Recruitment Challenges in Mother–Infant Research: Factors Associated With Low Enrollment and Inclusion in the Synbio‐Breast Study.

Background: An optimal early‐life environment is crucial for child health, with human milk and the infant microbiome playing central roles. The Synbio‐Breast study investigates how maternal diet contributes to the synbiotic composition of human milk in atopic women. Despite increasing societal inter...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:BioMed Research International Vol. 2026; pp. 1 - 8
Autores principales: Simons, Sandra, van Goudoever, Hans, Vlieg-Boerstra, Berber, Banerjee, Baisakhi
Formato: research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Wiley-Blackwell 7/24/2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
fields @attributes:
  recordID: 1
pdfLink:
plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=195624597&site=ehost-live
header:
  @attributes:
    shortDbName: ccm
    uiTerm: 195624597
    longDbName: CINAHL Complete
    uiTag: AN
  controlInfo:
    bkinfo:
    dissinfo:
    jinfo:
      jid:
        23146133
        FT2T
      jtl: BioMed Research International
      issn: 23146133
      maglogo: N
    pubinfo:
      dt: 7/24/2026
      vid: 2026
      pid: 480
      pub: Wiley-Blackwell
      place: Malden, Massachusetts
    artinfo:
      ui:
        195624597
        195624597
        195624597
        10.1155/bmri/2358274
        195624597
      ppf: 1
      ppct: 7
      formats:
        fmt:
          – @attributes:
              type: T
          – @attributes:
              type: C
          – @attributes:
              type: P
      tig:
        atl: Recruitment Challenges in Mother–Infant Research: Factors Associated With Low Enrollment and Inclusion in the Synbio‐Breast Study.
      aug:
        au:
          Simons, Sandra
          van Goudoever, Hans
          Vlieg-Boerstra, Berber
          Banerjee, Baisakhi
        affil: Department of Pediatrics,, OLVG Hospital,, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
      sug:
        subj:
          Research Subject Recruitment Evaluation
          Research, Medical
          Mother-Infant Relations
          Synbiotics
          Maternal Nutritional Physiology
          Milk, Human
          Expectant Mothers
          Human
          Funding Source
          Female
          Nonexperimental Studies
          Prospective Studies
          Logistic Regression
          Odds Ratio
          Confidence Intervals
          Descriptive Statistics
          Health Screening
          Female
      ab: Background: An optimal early‐life environment is crucial for child health, with human milk and the infant microbiome playing central roles. The Synbio‐Breast study investigates how maternal diet contributes to the synbiotic composition of human milk in atopic women. Despite increasing societal interest in this topic, recruitment proved challenging. Objective: The aim of this study is to quantify and analyze factors associated with low enrollment and inclusion rates and to explore strategies for improving recruitment in future mother–infant studies. Methods: Enrollment and inclusion rates and temporal trends were assessed using linear regression models, whereas associations between facilitating factors—including involvement of the PhD student, recruitment strategy, lactation meetings, and attendance at the Nine Months Fair—and enrollment were assessed using logistic regression models. Results: Of the 681 women screened, 215 expressed willingness to participate. Despite multiple efforts and adaptations to enhance engagement, enrollment remained low. After adjusting for the COVID‐19 period, only recruitment conducted by the PhD student via email—without personal contact through a healthcare professional—was significantly associated with lower odds of enrollment. Of the 215 enrolled participants, 75 were ultimately included (11% of all screened women). Key reasons for exclusion were partial breastfeeding (30.0%), antibiotic use (22.1%), and loss of interest (19.3%). Conclusion: Strict inclusion and exclusion criteria contributed to substantial low enrollment and inclusion rates in the Synbio‐Breast study. Successful recruitment in mother–infant research requires more than logistical organization; it depends on personalized engagement built on existing relationships of trust. Moreover, studies that offer no direct health benefit to participants—such as the Synbio‐Breast study—tend to have inherently lower uptake, underscoring the need for tailored and relationship‐based recruitment strategies.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
    refInfo:
    holdings:
      @attributes:
        islocal: N