Table 1

Schedule of assessments, data collection methods, sample type/domain and test/task

Data collection pointAgeData collection methodSample type/domainTest/taskNotes
1AntenatalAdministrative/electronic health records and interviewMedical, demographic, SESEthnic background and language spoken at home; parents’ education and employment; family income; family structure, housing, neighbourhood quality, parents’ mental health, social network and support All participants
History and exposures: life events, prescribed medications, alcohol, smoking, substances, pregnancy complications
2BirthAdministrative/electronic health records, questionnaire and tissueMedicalPeripartum history and exposures, mother and infant All participants
Anthropometry
PlacentaStructured histopathology rating and storage. mRNA levels of glucocorticoid-related genesCollect and store
Umbilical cord blood(1) 2 mL umbilical cord blood; (2) dried blood spot for storageAll participants
(1) Endogenous glucocorticoids and metabolites (glucocorticoid release); glucocorticoid receptor in cord blood leucocytes (glucocorticoid signalling). (2) Inflammatory markers and DNA (collect and store)
Hair, infantOverall glucocorticoid secretionAll participants
Hair, maternalOverall glucocorticoid secretion
SalivaMethylomeTerm comparators
3NeonatalTissueDried blood spotInflammatory markers and DNACollect and store at postnatal day 5, preterm subset.
TissueSalivaDNAmPreterms at term equivalent age (38–44 weeks gestational age).
TissueHair, infantOverall glucocorticoid secretionPreterms at term equivalent age (38–44 weeks gestational age).
BiosampleFaecesMicrobiomeCollect and store: stool between postnatal days 7–14 (cases and controls) and predischarge from neonatal intensive care and at 38–44 weeks (comparators).
Administrative/electronic records and direct observationMedicalAnthropometryAll participants
Comorbidities and exposuresComorbidities of preterm birth, medications, feed type and method; health status of control group.
Parent IQNational Adult Reading Test, second edition*
MRIBrain structure and connectivitysMRI, dMRI.MRI acquisition at 38–44 weeks. Morphometric similarity networks (chronological brain age), hierarchical complexity, magnetisation transfer imaging.
Administrative/electronic records and questionnaireDemographics and medicalUpdate perinatal historyAll participants
Edinburgh postnatal depression scale†All participants
Parenting daily hassles‡
WHO Quality of Life§
Adult temperament questionnaire- short (V.1.3)¶

  • *Nelson, Wilson74

  • †Cox et al.75

  • ‡Crnic, Greenberg76

  • §WHOQOL-BREF version.

  • ¶Evans,Rothbart77

  • DNAm, DNA methylation; s-/d-MRI, structural/diffusion MRI; SES, socioeconomic status.