Limburg Birth Cohort

The Limburg Birth Cohort is a study in which we examine the effect of genes and environment on the health of children born in Limburg explore, by following them step by step from baby to young adult.

The study was launched in February 2010 in collaboration with East Limburg hospital and currently already has more than 2,000 participants!

Why is this survey important to you?

Environmental factors, such as air pollution, can already during pregnancy affect the baby's health. We currently know that diseases of old age, such as cardiovascular disease, dementia and diabetes, have their origins early in life.

On the basis of this study, we try to greater insight get into the underlying mechanisms of these ageing disorders. Studying newborns and children allows us to look for predictive markers of ageing linked to environmental exposures.

Based on the results, we can search faster and more efficiently for concrete applications and innovative strategies in environmental medicine that protect the unborn from harmful environmental exposures. In this way, we can take preventive action to protect the health of the (unborn) child and reduce the prenatal impact on the development of age-related diseases. Because prevention is still better than cure!

We hope you can find everything about our study on this website. Otherwise, don't hesitate to contact us!

How can you participate in our survey?

You are expecting a baby and are going for a consultation at Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, Schiepse Bos campus?

Then you must have already seen our information brochure found in your pregnancy notebook!

In this brochure you will find a sticker. Stick this sticker on your pregnancy booklet and you will automatically participate in step 1 of our study when your baby is born at Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, Schiepse Bos campus!

Didn't receive a sticker? No problem, notify your midwife on arrival at the obstetrics department and you can still participate!

Step 2 of our study we take after 4-6 years from the birth of your son/daughter. Step 3 happens after 10-12 years. All participants in step 1 are automatically invited again to the next steps in our study! However, participating in step 1 does not imply that you are obliged to participate in the next steps. Only participating in step 1 is therefore also possible.

Environmental factors, such as air pollution, can already during pregnancy affect the baby's health. We currently know that diseases of old age, such as cardiovascular disease, dementia and diabetes, have their origins early in life.

Discover the birth cohort