Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals

    The primary objectives of the MIREC Study are:
  • to determine whether current non-occupational exposure to heavy metals, such as lead (as measured in maternal and infant biospecimens), is related to elevated maternal blood pressure or fetal growth restriction and
  • to obtain national-level contemporary biomarkers of in utero and lactational exposure to priority environmental chemicals (e.g. heavy metals, phthalates, brominated flame retardants, bisphenol A [BPA]).

Overview

Acronym
MIREC
Website
MIREC
Investigators
Dr. Tye Arbuckle
Health Canada
Contacts
Nicole Lupien
CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre

General Design

Study design
Cohort
Start - End Year
2008 -
General Information on Follow Up (profile, frequency)

Participants were followed-up at each trimester of pregnancy, at delivery and at post-delivery time points (day 1-2, 2-10 weeks, 6 months, 15 months, 3 years, and 5 years post-partum).

Recruitment Target
  • Families
Number of Participants
5,590
Number of Participants with Biological Samples
3,942
Supplementary information about number of participants
Mothers: 1983 participants
Fathers: 1648 participants
Children: 1959 participants
Final sample includes 1983 mothers who completed visit 1 (including 48 multiple pregnancies),1959 livebirths (including 98 babies from the 48 mothers), and 340 fathers.

Access

Availability of data and biosamples

Possible Access to Data
Possible Access to Biosamples
Other

Sector of research

Possible Access to Data Possible Access to Biosamples
Investigators from the public sector
Investigators from the private sector
Investigators from not-for-profit organization

Transfer

Possible Access to Data Possible Access to Biosamples
Can leave the study facility
Can leave the country

The restriction is on individual-level data / biological samples can leave the country (choice of laboratory must be justified

Cost

Possible Access to Data Variable Cost
Possible Access to Biosamples Variable Cost

Cost estimate is provided after review of the preliminary application

Cost reduction for co-analyses

Possible Access to Data
Possible Access to Biosamples

Cost is established based on multiple factors, on a case-by-case

Marker Paper

Arbuckle Tye E., Fraser William D., Fisher Mandy et al. Cohort profile: the maternal-infant research on environmental chemicals research platform. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2013 Jul;27(4):415-2

PUBMED 23772943

Timeline

Populations

MIREC - Mothers

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

Sex
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
Prenatal visit 1: 1983 participants
Prenatal visit 2: 1831 participants
Prenatal visit 3: 1733 participants
Delivery : 1727 participants
Postpartum visit 1 and 2 : 1385

Data Collection Events

# Name Data sources Data sources - Biosamples Start End
0 MIREC - Mothers - Prenatal Visit 1
  • Questionnaires
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Blood
  • Urine
2008 (February) 2011 (March)
1 MIREC - Mothers - Prenatal Visit 2
  • Questionnaires
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Blood
  • Urine
2008 (May) 2011 (June)
2 MIREC - Mothers - Prenatal Visit 3
  • Questionnaires
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Blood
  • Urine
2008 (July) 2011 (September)
3 MIREC - Mothers - Delivery
  • Biosamples
  • Blood
  • Urine
2008 (September) 2011 (October)
4 MIREC - Mothers - Postpartum Visit 1
  • Other : Medical Chart
2008 (September) 2011 (October)
5 MIREC - Mothers - Postpartum Visit 2
  • Questionnaires
  • Biosamples
  • Hair
  • Other : Breast milk
2008 (October) 2012 (April)
7 MIREC - Mothers - MIREC-ID 6 months
  • Questionnaires
2010 (August) 2012 (May)
8 MIREC - Mothers - MIREC-CD3
  • Questionnaires
2012 (August) 2014 (March)
9 MIREC - Mothers - MIREC-CD Plus
  • Questionnaires
  • Physical measures
2013 (March) 2015 (March)
10 MIREC - Mothers - MIREC-ENDO
  • Questionnaires
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Blood
2018 (January) Ongoing
MIREC - Children

The population is composed of the MIREC mothers’ newborn children (live births).

Selection Criteria

Newborns
Countries
  • Canada
Canadian Provinces
  • Alberta
  • British Columbia
  • Manitoba
  • Nova Scotia
  • Ontario
  • Quebec
Territory

Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Sudbury, Ottawa, Kingston, Hamilton, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax.

Sources of Recruitment

Specific Population
  • Other specific population : Children of the MIREC Study mothers

Sample Size

Number of Participants
1,959
Number of Participants with Biological Samples
1,959
Supplementary information about number of participants
MIREC-Birth: 1959 participants
MIREC-ID 6months: 525 participants
MIREC-CD3: 370 participants
MIREC-CD Plus Biomonitoring: 803 participants
MIREC-CD Plus Neurodevelopment: 610 participants

Data Collection Events

# Name Data sources Data sources - Biosamples Start End
0 MIREC - Children - Birth
  • Biosamples
  • Cord blood
  • Other : Meconium
2008 (September) 2011 (October)
1 MIREC - Children - MIREC-ID Birth
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Blood
  • Other : Vaginal cytology
2010 (January) 2011 (December)
2 MIREC - Children - MIREC-ID 6 months
  • Questionnaires
  • Physical measures
  • Other : Medical Chart
2010 (August) 2012 (May)
3 MIREC - Children - MIREC-CD3
  • Cognitive measures
2012 (August) 2014 (March)
4 MIREC - Children - MIREC-CD Plus Biomonitoring
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Blood
  • Urine
2013 (March) 2015 (March)
5 MIREC – Children - MIREC-CD Plus Neurodevelopment
  • Questionnaires
  • Cognitive measures
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Blood
  • Urine
2013 (April) 2015 (March)
6 MIREC – Children - MIREC-ENDO
  • Questionnaires
  • Physical measures
  • Biosamples
  • Blood
  • Urine
  • Saliva
  • Other : Teeth
2018 (January) Ongoing
MIREC - Fathers

The population is composed of the MIREC children’ fathers.

Selection Criteria

Sex
Men only
Countries
  • Canada
Canadian Provinces
  • Alberta
  • British Columbia
  • Manitoba
  • Nova Scotia
  • Ontario
  • Quebec
Territory

Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Sudbury, Ottawa, Kingston, Hamilton, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax.

Sources of Recruitment

Specific Population
  • Other specific population : Fathers of the MIREC Study children

Sample Size

Number of Participants
1,648

Data Collection Events

# Name Data sources Data sources - Biosamples Start End
0 MIREC - Fathers - MIREC-ID Birth
  • Questionnaires
2010 (January) 2011 (December)

Participating Studies

Acronym Name Study design Countries

Harmonization Initiatives Included

Acronym Name

Datasets

Name Data Collection Events Variables

Areas of Information Collected

Socio-demographic and economic characteristics
Death
Lifestyle and behaviours
Physical measures and assessments
Birth, pregnancy and reproductive health history
Laboratory measures
Perception of health, quality of life, development and functional limitations
Cognition, personality and psychological measures and assessments
Diseases
Life events, life plans, beliefs and values
Symptoms and signs
Preschool, school and work life
Medication and supplements
Social environment and relationships
Non-pharmacological interventions
Physical environment
Health and community care services utilization
Administrative information

Variables Content Summary

Areas of Information Collected
No Areas of Information Collected
No Scales Collected
Areas of Information Collected per per Population and Data Collection Event
No Areas of Information Collected
No Scales Collected

Networks

Acronym Name Harmonization Initiatives Individual Studies
Last Update: 2021-05-26T17:51:49.048