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. 2014 Jan;10(1):44-60.
doi: 10.1111/j.1740-8709.2012.00433.x. Epub 2012 Jul 17.

The Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition (APrON) cohort study: rationale and methods

Bonnie J Kaplan  1 , Gerald F Giesbrecht, Brenda M Y Leung, Catherine J Field, Deborah Dewey, Rhonda C Bell, Donna P Manca, Maeve O'Beirne, David W Johnston, Victor J Pop, Nalini Singhal, Lisa Gagnon, Francois P Bernier, Misha Eliasziw, Linda J McCargar, Libbe Kooistra, Anna Farmer, Marja Cantell, Laki Goonewardene, Linda M Casey, Nicole Letourneau, Jonathan W Martin; APrON Study Team
Affiliations

The Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition (APrON) cohort study: rationale and methods

Bonnie J Kaplan et al. Matern Child Nutr. 2014 Jan.

Abstract

The 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.

Keywords: birth outcomes; longitudinal cohort study; mental health; neurodevelopmental outcomes; nutrition; pregnancy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Location of Alberta, Canada.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Assessment timeline.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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