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| ID | Type | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Award 2025-67017-44743 | Other Grant/Funding Number | USDA |
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The fetal brain requires DHA, choline, lutein, and zeaxanthin (L/Z) for development, dependent on maternal intake during pregnancy. However, many pregnant women do not meet daily requirements through diet or prenatal vitamins. Egg yolks are rich in choline, and women who consume eggs daily are more likely to meet the adequate intake of 450 mg/day. A recent study by Christifano et al. found that maternal egg and neuroprotective nutrient intake predicted neurodevelopment at 32 and 36 weeks of gestation. This study aims to determine if fetal neurodevelopment is enhanced among women who consume a prenatal diet emphasizing egg consumption (EGG) versus a healthy prenatal diet education control group (HPD). Women between 12-20 weeks' gestation will be randomized into EGG and HPD groups. The EGG group will receive education on the importance of prenatal choline and egg consumption and be encouraged to consume 10-14 eggs per week. The HPD group will receive education on a healthy prenatal diet. Both groups will be encouraged to take a DHA supplement, and dietary intake of choline, L/Z, and DHA will be collected. Fetal heart rate variability will be measured at 36 weeks gestation and infant EEGs will be conducted postnatally to examine brain function. Increasing prenatal egg consumption is both economical and feasible to boost prenatal choline intake, promote offspring neurodevelopment, and guide prenatal dietary recommendations.
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| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| EGG Group | Experimental | The EGG group will receive education on the importance of prenatal choline and egg consumption and be encouraged to consume 10-14 eggs per week. |
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| HPD Group | Placebo Comparator | The HPD group will receive education on a healthy prenatal diet |
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| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Egg Supplementation | Dietary Supplement | Encouraged to consume 10-14 eggs per week. |
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| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Fetal neurodevelopment as indexed by heart rate variability (HRV) | Group comparisons will be made between time-domain metrics of fetal HRV (SDNN, RMSSD) between those in EEG vs. HPD groups using a dedicated fetal heart rate monitor. | 36 weeks gestational age |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Fetal neurodevelopment as indexed by heart rate variability (HRV) | Relationship between intake of maternal neuroprotective nutrients, including choline, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), lutein and zeaxanthin (L/Z) as measured by the Diet History Questionnaire-III and offspring neurodevelopment at 36 weeks gestation (fetal HRV). | 36 weeks gestational age |
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Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
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| Name | Role | Phone | Extension | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicole Mathis, MS | Contact | 913-588-1906 | nmathis@kumc.edu | |
| Lara Bennett, MS | Contact | 913-945-9149 | lbennett@kumc.edu |
| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Danielle Christifano, PhD | University of Kansas Medical Center | Principal Investigator |
| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Kansas Medical Center | Recruiting | Kansas City | Kansas | 66160 | United States |
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The Principal Investigator is blinded to participant intervention.
| Healthy Prenatal Diet |
| Dietary Supplement |
Educated on standard healthy prenatal diet and encouraged to follow recommendations. |
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| Infant neurodevelopment as indexed by event-related potentials (ERP) | Brain neurophysiology will be measured at 1 month of age. Assessments of band-limited spectral power during resting-state will be assessed. Event-related potentials (ERP) to auditory stimuli will be recorded. Group comparisons will be made between measures of resting state spectral power and auditory ERP components. | 1 month postnatal age |
| Infant neurodevelopment as indexed by event-related potentials (ERP) | Relationship between intake of maternal neuroprotective nutrients, including choline, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), lutein and zeaxanthin (L/Z) as measured by the Diet History Questionnaire-III and offspring neurodevelopment at 1 month postnatal age (infant ERP). | 1 month postnatal age |