Substantial research has suggested that pregnant mothers who are exposed to certain harmful factors or have health problems such as low iron levels or anaemia during pregnancy are more likely to have children with poor health outcomes at birth and in later life. We aim to generate robust evidence about such risk factors using genetic analytical approaches, with the combination of genetics data from UK Biobank and other European-ancestry populations, especially those that have enrolled mothers and their biological children.
This project is planned to start in May 2024 and will be completed in 36 months.
Findings from this project will better inform future clinical trials to establish prevention and intervention strategies among pregnant women to reduce the risk of poor health outcomes and birth defects in children.