Anemia in pregnancy in Benin and impact on cognitive function in childhood

描述(由申请人提供)：在撒哈拉以南非洲，超过50%的妇女在怀孕期间患上中度贫血，约5%-10%的妇女患上重度贫血。严重贫血增加了母亲死亡和发病的风险，但据我们所知，尽管撒哈拉以南非洲的贫血率很高，但目前还没有关于孕期贫血和儿童认知结果的研究。这笔规划赠款的主要目标将是扩大和加强设在贝宁、美国和法国的流行病学、儿科学、寄生虫学、营养学、精神病学和发展心理学的多学科和互补性研究小组之间的伙伴关系，并在未来两年内准备一项关于妊娠期贫血与儿童认知功能之间关系的研究报告，该研究报告将作为NIH R01提交。该项目将在贝宁建立研究大脑疾病和围产期/儿科流行病学的新能力。儿童认知评估领域的培训以及流行病学研究设计、实施和分析方面的培训是我们能力建设计划的核心。两名年轻的贝宁医生将通过R21接受专门培训，成为独立的研究人员。认知评估方面的培训也将使其他教职员工受益。这项研究将利用一组婴儿，这些婴儿是在欧盟资助的孕期妇女疟疾间歇预防治疗的随机对照试验后出生的。试点研究活动将翻译和验证法语国家儿童时期的认知评估措施，并提供关于怀孕期间贫血与12个月大婴儿认知功能之间关系的结果。初步研究将为更严格的设计和更有效地执行对3-4岁和6岁儿童的后续行动做准备。 公共卫生相关性：该项目愿意在贝宁、美国和法国的研究人员之间建立强有力的伙伴关系，并在大脑疾病和围产期/儿科流行病学领域建立新的研究能力。这项研究有望显著提高对妊娠期贫血与儿童认知功能之间关系的理解。这些信息将为制定预防和治疗妊娠期贫血的指南提供基础。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): More than 50% of women develop moderate anemia during pregnancy with about 5-10% of women developing severe anemia in Sub-Saharan Africa. Severe anemia increases the risk of mortality and morbidity in mothers, but to our knowledge, there is no existing study on anemia during pregnancy and cognitive outcome in childhood despite the very high prevalence of anemia in Sub-Saharan Africa. The main goals of this planning grant will be to expand and strengthen a partnership between a multi-disciplinary and complementary research group from epidemiology, pediatrics, parasitology, nutrition, psychiatry and developmental psychology, based in Benin, the United States and France, and to prepare, in the next 2 years, for a research study on the relationship between anemia in pregnancy and cognitive function in childhood to be submitted as an NIH R01. This project will build new capacity in Benin in the study of brain disorders and perinatal/pediatric epidemiology. Training in the field of cognitive assessments in childhood, and training in the design, implementation and analysis of epidemiological studies are central in our capacity building plan. Two young Beninese medical doctors will be specifically trained through this R21 to become independent researchers. Training in cognitive assessments will benefit to other faculty and staff as well. This study will take advantage of a group of infants born following a randomized controlled trial of intermittent preventive treatment for malaria in women during pregnancy funded by the European Union. Pilot study activities will translate and validate the measures of cognitive assessments in childhood in a Francophone country, and provide results on the relationships between anemia during pregnancy and cognitive function in infants of 12 months of age. The preliminary studies will prepare for the more rigorous design and more effective implementation of a follow-up of the children at age 3-4 years and 6 years. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This project is willing to develop a strong partnership between researchers from Benin, the US and France and build new research capacity in the field of brain disorders and perinatal/pediatric epidemiology. This study promises to generate a markedly enhanced understanding of the relationship between anemia in pregnancy and cognitive function in childhood. This information will provide a foundation for developing guidelines on prevention and treatment for anemia in pregnancy.