Factors Affecting Newborn Body Composition and Later Health in Helsinki Birth Cohort 2018-2022
Factors Affecting Newborn Body Composition and Later Health in Helsinki Birth Cohort 2018-2022
In Helsinki Birth Cohort 2018-2022 a large, longitudinal and well-phenotyped birth cohort of
 infants and their parents will be established. Mothers, fathers/spouses and their children in
 Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District are recruited in the study and newborn composition of
 the children born in Helsinki Women's Hospital will be measured. Data on maternal and
 paternal diet quality, physical activity and depression during and after pregnancy will be
 collected and data from the hospital and national registers will be collected. Health of
 offspring and parents will be followed during their later life.
Helsinki Birth Cohort 2018-2022 (HeBiCo) study is designed to find evidence between various
 intrauterine exposures and offspring adiposity and later health. It will be examined how
 different maternal (e.g. chronic diseases, ethnicity, BMI), and obstetric factors (e.g.
 gestational weight gain, diagnoses during pregnancy) as well as parental lifestyle and
 psychological aspects (e.g. diet quality, physical activity, depression and anxiety) are
 associated with newborn body composition and later health (e.g. obesity and neurocognitive
 health).

 In the first phase of the study the participants are recruited on postnatal ward after
 delivery. The umbilical cord blood sample will be collected of all the neonates. After a
 consent the participants fill in the digital background, food frequency, depression and
 physical activity questionnaires. If the parents do not give their consent, the umbilical
 cord blood sample will be destroyed. Body composition of offspring will be assessed within 72
 hours after birth. Registry data will be collected.

 The second phase of the HeBiCo study is based on the HUS WomensHub treatment path and/or
 Apotti platform. The second phase of the HeBiCo constitutes of the mother-child pairs (and
 fathers/spouses) whose pregnancy can be followed from the early pregnancy to the end of the
 pregnancy through treatment path. Body composition of offspring born in Helsinki Women's
 Hospital will be assessed within 72 hours after birth.

 The future studies will include 1) the intervention studies with digital service concept
 through WomensHub platform, and 2) the follow-up studies of offspring and parents in later
 life (to establish e.g. growth trajectories and later metabolic health of offspring).

 The first phase of the HeBiCo study was registered 3/2018.

 The second phase will be registered now.
Inclusion Criteria:

 Mothers, fathers/spouses and offspring in Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 Inability to communicate in Finnish language