AQUA: Asking Questions about Alcohol in Pregnancy Study
The general aim of the AQUA Study is to collect detailed information about alcohol consumption in pregnancy from nearly 1600 pregnant women to assess the effect that different doses of alcohol and other associated influences have on the unborn child. Data will be collected through questionnaires administered during each trimester of pregnancy. Data on other factors that could influence the effects of alcohol such as diet, medication and body size will also be collected. Women participating in the AQUA study will also complete a questionnaire about the health and development of their baby when their baby is 12 months old. Some participants will be invited to have a 3D photo of their baby’s face and head taken at 12 months of age, and a developmental assessment will be performed when the children are 2 years of age.
| Year | 2011-2012 | 2011-2012 | 2011-2012 | 2013-2014 | 2014-2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wave | W1 | W2 | W3 | (W4a) | W4 | W5 |
| Age | 19 weeks gest | 26 weeks gest | 36 weeks gest | birth | 12 months | 2 years |
| # | 2146 | 1715 | 1571 | 1401 | 1296 | 1038 |
| Anthropometrics | Anthropometrics | |||||
| Behavioural problems | ||||||
| Birth | ||||||
| Craniofacial morphometrics | ||||||
| Demographics | Demographics | |||||
| Education and childcare | ||||||
| General health | ||||||
| Hearing | Hearing | |||||
| Medications and supplements | Medications and supplements | |||||
| Mental health | Mental health | |||||
| Neurocognitive development | ||||||
| Nutrition | Nutrition | |||||
| Parenting | ||||||
| Physical activity | Physical activity | |||||
| Relationships | Relationships | |||||
| Reproductive health | Reproductive health | |||||
| Resilience and wellbeing | Resilience and wellbeing | |||||
| Speech, language and literacy | Speech, language and literacy | |||||
| Substance use | Substance use | |||||
| Bioanalyses and omics | Bioanalyses and omics | |||||
| Biosamples | Biosamples | |||||
| Study Summary | |
|---|---|
| Study name | Asking QUestions about Alcohol in pregnancy |
| Study abbreviation | AQUA |
| Current principal investigator/s | Prof Jane Halliday NHMRC Senior Research Fellow, Public Health Genetics, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute (MCRI), Melbourne Dr Colleen O’Leary NHMRC Postdoctoral Research Fellow, National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth Prof Della Forster Research Fellow, Mother and Child Health Research, La Trobe University, Melbourne A/Prof Susan Donath Research Fellow, Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics Unit, MCRI A/Prof Peter Anderson NHMRC Senior Research Fellow, Vic. Infant Brain Studies (VIBeS), MCRI, Melbourne Dr Sharon Lewis Senior Research Officer, Public Health Genetics, MCRI, Melbourne Prof Elizabeth Elliott Consultant Paediatrician, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Sydney Dr Cate Nagle Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Health, Medicine, Nursing & Behaviour, Deakin Univ., Geelong Dr Jeffrey Craig Group Leader, Developmental Epigenetics, MCRI, Melbourne Evelyne Muggli Senior Research Officer, Public Health Genetics, MCRI, Melbourne |
| Current project manager | Evelyne Muggli |
| Primary Institution | Murdoch Children’s Research Institute |
| Collaborating Institution/s | National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth La Trobe University, Melbourne The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Sydney Deakin University, Geelong |
| Project Partner Maternity Hospitals | Mercy Hospital for Women Royal Women’s Hospital Monash Medical Centre Casey Hospital Dandenong Hospital Box Hill Hospital |
| Major funding sources | NHMRC VicHealth McCusker Charitable Foundation Brockhoff Foundation Financial Markets for Children |
| Study website | https://www.mcri.edu.au/research/projects/asking-questions-about-alcohol-pregnancy-aqua/ |
| Key reference for study (published study protocol) | Muggli, E., O’Leary, C., Forster, D., Anderson, P., Lewis, S., Nagle, C., Craig, J.M., Donath, S., Elliott, E. and Halliday, J. (2014). Study protocol: Asking QUestions about Alcohol in pregnancy (AQUA): a longitudinal cohort study of fetal effects of low to moderate alcohol exposure. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 14: 302. doi: 10.1186/1471-2393-14-302 |
| Are data available to others outside study team? | Not at present |
| Study focus (e.g. social development) | Alcohol consumption during pregnancy and health and development of index child at birth and 12-24 months of age. |
| Sampling frame | Women attending one of seven antenatal clinics in 2011-12 who are < 19 weeks pregnant with single baby. |
| Study type (e.g. randomised control trial, cohort, case-control) | Cohort |
| Year commenced | 2011 |
| Ongoing recruitment? | No |
| Commencement sample (N) | 2146 |
| Intergenerational (e.g. offspring)? | No |
| Imaging (e.g. fMRI, ultrasound, retinal photograph)? | 3D photo of face at 12 months |
| Linkage (e.g. BioGrid, VPDC, NAPLAN, Medicare)? | Electronic hospital medical records (through maternal UR numbers) |
| Biosamples (e.g. buccal, blood, hair)? | Optional maternal and infant cheek swab, blood, placenta |
| Ethics approvals or requirements (e.g. specific, extended, unspecified, other)? | This project only (Specific consent) |
| Wave | Year | Age (mean, range) | Eligible sample (not deceased, not withdrawn) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2011-2012 | < 19 weeks gestation | 2146 |
| 2 | 2011-2012 | 26 weeks gestation | 1715 |
| 3 | 2011-2012 | 36 weeks gestation | 1571 |
| 4 | 2013-2014 | 12 months old (includes birth) | 1566 eligible (not withdrawn), 1296 completed survey 518 completed 3D anthropometric mask sub-study |
| 5 | 2014-2015 | 2 years | 1519 eligible (not withdrawn), 1038 completed survey 564 completed developmental assessment sub-study |
Principal Investigators
Prof Jane Halliday
Prof Peter Anderson
Project Manager
Evelyne Muggli
Email: evi.muggli@mcri.edu.au
Study Contact
Ph: +61 3 8341 6260
Email: aquastudy@mcri.edu.au
Postal Address
AQUA study
Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
Reply Paid 907
Parkville VIC 3052