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BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
Published in: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 1/2010

Open Access 01-12-2010 | Study protocol

All Our Babies Cohort Study: recruitment of a cohort to predict women at risk of preterm birth through the examination of gene expression profiles and the environment

Authors: Sara K Gracie, Andrew W Lyon, Heather L Kehler, Craig E Pennell, Siobhan M Dolan, Deborah A McNeil, Jodi E Siever, Sheila W McDonald, Alan D Bocking, Stephen J Lye, Kathy M Hegadoren, David M Olson, Suzanne C Tough

Published in: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth | Issue 1/2010

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Abstract

Background

Preterm birth is the leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality. Risk factors for preterm birth include a personal or familial history of preterm delivery, ethnicity and low socioeconomic status yet the ability to predict preterm delivery before the onset of preterm labour evades clinical practice. Evidence suggests that genetics may play a role in the multi-factorial pathophysiology of preterm birth. The All Our Babies Study is an on-going community based longitudinal cohort study that was designed to establish a cohort of women to investigate how a women's genetics and environment contribute to the pathophysiology of preterm birth. Specifically this study will examine the predictive potential of maternal leukocytes for predicting preterm birth in non-labouring women through the examination of gene expression profiles and gene-environment interactions.

Methods/Design

Collaborations have been established between clinical lab services, the provincial health service provider and researchers to create an interdisciplinary study design for the All Our Babies Study. A birth cohort of 2000 women has been established to address this research question. Women provide informed consent for blood sample collection, linkage to medical records and complete questionnaires related to prenatal health, service utilization, social support, emotional and physical health, demographics, and breast and infant feeding. Maternal blood samples are collected in PAXgene™ RNA tubes between 18-22 and 28-32 weeks gestation for transcriptomic analyses.

Discussion

The All Our Babies Study is an example of how investment in clinical-academic-community partnerships can improve research efficiency and accelerate the recruitment and data collection phases of a study. Establishing these partnerships during the study design phase and maintaining these relationships through the duration of the study provides the unique opportunity to investigate the multi-causal factors of preterm birth. The overall All Our Babies Study results can potentially lead to healthier pregnancies, mothers, infants and children.
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Metadata
Title
All Our Babies Cohort Study: recruitment of a cohort to predict women at risk of preterm birth through the examination of gene expression profiles and the environment
Authors
Sara K Gracie
Andrew W Lyon
Heather L Kehler
Craig E Pennell
Siobhan M Dolan
Deborah A McNeil
Jodi E Siever
Sheila W McDonald
Alan D Bocking
Stephen J Lye
Kathy M Hegadoren
David M Olson
Suzanne C Tough
Publication date
01-12-2010
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth / Issue 1/2010
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2393
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2393-10-87

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