Linking the health of mothers with their babies

The Southampton Women’s Survey, SWS, one of the pivotal studies developed by the University’s Medical Research Council (MRC) Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, is the only study in the developed world to have assessed women from the general population before they became pregnant, then following them through a subsequent pregnancy to understand the mother’s influence on the developing fetus and child.

Diets and lifestyles have changed dramatically in recent years, but little is know about the effects of these changes on women’s health and the health of their children. The SWS is helping to fill this knowledge gap by providing insights into the link between a mother’s diet and lifestyle, both before and during pregnancy, and the baby’s health and development.

The survey interviews over 12,500 women aged between 20 and 34 to find out about their diet, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and other lifestyle factors. More than 300 women, who later became pregnant were monitoring during their pregnancy; ongoing tracking of their children is tracking various indicators, including growth, bone development, sleep patterns and lung function.

By comparing the initial survey data with information gathered from ongoing monitoring, the researchers hoped to gain a better understanding of the development of conditions such as osteoporosis, obesity and allergies. The study will also inform health promotion strategies by finding out more about the factors that affect young women’s diet and lifestyle choices.

The survey has shown that very few women follow healthy eating and lifestyle recommendations before becoming pregnant, even when the pregnancy is planned, indicating a need for wider promotion of pre-pregnancy guidance.  It has shown that the level of vitamin D in the mother’s blood during pregnancy is associated with the strength of the baby’s bones at birth and during childhood. This has led to a trial of vitamin D supplementation for pregnant women, called MAVIDOS (Maternal Vitamin D Osteoporosis Study).

The MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit is a major research institute at the University of Southampton. Its mission is to investigate important, preventable causes of chronic musculoskeletal and metabolic disorders. In particular, focuses on the interplay between factors acting at different lifestages of the lifecourse from before conception to old age.