title: Cohort Profile: the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children: ALSPAC mothers cohort.
abstract: Summary The Avon Longitudinal Study of Children and Parents (ALSPAC) was established to understand how genetic and environmental characteristics influence health and development in parents and children. All pregnant women resident in a defined area in the South West of England, with an expected date of delivery between 1st April 1991 and 31st December 1992, were eligible and 13761 women (contributing 13867 pregnancies) were recruited. These women have been followed over the last 19-22 years and have completed up to 20 questionnaires, have had detailed data abstracted from their medical records and have information on any cancer diagnoses and deaths through record linkage. A follow-up assessment was completed 17-18 years postnatal at which anthropometry, blood pressure, fat, lean and bone mass and carotid intima media thickness were assessed, and a fasting blood sample taken. The second follow-up clinic, which additionally measures cognitive function, physical capability, physical activity (with accelerometer) and wrist bone architecture, is underway and two further assessments with similar measurements will take place over the next 5 years. There is a detailed biobank that includes DNA, with genome-wide data available on >10000, stored serum and plasma taken repeatedly since pregnancy and other samples; a wide range of data on completed biospecimen assays are available. Details of how to access these data are provided in this cohort profile.
authors.affiliation: MRC Centre for Causal Analyses in Translational Epidemiology, University of Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Abigail
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fraser
authors.forename: Corrie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Macdonald-Wallis
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tilling
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boyd
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Golding
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Davey Smith
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Macleod
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Molloy
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ness
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ring
authors.forename: Scott M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Debbie A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Lawlor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001771:Blood Banks; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008498:Medical Record Linkage; D009035:Mothers; D010290:Parents; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires