Why is it important to have information on prenatal and early life exposures?
Despite significant advances in scientific knowledge, we are still far from fully understanding how prenatal and early life exposures to environmental toxic compounds, maternal diseases, nutrition, maternal psychosocial stress during pregnancy, as well as genetic and epigenetic mechanisms or factors, may contribute to the development of diseases throughout childhood and even adulthood. In humans, these early exposures are mainly associated with prematurity and birth weight. Both intrauterine growth restriction and excessive growth during the foetal stage have been associated with an increased risk of mortality and morbidity in childhood and chronic diseases in adulthood, such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, metabolic diseases, neurological disorders and some cancers. In this sense, the placenta performs a number of functions necessary for proper foetal growth and development, such as the transport of gases, nutrients, elimination of waste products, hormone production, protection of the foetus from attack by the mother’s immune system and the implantation and anchoring of the embryo in the uterus. There is now also evidence of the important role of specific genes characterised in humans on placental and foetal development. Alterations in placental function or in the expression patterns of these genes as a consequence of exposure to environmental pollutants could lead to adverse effects on foetal growth and development, which could result in other adverse health effects during childhood or adulthood.
To prevent these potential health effects, it is necessary to better understand how and when these adverse factors interfere with foetal growth and development. The GENEIDA cohort aims to extend this evidence from the research conducted in the cohort.
What are the benefits of follow-up studies such as the GENEIDA cohort?
The GENEIDA cohort is a prospective population-based study, i.e. its development is based on the follow-up of a study population over time. In our case, this monitoring consists of the characterisation of exposures and the study of their possible effects on health during critical stages of pregnancy, childhood and adolescence. Having information on factors that may affect the health of our population, such as environmental pollutants, diet or lifestyle, together with data on the health of pregnant women and their children over time, helps us to obtain more accurate results in our research, as well as to identify trends in the possible effects of exposures in our study population.