The Pregnancy and Early Life Study. Version 3.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A longitudinal study to develop an understanding of how gut microbes contribute to maintaining health during pregnancy and early life.
IRAS ID
241880
Contact name
Lindsay Hall
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Quadram Institute Bioscience
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
The gut is home to a diverse and dynamic microbial community, termed the microbiota. The microbiota is essential for health and wellbeing and is involved in acquisition of nutrients and energy from the diet, optimisation of the immune system, and resistance against invading pathogens. Critically, in both new mothers and their babies, any disturbance of the microbiota (caused, for example, by antibiotics, delivery mode [vaginal/Caesarean section], or dietary change), has the potential to increase the risk that the baby might subsequently develop allergic-type disorders, infections, and chronic intestinal diseases.
Early life is a key period of development, but we need a clearer understanding of how maternal factors and transmission of beneficial microbes from mother to baby influence the development of a healthy infant microbiota. This is only possible through longitudinal studies, where the profiles of microbiota from cohorts of mothers and their babies are correlated with routine and more specific clinical data (i.e. antibiotics and diet) throughout pregnancy and into early life.
In order to achieve our aim, the Quadram Institute Bioscience (QIB) will work in collaboration with the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) to recruit 250 pregnant female participants. Study duration will be approximately 31 months and during this time, we will ask the participant to collect her urine, stool, low vaginal and skin swabs. Blood and breast milk are optional. From her newborn, we will ask her to collect meconium, stool and skin swabs. The participant will complete two different types of questionnaires for herself and her newborn over 31 months. This study is fully funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).REC name
London - Dulwich Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/LO/1703
Date of REC Opinion
9 Nov 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion