Study name | Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition Study |
Study abbreviation | APrON Study |
Current principal investigator/s | Nicole Letourneau, RN, PhD Co-PIs: Deborah Dewey, PhD, R Psych; Catherine Field, PhD. |
Current project manager | Andrea Deane |
Cohort representative (study contact) | Andrea Deane |
Postal address | Owerko Centre | Third Floor – CDC Building
c/o 2500 University Drive NW Calgary, Alberta Canada T2N 1N4 |
Phone | +1 (403) 441-8471 |
apron@ucalgary.ca | |
Primary Institution | University of Calgary and University of Alberta |
Major funding sources | Alberta Innovates: Health Solutions (AIHS) (Previously Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research);
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR); Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC); National Institutes of Health (NIH); Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation |
Study website | apronstudy.ca |
Key reference |
Kaplan, B. J., Giesbrecht, G. F., Leung, B. M., Field, C. J., Dewey, D., Bell, R. C., … & Singhal, N. (2014). The Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition (APrON) cohort study: rationale and methods. Maternal & child nutrition, 10(1), 44-60. doi: 10.1111/j.1740-8709.2012.00433.x Leung BM, Giesbrecht GF, Letourneau N, Field CJ, Bell RC, Dewey D; APrON Study Team. Perinatal nutrition in maternal mental health and child development: Birth of a pregnancy cohort. Early Hum Dev. 2016 Feb; 93:1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2015.11.007. |
Are data available outside study team? | Yes, through SAGE – Secondary Analysis to Generate Evidence (https://policywise.com/resource/publications/) |
Study focus | To improve the health and long-term potential of mothers and newborn babies in Alberta by identifying the role of nutrition in mental and neurodevelopmental disorders, and long-term neurocognitive function. |
Sampling frame | 2009- 2025 (with current funding) |
Year commenced | 2008 |
Commencement sample | Maternal n=2191, Paternal n=1325, Infant n=2169 |
Intergenerational? | Not yet but we are hopeful that we will continue to receive funding so we can do transgenerational analysis. |
Imaging | Yes, on a small subset (N~150) of the children |
Linkage | No |
Biosamples? | Buccal, blood, urine, breastmilk |
Ethics approvals or requirements? | UofC REB14-1702
UofA Pro00002954 Both specific and extended consents |
Waves
Wave | Year | Age (mean, range) | Eligible sample |
---|---|---|---|
1 Maternal Time A & B First Visit Mothers at <27 weeks gestation |
2009- 2012 | 31.6 , 16- 44 years old | Maternal n= 2189 |
2 Maternal & Paternal Time C Visit Mothers at 14 – 26 weeks gestation |
2009- 2012 | 31.9, 16 – 45 years old. | Maternal n= 1838 Paternal n= 1325 |
3 Maternal, Paternal & Infant Time E Visit- 12 weeks postpartum | 2009- 2013 | 32.5, 17 – 45 years old. |
Maternal n= 2051 Paternal n= 1287 Infant n= 1784 |
4 Maternal & Infant Time F Questionnaires- 24 weeks postpartum | 2010- 2013 | 32.9, 18 – 45 years old. |
Maternal n= 1727 Infant n = 1759 |
5 Maternal & Infant Time G Questionnaires – 1 years postpartum | 2010- 2014 | 33.4, 18.5 – 46 years old. |
Maternal n= 1747 Infant n= 1799 |
6 Maternal & Child Time H Questionnaires – 2 years postpartum | 2011- 2015 | 34.6, 19 – 48 years old. |
Maternal n= 1833 Child n= 1865 |
7 Maternal & Child Time I Questionnaires – 3 years postpartum | 2012- 2016 | 35.7, 21 – 48 years old. |
Maternal n= 1628 Child n= 1660 |
8 Maternal, Paternal & Child Time J Questionnaires – 5 years postpartum | 2014- 2018 | 38.6, 23 – 49 years old. |
Paternal n= 397 Maternal n= 674 Child n= 648 |