Nutrition in Pregnancy and Growth in Southwest China (NPGSC) cohort: Design, implementation, and characteristics

Background: Pregnancy and birth cohorts addressing maternal nutrition and its impact on health outcomes have been rare in China, especially in Southwest China.

Objectives: To describe the design, implementation, baseline characteristics, and initial results of the Nutrition in Pregnancy and Growth in Southwest China (NPGSC) cohort.

Population: Pregnant women with their children in Southwest China.

Design: NPGSC participants have been prospectively recruited since 2014. Pregnant women were invited to participate in the study at their first routine ultrasound examination in gestational weeks 9-11. Data were assessed three times during pregnancy (9-11, 20-22, and 33-35 gestation weeks), and eight times in infants and toddlers.

Methods: Pre-pregnancy body weight and height were self-reported; gestational weight gain was measured at regular intervals. Both food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) and 24-hour dietary recalls were used to collect dietary intakes during pregnancy, and FFQ for diet before pregnancy. Information on pregnancy outcomes was extracted from the medical birth registry. Anthropometry of children in the first 3 years of life was measured by trained investigators. Other child outcomes, including feeding practices (self-reported by mothers) and cognitive development (assessed by the Chinese version of Ages and Stages Questionnaire), were recorded.

Preliminary results: Between 2014 and 2018, 12 989 pregnant women were enrolled, and 2296 children completed the 3 years follow-up. Among them, 115 pregnancies ended in stillbirth. Mean maternal pre-pregnancy BMI was 21.1 kg/m² and mean gestational weight gain was 13.5 kg 18.6% of mothers developed gestational diabetes and 1.5% of mothers were diagnosed with preeclampsia. Mean birthweight and birth length of children were, respectively, 3329 g and 49.4 cm.

Conclusion: We built a prospective cohort in Southwest China, which can provide valuable data to investigate the relevance of nutrition for the health of mothers and children.