Gipuzkoa

In May 2006 the INMA project was set up in Gipuzkoa with the aim of evaluating the role of the environmental pollutants present in the air, water and diet in the growth and development of the children. The incorporation of the women to the cohort was made coinciding with the first echography of pregnancy control. Biological samples were taken (blood, urine, hair, placenta, etc.) and a series of questionnaires were complimented (general, diet, labour, environmental, etc.) to evaluate the impact of the environmental pollutants present in the air and the water of consumption, as well as an estimation of the polluting agents contributed by the diet.

The mothers were recruited from population visiting at the Hospital of Zumarraga, which includes the municipalities of the Goierri and the Alto and Medio Urola. They were selected of this area because of the characteristics of the services of the hospital and primary attention centre, as well as by the environmental characteristics: hard presence of metallurgical industry, high density of traffic, low levels of products derived from the disinfection in the consumption water and a rich diet in fish, together with certain degree of hypothyroidism in the pregnant women.

Since then, the pursuit of 640 women has been made in first and the third trimester of pregnancy. At the moment the pursuit is being made of 623 children in aspects of growth and neurobehavioural development.

  • Funders of INMA-Gipuzkoa cohort:

This study was funded by grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (FIS-PI06/0867, FIS-PI09/00090, FIS-PI13/02187 and FIS-PI18/01142 incl. FEDER funds), CIBERESP, Department of Health of the Basque Government (2005111093, 2009111069, 2013111089 and 2015111065), and the Provincial Government of Gipuzkoa (DFG06/002, DFG08/001 and DFG15/221) and annual agreements with the municipalities of the study area (Zumarraga, Urretxu , Legazpi, Azkoitia y Azpeitia y Beasain).

  • Collaborating Entities: