Grant: Project Grant

The social, cultural, and economic conditions in which pregnant persons live are known to affect their mental health and the development of their child's brain. However, little is known about how these social circumstances affect their bodies and those of their children. Growing evidence that the connections between our gut's bacteria and our brains might be an important way to connect adverse social conditions of pregnant persons, their mental health, and their child's brain development. The proposed research will evaluate whether mothers' social living conditions influence the gut bacteria of the mother and child, and whether gut bacteria is a biological link that explains how maternal social circumstances influence their mental health and child's neurodevelopment. We will recruit a diverse sample of 600 pregnant individuals in their 2nd pregnancy trimester in Edmonton (Alberta) and assess them and their babies up to three years after birth. We will collect information about living conditions, gut bacteria, and depression and anxiety in the mother. Children's gut bacteria profiles and neurodevelopment will be evaluated over the first three years of life. This project brings together a highly trained team of experts in social research, clinical, and gut sciences. As Canada becomes increasingly multicultural, this research will produce important knowledge about how social circumstances can "get under the skin" to influence maternal and child health. The new knowledge can inform better interventions aimed at improving maternal and child health, particularly for socially vulnerable groups.