Browsing by Author "Field, Catherine"
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- ItemOpen AccessThe Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition (APrON) cohort study: rationale and methods(Maternal & Child Nutrition, 2014-01) Kaplan, Bonnie; Giesbrecht, Gerald; Leung, Brenda; Field, Catherine; Dewey, Deborah; Bell, Rhonda; Manca, Donna; O'Beirne, Maeve; Johnston, David; Pop, Victor; Singhal, Nalini; Gagnon, Lisa; Bernier, Francois; Eliasziw, Misha; McCargar, Linda; Kooistra, Libbe; Farmer, Anna; Cantell, Marja; Goonewardene, Laki; Casey, Linda; Letourneau, Nicole; Martin, Jonathan; APrON Study TeamThe Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition (APrON) study is an ongoing prospective cohort study that recruits pregnant women early in pregnancy and, as of 2012, is following up their infants to 3 years of age. It has currently enrolled approximately 5000 Canadians (2000 pregnant women, their offspring and many of their partners).The primary aims of the APrON study were to determine the relationships between maternal nutrient intake and status, before, during and after gestation, and (1) maternal mood; (2) birth and obstetric outcomes; and (3) infant neurodevelopment. We have collected comprehensive maternal nutrition, anthropometric, biological and mental health data at multiple points in the pregnancy and the post-partum period, as well as obstetrical, birth, health and neurodevelopmental outcomes of these pregnancies. The study continues to follow the infants through to 36 months of age.The current report describes the study design and methods, and findings of some pilot work. The APrON study is a significant resource with opportunities for collaboration.
- ItemOpen AccessVitamin D during Pregnancy(2016) Aghajafari, Fariba; Ross, Susan; O'Beirne, Maeve; Field, Catherine; Eliasziw, Misha; Dewey, DeborahVitamin D plays an important role in promoting healthy pregnancy and fetal development. There is a lack of knowledge on (1) the effect of vitamin D deficiency/ insufficiency on pregnancy and neonatal outcomes, (2) the association between maternal plasma vitamin D concentration and dietary intake, and (3) the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency/ insufficiency during pregnancy and the contribution of vitamin D metabolites to estimate vitamin D. This dissertation attempts to address these knowledge gaps about vitamin D during pregnancy. In a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies, low maternal 25(OH)D concentrations were found to be associated with higher risks of gestational diabetes (pooled OR 1.49, 95% CI: 1.18 to 1.89), preeclampsia (pooled OR 1.79, 95% CI: 1.25 to 2.58), small for gestational age (SGA) (pooled OR 1.85, 95% CI: 1.52 to 2.26) and lower birth weight (weighted mean difference: -130.92 g (95% CI: -186.69 to -75.14). However, that quality of individual studies was not always optimal due to inconsistent reporting on confounding factors. The two studies in this work involved pregnant women from a large Alberta cohort study to measure vitamin D. 3-epi-25(OH)D3 was found in all of the pregnant women’s blood in mid-pregnancy, at the time of delivery and in cord blood. When the 3-epimer was included in the estimation of status, the prevalence of vitamin D <75 nmol/L was significantly lower (P<0.005). A significant relationship between maternal reported dietary vitamin D intake and plasma 25(OH)D and 3-epi-25(OH)D3 concentration were identified. Consuming the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) (600 IU/ day) was found to be insufficient to achieve vitamin D <75 nmol/L in half of participants. This research highlighted the potentially important association between maternal vitamin D status and pregnancy health and the variability that can arise in study results when different measures of vitamin D status are used. In addition, it extends the literature suggesting that current RDA may not be adequate to ensure that Canadian pregnant women achieving vitamin D status. Furthermore, this research showed that the method employed to measure vitamin D in pregnant women and cord blood can influence the estimates of status.