title: Cohort profile: the maternal-infant research on environmental chemicals research platform.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals (MIREC) Study was established to obtain Canadian biomonitoring data for pregnant women and their infants, and to examine potential adverse health effects of prenatal exposure to priority environmental chemicals on pregnancy and infant health.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women were recruited during the first trimester from 10 sites across Canada and were followed through delivery. Questionnaires were administered during pregnancy and post-delivery to collect information on demographics, occupation, life style, medical history, environmental exposures and diet. Information on the pregnancy and the infant was abstracted from medical charts. Maternal blood, urine, hair and breast milk, as well as cord blood and infant meconium, were collected and analysed for an extensive list of environmental biomarkers and nutrients. Additional biospecimens were stored in the study's Biobank. The MIREC Research Platform encompasses the main cohort study, the Biobank and follow-up studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 8716 women approached at early prenatal clinics, 5108 were eligible and 2001 agreed to participate (39%). MIREC participants tended to smoke less (5.9% vs. 10.5%), be older (mean 32.2 vs. 29.4 years) and have a higher education (62.3% vs. 35.1% with a university degree) than women giving birth in Canada.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MIREC Study, while smaller in number of participants than several of the international cohort studies, has one of the most comprehensive datasets on prenatal exposure to multiple environmental chemicals. The biomonitoring data and biological specimen bank will make this research platform a significant resource for examining potential adverse health effects of prenatal exposure to environmental chemicals.
authors.affiliation: Population Studies Division, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa. tye.arbuckle@hc-sc.gc.ca
authors.forename: Tye E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Arbuckle
authors.forename: William D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Fraser
authors.forename: Mandy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: Karelyn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Chun Lei
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lupien
authors.forename: Stéphanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bastien
authors.forename: Maria P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Velez
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: von Dadelszen
authors.forename: Denise G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Hemmings
authors.forename: Jingwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Helewa
authors.forename: Shayne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taback
authors.forename: Mathew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sermer
authors.forename: Warren
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fredette
authors.forename: Graeme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shear
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dodds
authors.forename: Adrienne S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Ettinger
authors.forename: Jean-Philippe
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Monique
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'Amour
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Legrand
authors.forename: Premkumari
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kumarathasan
authors.forename: Renaud
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vincent
authors.forename: Zhong-Cheng
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Platt
authors.forename: Grant
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hidiroglou
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cockell
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Villeneuve
authors.forename: Dorothea F K
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Rawn
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dabeka
authors.forename: Xu-Liang
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Becalski
authors.forename: Nimal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ratnayake
authors.forename: Genevieve
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bondy
authors.forename: Xiaolei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Zhongwen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Sheryl
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tittlemier
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Julien
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Avard
authors.forename: Hope
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Weiler
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leblanc
authors.forename: Gina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Muckle
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boivin
authors.forename: Ginette
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dionne
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ayotte
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lanphear
authors.forename: Jean R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Séguin
authors.forename: Dave
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Saint-Amour
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dewailly
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Monnier
authors.forename: Gideon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koren
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ouellet
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D002170:Canada; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007229:Infant Welfare; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004785:Environmental Pollutants