Archive for Research in Child Health (ARCH) and Baby Gut: Study Protocol for a Remote, Prospective, Longitudinal Pregnancy and Birth Cohort to Address Microbiota Development and Child Health

Abstract

The infant gut microbiome is shaped by numerous factors such as diet and the maternal microbiota and is also associated with later atopy and obesity. The Archive for Research in Child Health and Baby Gut (ARCHBG) cohort was established in 2015 to (1) understand how the development of the infant gut microbiota is associated with atopy, obesity, and gastrointestinal disease and (2) characterize the associations of maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and infant diet with the development of the gut microbiota. Study participants for ARCHBG are convenience samples recruited through two pipelines in Lansing and Traverse City, Michigan: (1) Archive for Research in Child Health (ARCHGUT) and (2) BABYGUT. A total of (n = 51) mother–infant dyads have been enrolled to date. This prospective cohort study collects maternal pre-pregnancy fecal samples, maternal data, child fecal samples at four timepoints (one week, six months, 12 months, and 24 months), and child data up to five years of age. All samples and data are collected remotely by mail, phone, or drop-off at select locations. Of all participants enrolled, 76.5% (n = 39) of infants have a complete record of stool samples. At least 88.2% (n = 45) of fecal samples were submitted at each timepoint. ARCHBG will allow for a nuanced understanding of the temporal development of the infant gut microbiome and numerous child health outcomes.

Effect of Environmental Exposures on the Gut Microbiota from Early Infancy to Two Years of Age

“…ARCH GUT participants were enrolled as a sub-study of the Archive for Research in Child Health (ARCH) study. Both ARCH GUT and BABY GUT have been described previously [15]. Briefly, participants provided written informed consent to obtain an enrollment questionnaire (pre-pregnancy height and weight, antibiotic use in the past year, parity, diagnosed or suspected food allergies/intolerances) and fecal samples from the women during their third trimester of pregnancy and fecal samples from their infant at 1 month, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months of age.…”

The role of Bifidobacterium genus in modulating the neonate microbiota: implications for antibiotic resistance acquisition in early life

“… 2 Although tetracycline antibiotics are no longer used in pregnancy, tet genes have been reported to be the most abundant among infant fecal samples and the most representative resistance gene in the infant resistome. 58 , 59 Klassert et. al 2 determined that genes conferring resistance to macrolides ( mefA, ermB , and ermC ) showed the highest dissemination in a sample set of mother-infant pairs and also present the highest likelihood of vertical transmission.…”

Association of the Infant Gut Microbiome with Temperament at Nine Months of Age: A Michigan Cohort Study

“…During the phone interview, when the indexed infant was nearly 3 months of age, mothers confirmed their interest in participating in this sample collection. Fecal collection kits were sent by mail as described [ 41 , 42 ]. In the infant’s home, feces were scooped from diapers into collection tubes, and tubes were placed into liquid-safe bags with absorbent material; bags were placed into solid shipping boxes and returned to the lab via the United States’ mail service.…”