This population is composed of women aged 18 years and older and whom are less than 14 weeks pregnant, who were attending prenatal clinics.
Selection Criteria
Gender
Women only
Minimum age
18
Pregnant Women
First trimester
Countries
Canada
Canadian Provinces
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
Nova Scotia
Ontario
Quebec
Territory
Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Sudbury, Ottawa, Kingston, Hamilton, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax.
Health Status
Participants were excluded if they:
had known fetal abnormalities (e.g. hydatidiform mole), or known fetal chromosomal or major malformations in the current pregnancy; and
had a history of medical complications, including the following: renal disease with altered renal function; epilepsy; any collagen disease, such as lupus erythematosus and scleroderma; active and chronic liver disease (hepatitis); heart disease; serious pulmonary disease; cancer; haematological disorder (patient with anaemia or thombophilias will be included); threatened spontaneous abortion (women with previous bleeding in the first trimester were included if the site documented a viable fetus at the time of recruitment); and illicit drug use.
Other Criteria
Participants had to have the ability to consent and to communicate in English or French, be willing to provide a sample of cord blood and be planning on delivering at a local hospital.
Sources of Recruitment
Specific Population
Clinic patients
Supplementary Information
Participants were recruited from the general population who were attending prenatal clinics (ultrasound, midwife and/or doctor's clinics) during the first trimester of pregnancy (6 to 14 weeks). Recruitment took place from 2008 to 2011.
Sample Size
Number of Participants
1,983
Number of Participants with Biological Samples
1,983
Supplementary information about number of participants
Urine and blood samples were collected. Under a separate consent form, additional biospecimens were collected to be stored in the MIREC Data and Biological Specimens Bank (MIREC Biobank).