ARCH GUT Brain
Principal Investigator: Sarah Comstock
Summary of ARCH GUT Brain: The study asks eligible participants to provide child stool samples. Investigators analyze the neurodevelopment assessment results (collected at an In-Person Assessment) in comparison to the stool samples. The sub-study aimed to determine the impact of the gut microbiota and dietary intake on neurodevelopment during early- and middle-childhood.
ARCH GUT
Principal Investigator: Sarah Comstock
Participants of Interest: Pregnant participants and their children, until 5 years old
Summary of ARCH GUT: Participants were asked during pregnancy if they would be willing to share stool samples in pregnancy and then once the child was born collect stool samples from them at the following timepoints: 1mo, 6mos, 12mos and 24mos. Participants were also asked to complete additional surveys. This study aimed to determine if infants of obese mothers are more likely to harbor communities rich in butyrate-producing gut bacteria.
ARCH RAIND (Child Development)
Principal Investigator: Jean Kerver
Summary of ARCH RAIND: ARCH participants were asked to complete the NIH Toolbox and other neurodevelopmental tests (e.g., Pegboard to assess motor function). Study staff also measured height, weight, waist circumference, skinfolds, and used bioelectrical impedance analysis to assess body fat. The primary aims of the study were to assess maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, thyroid levels, and iron and iodine status in relation to child growth and neurodevelopment.
ARCH PALS
Principal Investigator: Lanay Mudd, Jim Pivarnik
Summary of ARCH PALS: Participants were asked to wear an actigraph for one week during each trimester of pregnancy, corresponding in time to 3 blood draws. Serum cholesterol was measured on all available samples and actigraph results have been summarized. The study was designed to assess associations between maternal physical activity during pregnancy and serum cholesterol.
ECHO Maternal Mortality – MARCH
Principal Investigator: Gwendolyn Norman
Summary of ECHO Maternal Mortality: ECHO Maternal Mortality is interested in looking at the hospital and care experiences given to African American participants through two ECHO cohorts, MARCH (Detroit sites) and Atlanta ECHO. This study conducts focus groups and interviews with participants and health providers. The second aim of this study is to develop an intervention aimed at supporting changes needed to end implicit bias and systemic racism in delivery and post-partum care.
EnviroBrain
Principal Investigator: Rebecca Knickmeyer
Summary of EnviroBrain: The study will recruit 300 children and plans to collect a series of fecal samples, conduct neurocognitive testing (Differential Ability Scales-II), and complete neuroimaging scans when the child is 4 years old. Study recruitment focuses on families living in distressed urban areas. The study intends to lay the groundwork for developing interventions to mitigate the impact of stress and chemical exposures on cognitive development, especially in vulnerable children.
MARCH COVID Breastfeeding
Principal Investigator: Gayle Shipp
Summary of MARCH COVID Breastfeeding: Participants are asked to provide one stool sample and one vaginal swab during their pregnancy. Once their baby is born, the participant is asked to collect three child stool samples throughout infancy. The purpose of this study is to connect maternal characteristics with child characteristics and figure out how they may be related to the child’s risk for obesity or other health outcomes.
MARCH Exposome
Principal Investigator: Courtney Carignan & Sarah Comstock
Summary of MARCH Exposome: Participants are asked to share a sample of breast milk, water, and formula. They are also asked to wear a silicone wristband for a week to measure environmental factors. The study aims to investigate the presence of PFAS in collected samples and to determine the impact of PFAS on the infant gut microbiota. Investigators will also explore key relationships between maternal diet and infant fecal microbiota.
MARCH Microbe
Principal Investigator: Sarah Comstock
Summary of MARCH Microbe: Participants are asked to provide one stool sample and one vaginal swab during their pregnancy. Once their baby is born, the participant is asked to collect three child stool samples throughout infancy. The purpose of this study is to connect maternal characteristics with child characteristics and figure out how they may be related to the child’s risk for obesity or other health outcomes.
MARCH SoC (Stress of COVID)
Principal Investigator: Sarah Comstock
Summary of MARCH SoC: Participants can join this sub-study at any point during pregnancy or if their infant is <1 year old. Maternal hair, saliva, dried blood spots, and vaginal swab samples are collected at 3 time points during pregnancy; maternal stool samples will be collected once during pregnancy. Stool samples are then collected from the infant 8 times throughout their first 12 months. Questionnaires are completed at enrollment and at each sample collection. The primary aim of this sub-study is to determine the impact of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection & psycho-social stress during the COVID-19 pandemic on length of gestation. Maternal vaginal and fecal microbiomes in pregnancy may also mediate this relationship and will be consider by investigators.
MARCH Vaginal Swab
Principal Investigator: Kimberly McKee
Summary of MARCH Vaginal Swab: The sub-study asks only University of Michigan participants if they would like to provide vaginal swabs and stool samples, in addition to standard MARCH samples collected prenatally. The primary objective of study was to describe maternal microbiota signatures in pregnancy and the factors associated with its structure.
“PPP” – A Pre-, Peri-, and Post-natal Approach to Understanding the Risk and Mechanisms for Obesity
Principal Investigator: Sarah Comstock
Summary of PPP: MARCH participants are asked to provide body size measurements for their child throughout infancy and early childhood. They are also asked to complete surveys at various timepoints. The primary objective of study is to determine which biological pathways contribute to the development of obesity.