title: Genetics and gene-environment interactions in atopic diseases. The Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) aims to provide new insights in a broad variety of diseases. The goal of the study is to understand pathways in disease development, and identify preventive measures. Several designs are suitable for studying genetics in complex diseases like asthma and allergy, in MoBa.
  
  
  METHODS
  MoBa is a prospective population based cohort of 100 000 pregnancies, following offspring into adulthood. Enrollment started in 1999, and will be completed in 2008. A biobank with samples from the mother, father and child, together with detailed questionnaires from early pregnancy and childhood constitute the basis of the study. When studying complex diseases like asthma, a design with case-parent triads is useful. Parental effects and interactions between maternal and fetal genes can be detected. Stratifying triads by environmental exposure enables assessment of gene-environment interactions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By July 2006, more than 73,000 pregnancies have been included, with nearly 7,000 siblings and 1,300 pairs of twins enrolled. Biological samples are processed and stored at the biobank. The first children are reaching age seven in 2006.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MoBa cohort provides an excellent basis for studying genetic, epigenetic and environmental influences on complex diseases.
authors: Division of Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway. siri.haberg@fhi.no
authors: Siri E
authors: SE
authors: Håberg
authors: Per
authors: P
authors: Nafstad
authors: Wenche
authors: W
authors: Nystad
authors: Per
authors: P
authors: Magnus
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005220:Fathers; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires