Research Adaptive Response, Metabolism and Immunobiology

Environment and complications during pregnancy

Research Program

Adaptive Response, Metabolism and Immunobiology

Leaders

Where we are

SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital

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Our research group conducts research aimed at studying pre-natal exposure to substance abuse (tobacco, alcohol and drugs) and environmental toxicants (air, water and chemicals) in foetal growth restriction groups compared with exposure in foetuses with normal weight for gestational age.

Together with the Hospital Clínic Barcelona and the SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital, we form part of the Barcelona Centre for Maternal and Neonatal Medicine (BCNatal), conducting research in collaboration with the Fetal Medicine Barcelona Foundation (Fetal R + D). Our group is also part of the Maternal and Child Health and Development Network (SAMID Network) (ref RD12/0026/0007).

In 2016, we commenced our collaboration with ISGlobal, with shared funding from the Health Research Fund (FIS), and a HEI Research Committee project (Health Effects Institute. USA): RFA 17-1 (November 2, 2017) "Traffic-related air pollution and birth weight: the role of noise, placental function, green space, diet, physical activity and socio-economic status (FRONTIER)". Then, in 2018, we started another project titled "AIR-NB. Pre-natal exposure to urban AIR pollution and pre- and post-Natal Brain development" following the call for ERC Advanced Grant.

Dr Gómez Roig has formed part of the Work Group on Reproductive and Environmental Health organised by FIGO (International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, 2016 - 2019) since 2016. She is also currently a member of the FIGO Committ

Research lines

  1. Correlation of the different toxic agents (substances of abuse and environmental toxicants) existing in the foetal environment with placental insufficiency parameters (foetal percentile <3, cerebroplacental ratio (CPR) and uterine artery Doppler abnormality).
  2. The incidence of alcohol and tobacco consumption in pregnant women in our environment and to evaluate the results of an intervention (motivational interview) aimed at decreasing or cessation of consumption during pregnancy.
  3. The relationship between pre-natal (neurodevelopment: foetal neurosonogram), cardiac function (echocardiogram), perinatal (neonatal morbidity) and post-natal (neurological development) effects of exposure to toxicants.

Scientific objectives

  1. To demonstrate the efficacy of low molecular weight heparin for the treatment of early onset intrauterine foetal growth restriction, demonstrating prolonged gestation in such cases.
  2. To demonstrate the effectiveness of a motivational interview (MI) intervention on decreasing alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy and to transfer these results to public health programmes.
  3. To further advance the field of experimental research into therapeutic measures to decrease the effects of alcohol consumption on the foetus.
  4. To validate pre-natal markers predictive of post-natal neurodevelopment (neurosonogram and neurophysiological analysis using frequency-following response [FFR]).
  5. To establish a cohort of low-risk pregnant women for the pre-natal and post-natal study of the influence of the environment (environmental pollution, noise pollution, green spaces, stress and physical activity) on the foetus, the newborn infant or the child.

Area/Field of expertise

Our research forms part of the study of pre-natal exposure to substances of abuse and environmental toxicants.

To accomplish this, we measure toxic substances, alcohol (fatty acid ethyl esters [FAEE], and ethyl glucuronide [ETG]) using metabolomics techniques in the mother's hair (liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry [LC/MS/MS] and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry). We have also carried out phosphatidylethanol (PEth) measurements in umbilical cord blood and have initiated a MI technique as an intervention aimed at reducing the use of toxic substances during pregnancy.

We carry out pre-natal assessment of the effects of pre-natal exposure to a contaminated environment using neurosonogram and pre-natal echocardiogram (to study cardiac anatomy and function). This enables us to measure with remarkable accuracy the depth and degree of maturation of specific cortical fissures, sulci and the development of specific structures such as the corpus callosum and lateral ventricles.

In post-natal follow-up, we assess the FFR in infants as a marker of neurodevelopment using neurophysiological analysis.

Group members

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Projects

Project name:
Impact of the environment (exposome) on sexual and reproductive health in a national multicenter birth cohort
Leader
Maria Dolores Gómez Roig
Funding entities:
Fundació La Marató de TV3
Code
202414 30 31 32 33
Starting - finishing date:
2024 - 2027
Project name:
Consumo de alcohol prenatal, marcadores moleculares, y su repercusión en la función placentaria y el neurodesarrollo
Leader
Maria Dolores Gómez Roig
Funding entities:
Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
Code
PI23/00053
Starting - finishing date:
2024 - 2026
Project name:
AmpliSense
Leader
Maria Dolores Gómez Roig
Funding entities:
Fundació Privada ISGLOBAL
Code
PCP00429
Starting - finishing date:
2024 - 2025
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Theses

  • Efecto de la administración posnatal de epigalocatequina-3-galato sobre la función cardíaca y la respuesta psicomotora y cognitiva alteradas por la exposición prenatal a alcohol
    Institution
    UNIVERSIDAD DE BARCELONA
    14/05/2024
  • Impact of stress on pregnancy mental health
    Author
    Pascal Capdevila, Rosalia
    Institution
    UNIVERSIDAD DE BARCELONA
    15/03/2024
  • Exposición al Dióxido de Nitrógeno durante el embarazo y su afectación materno-fetal
    Author
    Cahuana Bartra, Marc Josep
    Institution
    UNIVERSIDAD DE BARCELONA
    27/09/2023
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