Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP) Research

 The Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP) provides perinatal health and nutrition services to families facing adverse life circumstances, including poverty, social isolation, and adolescent pregnancy. Funded through the Public Health Agency of Canada, CPNP programming is implemented by community agencies across Canada. Programming activities can vary between CPNP sites, depending on community needs, available partners, and other contextual factors. Ultimately, the aims of the CPNP are to improve birth outcomes and breastfeeding and to strengthen community partnerships for perinatal health.

Between 2023-2024, we conducted two research projects on the CPNP.

Scientists

• Jo-Anna Baxter, Postdoctoral Fellow

• Alison Mildon, Postdoctoral Fellow

• Jane Francis, Postdoctoral Fellow

• Professor Daniel Sellen

• Professor Deborah O'Connor

Publications 

• Vulnerable mother's experiences breastfeeding with an enhanced community lactation support program
• Breastfeeding rates are high in prenatal community support program targeting vulnerable women and offering enhanced postnatal lactation support: a prospective cohort study
• Effect on breastfeeding practices of providing in-home lactation support to vulnerable women through Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program: protocol for a pre/post intervention study
• High levels of breastmilk feeding despite a low rate of exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months in a cohort of vulnerable women in Toronto, Canada
• Characteristics of vulnerable women and their association with participation in a Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program site in Toronto, Canada
• Associations between use of expressed human milk at 2 weeks postpartum and human milk feeding practices to 6 months: a prospective cohort study with vulnerable women in Toronto, Canada
• Household food insecurity is prevalent in a cohort of postpartum women who registered in the Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program in Toronto
• Household food insecurity negatively associated with achievement of prenatal intentions to feed only breast milk in the first six months postpartum
• Hospital Formula Supplementation Post breastfeeding Initiation, Neigbourhood Economy and Race

Funding for this research program was provided by The Sprott Foundation and the Joannah and Brian Lawson Centre for Child Nutrition and the SickKids Global Child Health Catalyst Grant.