Our aim is to expand our common knowledge and understanding of pregnancy, life in utero and childbirth through clinical and epidemiological studies. Research activity has developed from longitudinal clinical cohorts and large population based studies:
I) Registry-based studies using linked data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBRN) and numerous national and regional registries and cohorts to assess perinatal outcomes, maternal short- and longterm outcomes and effects of pregnancy and birth, including preeclampsia, preterm birth, birth weight, disorders of the placenta and cord etc.
II) Clinical fetal physiology studies focus on fetal growth, circulation and development. Ultrasound imaging and Doppler methods, ECG, biochemistry and biomarkers are employed to unveil population variation, patterns of disease and fetal origins of adult health and disease.
III) Bergen Obstetric Biobank (BOB) is a general research biobank with the purpose of collecting and storing biological material for research into pregnancy and childbirth. This includes studies of the causes, treatment and prevention of adverse pregnancy outcomes, prognostic and environmental factors. The material collected include blood, urine, hair, nail, and saliva samples and placenta and umbilical cord biopsies. Consenting women, their partners and children have participated in the following Regional Ethics Committee approved studies - BabyPep, Conimpreg, and Diabetes in pregnancy.