TY - JOUR

T1 - The Danish National Birth Cohort

T2 - selected scientific contributions within perinatal epidemiology and future perspectives

AU - Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo

AU - Olsen, Jørn

PY - 2011

Y1 - 2011

N2 - INTRODUCTION: In this review a selection of studies published during the period 2002-2010, based on data from the Danish National Birth Cohort linked with other health registers, is described. Illustrative examples of studies addressing perinatal health outcomes (pregnancy complications and fetal and infant health) of a variety of exposures during pregnancy, as well as examples showing different methodological approaches in design and analyses of the studies, are presented. RESEARCH TOPICS: The exposures of interest include alcohol drinking, coffee intake, smoking, use of nicotine substitutes, physical exercise, working conditions, medication and infections during pregnancy, and environmental possible toxins. The study designs cover straightforward cohort analyses, case-control studies and sub-cohort analyses with enriched data collection. CONCLUSION: So far, the Danish National Birth Cohort has provided important knowledge for evidence-based antenatal care by giving more accurate risk estimates for adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with the exposures of interest. Some new potential hazardous exposures during pregnancy have been identified and others have been put to rest. We believe that this investment in epidemiologic infrastructure was well spent. The existence of the Danish National Birth Cohort together with other cohorts and national registers has given Denmark a leading position in reproductive epidemiology.

AB - INTRODUCTION: In this review a selection of studies published during the period 2002-2010, based on data from the Danish National Birth Cohort linked with other health registers, is described. Illustrative examples of studies addressing perinatal health outcomes (pregnancy complications and fetal and infant health) of a variety of exposures during pregnancy, as well as examples showing different methodological approaches in design and analyses of the studies, are presented. RESEARCH TOPICS: The exposures of interest include alcohol drinking, coffee intake, smoking, use of nicotine substitutes, physical exercise, working conditions, medication and infections during pregnancy, and environmental possible toxins. The study designs cover straightforward cohort analyses, case-control studies and sub-cohort analyses with enriched data collection. CONCLUSION: So far, the Danish National Birth Cohort has provided important knowledge for evidence-based antenatal care by giving more accurate risk estimates for adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with the exposures of interest. Some new potential hazardous exposures during pregnancy have been identified and others have been put to rest. We believe that this investment in epidemiologic infrastructure was well spent. The existence of the Danish National Birth Cohort together with other cohorts and national registers has given Denmark a leading position in reproductive epidemiology.

KW - Case-Control Studies

KW - Child Development

KW - Cohort Studies

KW - Denmark

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Infant

KW - Infant Welfare

KW - Maternal Exposure

KW - Occupational Exposure

KW - Pregnancy

KW - Pregnancy Complications

KW - Pregnancy Outcome

KW - Questionnaires

KW - Registries

KW - Risk Factors

KW - Socioeconomic Factors

U2 - 10.1177/1403494811407674

DO - 10.1177/1403494811407674

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 21775368

VL - 39

SP - 115

EP - 120

JO - Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, Supplement

JF - Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, Supplement

SN - 1403-4956

IS - 7 Suppl

ER -