TABLE 1.
Study settings, and participant information in the Mothers, Infants, and Lactation Quality (MILQ) Study
| Bangladesh | Brazil | Denmark | The Gambia | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Mirpur (periurban area of Dhaka) |
Madureira and São Cristóvão (Rio de Janeiro) |
Copenhagen Rigshospitalet |
Bakau and Fajara urban Gambia near Banjul |
| Average income, USD/mo | 245 | 456 | 3120 | 247 |
| Literacy, % | 69 | 93 | 100 | >65 |
| Maternity leave, mo | 61 | 4–6 | 9–12 | 6 |
| EBF, % | ||||
| 2 mo | _ | 50 | 71 | 70 |
| 4 mo | _ | _ | 60 | _ |
| 6 mo | 55 | _ | _ | 47 |
| Infant stunting at 6 mo, % | 18.6 | 4.8 | <1 | 9 |
| Usual diet | Rice | Rice and beans | Typical Western diet | Rice and maize |
| Fruit and vegetables | Fruit and vegetables | Animal source foods, dairy | Fruit and vegetables | |
| Some animal source foods | Animal source foods, dairy | Groundnuts | ||
| Pasta, high-processed foods | Some animal source foods | |||
| MMN supplementation | No, unless prescribed | Some, but not in this study | No | |
| Government mandates or recommendations | ||||
| Perinatal | _ | _ | Iron and folic acid | _ |
| Pregnancy | _ | Iron and folic acid | Vitamin D | Iron and folic acid |
| _ | _ | Calcium (low cow milk intake) | _ | |
| Fortification programs | No | Iron and folic acid (flour) | Iodine (salt) | No |
| Facilities | icddr, b, Dhaka | Maternity Hospital Herculano | Hvidovre Hospital | SOS Mother and Child Clinic, |
| Pinheiro | Herlev Hospital | Bakoteh | ||
| Municipal Center of Health | Rigshospitalet | |||
| Ernesto Zeferino Tibau Junir | ||||
| Type of informed consent | Written consent by study participant2 | |||
| Sample storage and use | Sample use is explained and consented to in the informed consent document | |||
| Samples are available for 5 y | Samples are available for 10 y | Samples are available for 5 y | ||
| Samples may be used for other projects but may require additional consent | Samples may be used for other projects | |||
| Deidentification and data security | All data is collected by study ID only into a secure database, at which point it cannot be linked back to the study participants | |||
| Separate, password-protected participant log is maintained by research team | ||||
| Compensation | Free treatment of any conditions by study physician | Travel costs | Breastfeeding counseling by phone, if desired | Travel costs |
| Breastfeeding counseling | A small gift for the infant upon study completion | |||
| Follow-up | If needed, referrals are provided to government specialized hospitals for further management | If needed, determined by study nurse, referrals are provided to specialized care facilities for further management3 | A medically trained person is available for participants experiencing any illness, or if any abnormal test results | If needed, determined by study nurse, referrals are provided to MRCG@LSHTM, Fajara, clinic for further management |
For government employees, varies for private entities.
If women are unable to read the consent form, it is read to them in their mother tongue and full informed consent is confirmed by 1) the research staff (Bangladesh, Brazil), and 2) by a literate, independent witness (The Gambia).
Issues related 1) to illness: public Basic Health Unit, 2) to breastfeeding issues: human milk bank at study site, 3) to depression: Psychiatric Institute at the University. EBF, exclusive breastfeeding; icddr, b, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh; MRCG@LSHTM, The MRC Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine; MMN, multiple micronutrients; PI, principal investigator; USD, US dollars.