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有中度贫血，约5-10%的妇女患有重度贫血。严重贫血增加了母亲死亡率和发病率的风险，但据我们所知，尽管撒哈拉以南非洲的贫血率非常高，但目前尚无关于怀孕期间贫血和儿童认知结局的研究。该计划拨款的主要目标是扩大和加强来自贝宁、美国和法国的一个多学科和互补的研究小组之间的伙伴关系，该研究小组来自流行病学、儿科、寄生虫学、营养学、精神病学和发展心理学，并准备在未来两年内提交一项关于妊娠贫血与儿童认知功能之间关系的研究，并作为NIH R01提交。该项目将在贝宁建立研究脑部疾病和围产期/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的设计、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，这些婴儿是在一项由欧盟资助的对怀孕期间妇女进行间歇性疟疾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一个法语国家儿童认知评估的措施，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实施对3-4岁和6岁儿童的随访做准备。

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.