IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i15p5276-d388292.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Population-Based Birth Cohort Studies in Epidemiology

Author

Listed:
  • Cristina Canova

    (Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy)

  • Anna Cantarutti

    (Laboratory of Healthcare Research & Pharmacoepidemiology, Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Statistics and Quantitative Methods, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy)

Abstract

Birth cohort studies are the most appropriate type of design to determine the causal relationship between potential risk factors during the prenatal or postnatal period and the health status of the newborn up to childhood and potentially adulthood. To date, there has been a growth in interest regarding observational population-based studies which are performed to provide answers to specific research questions for defined populations, for instance, assessing the exposure to environmental pollutants or drugs on the risk of developing a disease. Birth cohorts based on the recruitment and active follow-up of mothers and children allow the collection of biological material, and specific clinical and genetic information. However, they require a considerable amount of time and resources and, besides being usually of limited size, they are exposed to the risk of the loss of subjects to follow-up, with decreased statistical power and possible selection bias. For these reasons, linking the medical birth register with administrative health records for mothers and babies is increasingly being used in countries with a universal healthcare system, allowing researchers to identify large and unselected populations from birth, and to reconstruct relevant traits and care pathways of mothers and newborns. This Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health focuses on the current state of knowledge on perinatal and postnatal exposures and adverse pregnancy, maternal, fetal and neonatal outcomes through population-based birth cohort studies, with a specific focus on real-word data. The 12 accepted articles covered a wide range of themes that can be addressed specifically through birth cohort study design; however, only three were based on real word data with record-linkage to health administrative databases. In particular, two papers have addressed the topic of socioeconomic status considering several indicators both at the individual and contextual level. Two papers focused on inflammatory bowel diseases, both as an outcome of perinatal and antibiotic exposure in early life and as a condition associated with asthma, among children identified in a birth cohort based on a Regional Medical Birth Register. Three articles focused on medication use during pregnancy and its impact on maternal and fetal health. The effect of exposure to prenatal environmental risk factors on perinatal and childhood outcomes has been considered in two papers. Two papers analyzed ad hoc nationwide prospective birth cohorts set in Japan and UK. Finally, we included a systematic review with meta-analysis to evaluate the relation between growth restriction at birth and congenital heart defects. We think that this Special Issue may contribute to enriching the discussion of future challenges, opportunities, strengths and limitations for all research topics that can be investigated using a population-based birth cohort study design.

Suggested Citation

  • Cristina Canova & Anna Cantarutti, 2020. "Population-Based Birth Cohort Studies in Epidemiology," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-6, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:15:p:5276-:d:388292
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/15/5276/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/15/5276/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ali Ghanchi & Neil Derridj & Damien Bonnet & Nathalie Bertille & Laurent J. Salomon & Babak Khoshnood, 2020. "Children Born with Congenital Heart Defects and Growth Restriction at Birth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-20, April.
    2. Cristina Canova & Jonas F Ludvigsson & Riccardo Di Domenicantonio & Loris Zanier & Claudio Barbiellini Amidei & Fabiana Zingone, 2020. "Perinatal and Antibiotic Exposures and the Risk of Developing Childhood-Onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Nested Case-Control Study Based on a Population-Based Birth Cohort," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-13, April.
    3. David Waynforth, 2020. "Mother–Infant Co-Sleeping and Maternally Reported Infant Breathing Distress in the UK Millennium Cohort," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-10, April.
    4. Teresa Spadea & Barbara Pacelli & Andrea Ranzi & Claudia Galassi & Raffaella Rusciani & Moreno Demaria & Nicola Caranci & Paola Michelozzi & Francesco Cerza & Marina Davoli & Francesco Forastiere & Gi, 2020. "An Italian Network of Population-Based Birth Cohorts to Evaluate Social and Environmental Risk Factors on Pregnancy Outcomes: The LEAP Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-14, May.
    5. Machiko Minatoya & Atsuko Araki & Chihiro Miyashita & Sachiko Itoh & Sumitaka Kobayashi & Keiko Yamazaki & Yu Ait Bamai & Yasuaki Saijyo & Yoshiya Ito & Reiko Kishi & The Japan Environment and Childre, 2019. "Cat and Dog Ownership in Early Life and Infant Development: A Prospective Birth Cohort Study of Japan Environment and Children’s Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-11, December.
    6. Claudio Barbiellini Amidei & Fabiana Zingone & Loris Zanier & Cristina Canova, 2020. "Risk of Prevalent Asthma among Children Affected by Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Population-Based Birth Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-10, June.
    7. Costanza Pizzi & Matteo Richiardi & Marie-Aline Charles & Barbara Heude & Jean-Louis Lanoe & Sandrine Lioret & Sonia Brescianini & Virgilia Toccaceli & Martine Vrijheid & Franco Merletti & Daniela Zug, 2020. "Measuring Child Socio-Economic Position in Birth Cohort Research: The Development of a Novel Standardized Household Income Indicator," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-17, March.
    8. Angela Lupattelli & Marta Picinardi & Anna Cantarutti & Hedvig Nordeng, 2020. "Use and Intentional Avoidance of Prescribed Medications in Pregnancy: A Cross-Sectional, Web-Based Study among 926 Women in Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-14, May.
    9. Bárbara Heather Lutz & Vanessa Iribarrem Avena Miranda & Marysabel Pinto Telis Silveira & Tatiane da Silva Dal Pizzol & Sotero Serrate Mengue & Mariângela Freitas da Silveira & Marlos Rodrigues Doming, 2020. "Medication Use among Pregnant Women from the 2015 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-14, February.
    10. Paola Manduca & Nabil Al Baraquni & Stefano Parodi, 2020. "Long Term Risks to Neonatal Health from Exposure to War—9 Years Long Survey of Reproductive Health and Contamination by Weapon-Delivered Heavy Metals in Gaza, Palestine," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-20, April.
    11. Viola Tozzi & Aitana Lertxundi & Jesus M. Ibarluzea & Michela Baccini, 2019. "Causal Effects of Prenatal Exposure to PM 2.5 on Child Development and the Role of Unobserved Confounding," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-12, November.
    12. Bárbara Heather Lutz & Diego Garcia Bassani & Vanessa Iribarrem Avena Miranda & Marysabel Pinto Telis Silveira & Sotero Serrate Mengue & Tatiane da Silva Dal Pizzol & Mariângela Freitas da Silveira & , 2020. "Use of Medications by Breastfeeding Women in the 2015 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-16, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Bukola G. Olutola & Paulina Phoobane, 2023. "A Bibliometric Analysis of Literature on Prenatal Exposure to Air Pollution: 1994–2022," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-14, February.
    2. Simona Fumagalli & Antonella Nespoli & Maria Panzeri & Edda Pellegrini & Michele Ercolanoni & Paul Stefan Vrabie & Olivia Leoni & Anna Locatelli, 2024. "Intrapartum Quality of Care among Healthy Women: A Population-Based Cohort Study in an Italian Region," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(5), pages 1-12, May.
    3. Munum Hassan & Kinza Saif & Muhammad Saad Ijaz & Zouina Sarfraz & Azza Sarfraz & Karla Robles-Velasco & Ivan Cherrez-Ojeda, 2023. "Mean Temperature and Drought Projections in Central Africa: A Population-Based Study of Food Insecurity, Childhood Malnutrition and Mortality, and Infectious Disease," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-21, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Machiko Minatoya & Atsuko Ikeda-Araki & Chihiro Miyashita & Sachiko Itoh & Sumitaka Kobayashi & Keiko Yamazaki & Yu Ait Bamai & Yasuaki Saijo & Yukihiro Sato & Yoshiya Ito & Reiko Kishi & The Japan En, 2021. "Association between Early Life Child Development and Family Dog Ownership: A Prospective Birth Cohort Study of the Japan Environment and Children’s Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-14, July.
    2. Lisiane Freitas Leal & Sonia Marzia Grandi & Vanessa Iribarrem Avena Miranda & Tatiane da Silva Dal Pizzol & Robert William Platt & Mariângela Freitas da Silveira & Andréa Dâmaso Bertoldi, 2020. "Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy and Medication Use in the 2015 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-14, November.
    3. Sarah Kittel-Schneider & Ethel Felice & Rachel Buhagiar & Mijke Lambregtse-van den Berg & Claire A. Wilson & Visnja Banjac Baljak & Katarina Savic Vujovic & Branislava Medic & Ana Opankovic & Ana Fons, 2022. "Treatment of Peripartum Depression with Antidepressants and Other Psychotropic Medications: A Synthesis of Clinical Practice Guidelines in Europe," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-17, February.
    4. Paolo Girardi & Silvia Lanfranchi & Libera Ylenia Mastromatteo & Massimo Stafoggia & Sara Scrimin, 2021. "Association between Exposure to Particulate Matter during Pregnancy and Multidimensional Development in School-Age Children: A Cross-Sectional Study in Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-13, November.
    5. Michael Ceulemans & Veerle Foulon & Alice Panchaud & Ursula Winterfeld & Léo Pomar & Valentine Lambelet & Brian Cleary & Fergal O’Shaughnessy & Anneke Passier & Jonathan Luke Richardson & Hedvig Norde, 2022. "Self-Reported Medication Use among Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study in Five European Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-13, January.
    6. Kenta Matsumura & Kei Hamazaki & Akiko Tsuchida & Hidekuni Inadera & The Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS) Group, 2021. "House Dust Avoidance during Pregnancy and Subsequent Infant Development: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-12, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:15:p:5276-:d:388292. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.