Triple B Pregnancy Cohort Study (Bumps, Babies and Beyond)

The Triple B Study: Bumps, Babies and Beyond is an innovative Australian study of approximately 1,600 families. The project is a longitudinal pregnancy cohort which examines a range of biopsychosocial factors that relate to the health and development of Australian children and families.

Importantly, the project has a key focus on examining the impacts of substance use and mental health in pregnant women and their partners during the prenatal period on child development and family functioning. The results of this study will inform public health and treatment initiatives that improve the health and wellbeing of Australian children and families.

Investigators

Professor Delyse Hutchinson Professor

Prof Richard Mattick

Prof Steve Allsop

Professor Craig Olsson Deakin Distinguished Professor and Director, Deakin Lifespan Institute

Prof Elizabeth Elliott

Prof Jake Najman

Dr Samantha Teague

A/Prof Lucy Burns

Dr Sue Jacobs

Research team

Jemima Robinson Lake: Project Manager
Stephanie Aarsman: Biostatistician
Dr Gabriella King: Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Dr Genevieve Le Bas: Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Dr Sarah Khor: Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Kayla Jenkins: Research Assistant
Gessica Misuraca: Research Assistant
Emmelyn Weller: Research Assistant
Georgia Zoumboulis: Research Assistant

Doctoral students

Tanja Capic
Fenella McCall
Emmelyn Weller
Sharon Zhang

Study focus

Effects of substance use (alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs) and mental health during pregnancy in women and partners on child development and family functioning.

Sampling frame

Women attending antenatal services attached to major hospitals, and specialist drug and alcohol antenatal services, in New South Wales and Western Australia.

Data access

Yes, with formal approval from study investigators.

Time period

2008 - Ongoing

Original sample size

1,621

Intergenerational

Yes

Imaging

Linkage

Yes – NAPLAN

Biosamples

Buccal, Urine

Ethics approvals or requirements

This project only (Specific consent); Future research related to this project (Extended consent)

Waves

Wave	Year / Period	Age (mean, range)	Eligible sample
1	2008 – 2013	Prenatal – Trimester 1	1,621
2	2008 – 2013	Prenatal – Trimester 2	1,598
3	2008 – 2013	Prenatal – Trimester 3	1,580
4	2008 – 2013	Birth	1,479
5	2008 – 2013	Postpartum / Infancy 8 weeks of age	1,461
6	2009 – 2014	Infancy 12 months of age	1,377
7	2012 – 2015	Preschool 3 years of age	132
8	2017 – 2022	Middle childhood 8 years of age	1,056
9	2024 – 2030	Adolescence 15 years of age	1,599

Key references

Hutchinson, D., Wilson, J., Allsop, S., Elliott, E., Najman, J., Burns, L., Bartu, A., Jacobs, S., Honan, I., McCormack, C., Rossen, L., Fiedler, H., Stone, C., Khor, S., Ryan, J., Youssef, G. J., Olsson, C. A., Mattick, R. P. & The Triple B Research Consortium (2018). Cohort Profile: The Triple B Pregnancy Cohort Study: A longitudinal study of the relationship between alcohol, tobacco and other substance use during pregnancy and the health and well-being of Australian children and families. International Journal of Epidemiology, 47(1), 26-27m. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyx126