[Influence of preconception period and pregnancy on birth outcomes and health of the child].

Abstract

According to the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease hypothesis, the environment in which a fetus develops before birth has a profound impact on a child s long-term health. An adverse environment in the womb can lead to permanent changes in the structure and function of various organ systems, with possible negative long-term health consequences. In the Generation R Study, a longitudinal, observational cohort study in Rotterdam, these long-term effects of prenatal exposure are investigated. A few relationships were found, including between parental weight and the risk of overweight in the child, exposure to certain phthalates and the risk of obesity and early puberty in the child, and between a higher maternal serum 25(OH)D concentration during pregnancy and less caries in the child. The results enable interventions at the level of the general population, such as the Dutch government s Promising Start action programme.