RESUMEN
Background: The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children-Generation 2 (ALSPAC-G2) was set up to provide a unique multi-generational cohort. It builds on the existing ALSPAC resource, which recruited 14,541 pregnancies to women resident in the South West of England who were expected to deliver between 01/04/1991 and 31/12/1992. Those women and their partners (Generation 0; ALSPAC-G0) and their offspring (ALSPAC-G1) have been followed for the last 26 years. This profile describes recruitment and data collection on the next generation (ALSPAC-G2)-the grandchildren of ALSPAC-G0 and children of ALSPAC-G1. Recruitment: Recruitment began on the 6 th of June 2012 and we present details of recruitment and participants up to 30 th June 2018 (~6 years). We knew at the start of recruitment that some ALSPAC-G1 participants had already become parents and ALSPAC-G2 is an open cohort; we recruit at any age. We hope to continue recruiting until all ALSPAC-G1 participants have completed their families. Up to 30 th June 2018 we recruited 810 ALSPAC-G2 participants from 548 families. Of these 810, 389 (48%) were recruited during their mother's pregnancy, 287 (35%) before age 3 years, 104 (13%) between 3-6 years and 30 (4%) after 6 years. Over 70% of those invited to early pregnancy, late pregnancy, second week of life, 6-, 12- and 24-month assessments (whether for their recruitment, or a follow-up, visit) have attended, with attendance being over 60% for subsequent visits up to 7 years (to few are eligible for the 9- and 11-year assessments to analyse). Data collection: We collect a wide-range of social, lifestyle, clinical, anthropometric and biological data on all family members repeatedly. Biological samples include blood (including cord-blood), urine, meconium and faeces, and placental tissue. In subgroups detailed data collection, such as continuous glucose monitoring and videos of parent-child interactions, are being collected.
RESUMEN
Importance: Depression during pregnancy (prenatal depression) is common and has important consequences for mother and child. Evidence suggests an increasing prevalence of depression, especially in young women. It is unknown whether this is reflected in an increasing prevalence of prenatal depression. Objective: To compare the prevalence of depression during pregnancy in today's young mothers with their mothers' generation. Design, Setting, and Participants: In a longitudinal cohort study, we compared prenatal depressive symptoms in 2 generations of women who participated in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Participants were the original mothers (recruited when they were pregnant) and their female offspring, or female partners of male offspring, who became pregnant. Both groups were limited to the same age range (19-24 years). The first generation of pregnancies occurred in 1990 to 1992 (n = 2390) and the second in 2012 to 2016 (n = 180). In both generations, women were born in the same geographical area (southwest England). Main Outcomes and Measures: Depressed mood measured prenatally using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale in self-reported surveys in both generations. A score of 13 or greater on a scale of 0 to 30 indicated depressed mood. Results: Of 2390 pregnant women in the first generation who were included in analysis (mean [SD] age, 22.1 [2.5] years), 408 (17%) had high depressive symptom scores (≥13). Of 180 pregnant women in the second generation who were included in the analysis (mean [SD] age, 22.8 [1.3] years), 45 (25%) had high depressive symptom scores. Having high depressive symptom scores was more common in the second generation of young pregnant women than in their mothers' generation (relative risk, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.15-1.97), with imputation for missing confounding variable data and adjustment for age, parity, education, smoking, and body mass index not substantially changing this difference. Results were essentially the same when analyses were restricted to the 66 mother-offspring pairs. Maternal prenatal depression was associated with daughters' prenatal depression (relative risk, 3.33; 95% CI, 1.65-6.67). Conclusions and Relevance: In this unique study of 2 generations of women who answered identical questionnaires in pregnancy, evidence was found that depressed mood may be higher in young pregnant women today than in their mothers' generation. Because of the multiple and diverse consequences of prenatal depression, an increase in prevalence has important implications for families, health care professionals, and society.