Lauren Capron attended the 8th World Congress on Developmental Origins of Health and Diseases (DOHaD) in Singapore in November 2013. The programme was themed “From Science to Policy and Action” and showcased the latest science and developments on basic, clinical, public health and programmatic research into early-life and developmental origins of health and diseases. Lauren was accepted to present her current work, from the ALSPAC cohort, focusing on the comparison between maternal and paternal depression during pregnancy with the later onset of offspring depression at 18 years of age.

The International Fetal and Newborn Growth Standards for the 21st Century (INTERGROWTH-21st) Project is a prospective cohort study investigating patterns of fetal and infant growth and development in an international, population-based, sample of healthy pregnant women and newborns. The project aims to develop scientifically robust clinical tools to assess fetal growth, and infant nutritional and developmental status. Approximately 4600 women were recruited from the study sites in Brazil, China, India, Italy, Kenya, Oman, UK and USA between 2008 and 2013. Fetal growth was assessed at 5±1 weekly intervals beginning from <14 weeks of gestation using standard ultrasound examinations. Weight, length and head circumference were measured at birth, and at the 1 and 2 year follow-up visits using the WHO MGRS protocols. Information on infant health and nutritional status was also collected during these assessments.

In a webminar at the Harvard School of Public Health on 28 January 2014, the directors of the  Project - Professor Stephen Kennedy and Professor Jose Villar - discussed the objectives, design and emerging findings of the Project. The findings of the Project describe how foetuses and babies should grow under optimal conditions. In particular, the lack of significant variability in early growth and development between geographically and culturally diverse populations groups under conditions where intra-uterine and postnatal health and nutrition needs are met was discussed. To view the webminar please click here.