Fish intake during pregnancy, fetal growth, and gestational length in 19 European birth cohort studies.

Background: Fish is a rich source of essential nutrients for fetal development, but in contrast, it is also a well-known route of exposure to environmental pollutants.

Objective: We assessed whether fish intake during pregnancy is associated with fetal growth and the length of gestation in a panel of European birth cohort studies.

Design: The study sample of 151,880 mother-child pairs was derived from 19 population-based European birth cohort studies.

Micronuclei in cord blood lymphocytes and associations with biomarkers of exposure to carcinogens and hormonally active factors, gene polymorphisms, and gene expression: the NewGeneris cohort.

Background: Leukemia incidence has increased in recent decades among European children, suggesting that early-life environmental exposures play an important role in disease development.

Objectives: We investigated the hypothesis that childhood susceptibility may increase as a result of in utero exposure to carcinogens and hormonally acting factors. Using cord blood samples from the NewGeneris cohort, we examined associations between a range of biomarkers of carcinogen exposure and hormonally acting factors with micronuclei (MN) frequency as a proxy measure of cancer risk.

Exposure to brominated trihalomethanes in water during pregnancy and micronuclei frequency in maternal and cord blood lymphocytes.

Background: Water disinfection by-products have been associated with an increased cancer risk. Micronuclei (MN) frequency in lymphocytes is a marker of genomic damage and can predict adult cancer risk.

Objective: We evaluated maternal exposure to drinking water brominated trihalomethanes (BTHM) in relation to MN frequency in maternal and cord blood lymphocytes.

Increased frequency of micronuclei in mononucleated lymphocytes and cytome analysis in healthy newborns as an early warning biomarkers of possible future health risks.

Impact of intrauterine development on health risks during adolescence and adulthood still needs to be investigated. The aim of study was to compare genome damage in newborns and mothers using the cytokinesis blocked micronucleus assay, nuclear division index (NDI), and centromere fluorescence in situ hybridization. The study was performed on 92 mothers and their newborns.

Maternal weight status, cord blood leptin and fetal growth: a prospective mother-child cohort study (Rhea study).

Background: Leptin is an adipocyte-secreted hormone that regulates energy homeostasis, while its role in fetal programming remains poorly understood. We aimed to evaluate the effect of maternal weight status on cord blood leptin levels and their combined effect on fetal growth.

Methods: We included 638 mother-child pairs from the prospective mother-child cohort 'Rhea' study in Crete, Greece with singleton pregnancies, providing cord blood serum samples for leptin analysis and complete data on birth outcomes.

Bulky dna adducts in cord blood, maternal fruit-and-vegetable consumption, and birth weight in a European mother-child study (NewGeneris).

Background: Tobacco-smoke, airborne, and dietary exposures to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been associated with reduced prenatal growth. Evidence from biomarker-based studies of low-exposed populations is limited. Bulky DNA adducts in cord blood reflect the prenatal effective dose to several genotoxic agents including PAHs.

Maternal diet, prenatal exposure to dioxins and other persistent organic pollutants and anogenital distance in children.

We investigated the potential endocrine disruptive effect of prenatal exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) through maternal diet, by measuring anogenital distance in newborns and young children. We included 231 mothers and their newborns measured at birth from the Rhea study in Crete, Greece and the Hmar study in Barcelona, Spain and 476 mothers and their children measured between 1 and 2 years from the Rhea study. We used food frequency questionnaires to assess maternal diet and estimated plasma dioxin-like activity by the Dioxin-Responsive Chemically Activated LUciferase eXpression (DR-CALUX®) and other POPs in maternal samples.

Patterns of multisite pain and associations with risk factors.

To explore definitions for multisite pain, and compare associations with risk factors for different patterns of musculoskeletal pain, we analysed cross-sectional data from the Cultural and Psychosocial Influences on Disability (CUPID) study. The study sample comprised 12,410 adults aged 20-59 years from 47 occupational groups in 18 countries. A standardised questionnaire was used to collect information about pain in the past month at each of 10 anatomical sites, and about potential risk factors.

Disabling musculoskeletal pain in working populations: is it the job, the person, or the culture?

To compare the prevalence of disabling low back pain (DLBP) and disabling wrist/hand pain (DWHP) among groups of workers carrying out similar physical activities in different cultural environments, and to explore explanations for observed differences, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in 18 countries. Standardised questionnaires were used to ascertain pain that interfered with everyday activities and exposure to possible risk factors in 12,426 participants from 47 occupational groups (mostly nurses and office workers). Associations with risk factors were assessed by Poisson regression.

Mediterranean diet adherence during pregnancy and risk of wheeze and eczema in the first year of life: INMA (Spain) and RHEA (Greece) mother-child cohort studies.

Maternal diet during pregnancy might influence the development of childhood allergic disorders. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence during pregnancy on wheeze and eczema in the first year of life in two population-based mother-child cohorts in Spain and Greece. We studied 1771 mother-newborn pairs from the Spanish multi-centre 'INMA' (INfancia y Medio Ambiente) study (Gipuzkoa, Sabadell and Valencia) and 745 pairs from the 'RHEA' study in Crete, Greece.

Maternal pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity, and child neuropsychological development: two Southern European birth cohort studies.

Background: Maternal pre-pregnancy obesity may be associated with impaired infant neuropsychological development; however, there are few studies and it is unclear if reported associations are due to intrauterine mechanisms.

Methods: We assessed whether maternal pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity were associated with cognitive and psychomotor development scores (mean 100 ± 15) of children aged 11-22 months in two birth cohorts: Environment and Childhood (INMA, Spain; n = 1967) and Mother-Child (RHEA, Greece: n = 412). Paternal body mass index (BMI) was used as a negative control exposure.

Antenatal and postnatal maternal mental health as determinants of infant neurodevelopment at 18 months of age in a mother-child cohort (Rhea Study) in Crete, Greece.

Purpose: A growing body of evidence links poor maternal mental health with negative outcomes on early child development. We examined the effect of antenatal and postnatal maternal mental health on infant neurodevelopment at age 18 months in a population-based mother-child cohort (Rhea Study) in Crete, Greece.

Methods: Self-reported measures of maternal depression (EPDS), trait anxiety (STAI-Trait) and personality traits (EPQ-R) were assessed in a sample of women during pregnancy and at 8 weeks postpartum (n = 223).

Anogenital distances in newborns and children from Spain and Greece: predictors, tracking and reliability.

Background: Anogenital distance has been associated with prenatal exposure to chemicals with anti-androgenic effects. There are limited data in humans concerning descriptive patterns, predictors, and the reliability of measurement of anogenital distances. We examined anogenital distance measurements and their predictors in males and females and further estimated the reliability of these measurements.

In utero exposure to dioxins and dioxin-like compounds and anogenital distance in newborns and infants.

Background: Anogenital distance in animals is used as a measure of fetal androgen action. Prenatal exposure to dioxins and dioxin-like compounds in rodents causes reproductive changes in male offspring and decreases anogenital distance.

Objective: We assessed whether in utero exposure to dioxins and dioxin-like compounds adversely influences anogenital distance in newborns and young children (median age, 16 months; range, 1-31 months).

Birth weight, head circumference, and prenatal exposure to acrylamide from maternal diet: the European prospective mother-child study (NewGeneris).

Background: Acrylamide is a common dietary exposure that crosses the human placenta. It is classified as a probable human carcinogen, and developmental toxicity has been observed in rodents.

Objectives: We examined the associations between prenatal exposure to acrylamide and birth outcomes in a prospective European mother-child study.

Thyroid dysfunction and autoantibodies in early pregnancy are associated with increased risk of gestational diabetes and adverse birth outcomes.

Context: Maternal thyroid dysfunction, especially in early pregnancy, may lead to pregnancy complications and adverse birth outcomes. Few population-based prospective studies have evaluated these effects and results are discrepant.

Objective: We examined the association of thyroid function and autoimmunity in early pregnancy with adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes.

Social capital in pregnancy and postpartum depressive symptoms: a prospective mother-child cohort study (the Rhea study).

Background: Depression, and to a lesser extent postpartum depressive symptoms, have been associated with characteristics of the social environment and social capital. Up to the present, mostly cross-sectional studies have explored such an association without providing a clear temporal relationship between social capital and depression.

Objectives: To estimate prospectively the effect of individual-level self-reported maternal social capital during pregnancy on postpartum depressive symptoms.

Risk factors for new onset and persistence of multi-site musculoskeletal pain in a longitudinal study of workers in Crete.

Objectives: To explore occupational and psychological risk factors for the incidence and persistence of multi-site musculoskeletal pain.

Methods: We conducted a longitudinal investigation of three occupational groups in Crete, Greece. Baseline information was obtained at interview about pain in the past year at each of six anatomical sites, and about possible risk factors for subsequent symptoms.

Gender-specific reference intervals for cord blood leptin in Crete, Greece.

Cord leptin is a biomarker of fetal growth and adiposity with a role in predicting weight gain during the first months of life and childhood obesity. Our objective was to calculate gender-specific reference intervals for cord blood leptin in healthy neonates in Crete, Greece. We used data from the prospective mother-child cohort ("Rhea" study) in Crete, Greece.

The CUPID (Cultural and Psychosocial Influences on Disability) study: methods of data collection and characteristics of study sample.

Background: The CUPID (Cultural and Psychosocial Influences on Disability) study was established to explore the hypothesis that common musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and associated disability are importantly influenced by culturally determined health beliefs and expectations. This paper describes the methods of data collection and various characteristics of the study sample.

Methods/principal Findings: A standardised questionnaire covering musculoskeletal symptoms, disability and potential risk factors, was used to collect information from 47 samples of nurses, office workers, and other (mostly manual) workers in 18 countries from six continents.

Influence of fetal glutathione S-transferase copy number variants on adverse reproductive outcomes.

A nested case-control association study was designed to investigate the influence of maternal and fetal copy number variants (CNVs) on reproductive outcomes. Genotypes of ten CNVs encompassing GST and CYP genes were assessed. Significant associations were only found for child CNV genotypes.

Smoking and caesarean deliveries: major negative predictors for breastfeeding in the mother-child cohort in Crete, Greece (Rhea study).

Although benefits of breastfeeding have been widely promoted and accepted, exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life is far from the norm in many countries. In a prospective mother-child cohort study in Crete, Greece ('Rhea' study), we assessed the frequency of breastfeeding and its socio-demographic predictors. Information on breastfeeding was available for a period of 18 months post-partum for a cohort of 1181 mothers and their 1208 infants.

Maternal personality traits and risk of preterm birth and fetal growth restriction.

Background/aims: Maternal personality may increase vulnerability to stress, which could lead to an unfavourable intrauterine environment to the fetus. We sought to investigate the impact of maternal personality traits on adverse birth outcomes such as preterm birth, and fetal growth restriction in the mother-child cohort study (RHEA Study) in Crete, Greece 2007-2009.

Methods: Five hundred and eighty pregnant women participating in "Rhea" cohort study completed the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised (EPQ-R) at 28-32 weeks of gestation.

The effect of high doses of folic acid and iron supplementation in early-to-mid pregnancy on prematurity and fetal growth retardation: the mother-child cohort study in Crete, Greece (Rhea study).

Purpose: We examined whether high doses of folic acid and iron supplementation in early-to-mid pregnancy affect the risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, and small for gestational age neonates, in the mother-child cohort in Crete, Greece (Rhea study).

Methods: We included 1,279 women with singleton pregnancies with complete data on supplements use in early-to-mid pregnancy and birth outcomes. Anthropometric measurements at birth were obtained from medical records.