The Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study (BIGCS)

Abstract

The Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study (BIGCS) is a large-scale prospective observational study investigating the role of social, biological and environmental influences on pregnancy and child health and development in an urban setting in southern China. Pregnant women who reside in Guangzhou and who attend Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center (GWCMC) for antenatal care in early pregnancy (<20 weeks' gestation) are eligible for inclusion. Study recruitment commenced in February 2012, with an overall participation rate of 76.3%. Study recruitment will continue until December 2018 to achieve the target sample size of 30,000 mother-child pairs. At 30 April 2016, a total of 75,422 questionnaires have been collected, while 14,696 live births have occurred with planned follow-up of cohort children until age 18 years. During the same period a total of 1,053,000 biological samples have been collected from participants, including maternal, paternal and infant blood, cord blood, placenta, umbilical cord, and maternal and infant stool samples. The dataset has been enhanced by record linkage to routine health and administrative records. We plan future record linkage to school enrolment and national examination records.

Prediction of gestational diabetes mellitus in the Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study, China

“…11 Eligible participants for the present analysis were women with a singleton pregnancy who had an initial prenatal examination between February 1, 2012, and December 31, 2015. 11 Eligible participants for the present analysis were women with a singleton pregnancy who had an initial prenatal examination between February 1, 2012, and December 31, 2015.…”

“…The data used in the present secondary analysis study were collected as part of the Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study, 11 a prospective cohort study conducted at Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, which is a tertiary women and children's hospital in Guangzhou, China; the details have been described previously. 11 Eligible participants for the present analysis were women with a singleton pregnancy who had an initial prenatal examination between February 1, 2012, and December 31, 2015. Women were excluded if they had already had diabetes prior to the pregnancy, had completed the initial clinic visit before 14 weeks of pregnancy or after 20 weeks of pregnancy, had their oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) outside of the time frame specified below, or had missing or abnormal values for the glucose level or other covariates.…”

Association between prenatal depressive symptoms and eczema in infants: The Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study

“…The present study was part of the ongoing prospective Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study (BIGCS) conducted in Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, China; details of the BIGCS have been described previously. 20 Self-administered questionnaires were conducted at recruitment (<20th gestational week), 24-27 weeks of gestation, and late pregnancy (after the 33rd gestational week and prior to delivery). In the children's first year, face-to-face interview of mothers and health checks of infants were performed in the hospital at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year, or telephone interview was performed for those mothers who were unable to bring their child to the healthcare clinic at each follow-up time point.…”

Birth cohort studies in China: New insights and new directions

“…The average birthweight of 3329 g in this cohort is considered high in Chinese population. [3][4][5] The less than optimal child follow-up rate is likely to have further decreased population representativeness. This study demonstrates again that a random sampling scheme in a large prospective cohort study is very challenging to achieve its goal.…”

“…Those that have published cohort profiles tend to be larger, with longer follow-up and remain better managed. [3][4][5] They are the tip of an iceberg. Most cohorts focus on environment and nutrition.…”