A birth cohort study in the Middle East: the Qatari birth cohort study (QBiC) phase I

Eman Sadoun,Manolis Kogevinas,Maribel Casas,Vasiliki Leventakou,Heba Fawzy Ahmed,Eleni Fthenou

doi:10.1186/s12889-017-4848-9

Abstract

BackgroundThe latest scientific reports raise concerns about the rapidly increasing burden of chronic diseases in the state of Qatar. Pregnant Qatari women often confront complications during pregnancy including gestational diabetes, hypertension, abortion and stillbirth. The investigation of early life environmental, genetic, nutritional and social factors that may affect lifelong health is of great importance. Birth cohort studies offer a great opportunity to address early life hazards and their possible long lasting effects on health.Methods/designThe Qatari Birth Cohort study is the first mother-child cohort study in the Middle East Area that aims to assess the synergetic role of environmental exposure and genetic factors in the development of chronic disease and monitor woman and child health and/or obstetric characteristics with high prevalence. The present manuscript describes the recruitment phase of the study (duration: 2 years; expected number: 3000 families), where the pregnant Qatari women and their husbands are being contacted before the 15th week of gestation at the Primary Health Care Centers. The consented participants are interviewed to obtain information on several factors (sociodemographic characteristics, dietary habits, occupational/environmental exposure) and maternal characteristics are assessed based on anthropometric measurements, spirometry, and blood pressure. Pregnant women are invited to provide biological samples (blood and urine) in each trimester of their pregnancy, as well as cord blood at delivery. Fathers are also asked to provide biological samples.DiscussionThe present study provides invaluable insights into a wide range of early life factors affecting human health. With a geographical focus on the Middle East, it will be a resource for information to the wider scientific community and will allow the formulation of effective policies with a primary focus on public health interventions for maternal and child health.

Highlights

The latest scientific reports raise concerns about the rapidly increasing burden of chronic diseases in the state of Qatar
With a geographical focus on the Middle East, it will be a resource for information to the wider scientific community and will allow the formulation of effective policies with a primary focus on public health interventions for maternal and child health
To provide valuable evidence-based data to policy makers so as to design effective policies that improve health. This is a multidisciplinary five year cohort study that is developed by the Ministry of Public Health in Qatar (MOPH-Q) in collaboration with various national research institutions, such as Primary Health Care Centers, Qatar University, Weill Cornell Medical Center-Q, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, Qatar BioBank, Qatar Environmental and Energy Research Institute, Texas A & M University-Q, Sidra Medical Center, Hamad Medical Corporations, and international collaboration with the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) in Spain

Summary

Discussion

As with all longitudinal cohort studies a major concern is to select the study participants from the source population and avoid as much as possible any selection bias arising from the procedures followed at the recruitment phase and/or during the procedure of retaining them in the study [24]. One of the main strengths of the QBiC study is that it will be the first large scale mother-child cohort study in the Middle East studying the gene-environment interactions associated with health impact It is a unique, national, evidence-based, epidemiological study designed to assess global viewing on how various types of environmental exposures co-exist and jointly with individual genome variability impact on health during critical developmental periods. Proper recruitment strategy of the study will provide excellent opportunity to researchers to bring together several key elements in terms of sample size, sampling strategy, exposure measures and phenotyping characterization This way the research team will be able to more efficiently address future challenges regarding the following phases of the study.

Background

Findings