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 - 2011/7
Y1 - 2011/7
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
SN - 1403-4956
VL - 39
SP - 115
EP - 120
JO - Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, Supplement
JF - Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, Supplement
IS - 7 Suppl
ER -