Born in Bradford: Child research project extended to other cities

Baby Harriet, born on Tuesday at Pinderfields Hospital, is taking part in Born and Bred in Wakefield along with her mother Alissa Hanson

A long-running study tracking the health of thousands of children in Bradford has been extended to three neighbouring cities.

Born in Bradford has followed the lives of more than 13,500 babies born between 2007-2010, with findings influencing local decision making.

The project, featured in a BBC radio documentary, is expanding to hospitals in Leeds, Doncaster and Wakefield.

Now known as Born and Bred in (BaBi), London will also host the project.

Those behind Born in Bradford (BiB) said the project prompted researchers to investigate a variety of themes, including asthma and allergies, maternal depression and factors influencing growth patterns.

BiB, which also tracked 12,000 mothers and 4,000 fathers, said this led to many changes impacting heath and wellbeing services in the district and across Yorkshire.

Some of Born in Bradford's findings and influences

• Breathing polluted air during pregnancy increases the risk of babies being born with low birth weights and smaller heads, factors which can lead to later ill-health

• The findings resulted in Bradford Council upgrading its most polluting bus fleet

• Greater availability of green space is associated with healthier birthweight amongst babies, reduced risk of depression amongst pregnant mothers and improved mental wellbeing among young children

• People were subsequently asked how to make local green space more friendly and accessible, with the changes carried forward

• There was concern about higher levels of childhood disability due to congenital anomalies (such as heart or genetic defects at birth) in Bradford than in other areas of the country, but this was hard to establish without a register of these problems

• BiB worked with doctors to set up this register in Bradford and helped to expand this across the whole of Yorkshire

Source: Born in Bradford

Midwives are asking expectant parents if they want to be part of BaBi Wakefield, with every pregnant woman in the city given the opportunity to join the project.

Harriet, who was born on Tuesday at Pinderfields Hospital weighing 8lbs 6oz (3.9kg), is one of the children taking part in the scheme.

Her mother, Alissa Hanson, said: "When I was pregnant I did nothing but Google for statistics and answers.

"Without people sharing things you don't find anything out, so why not share the information."

The 6,000 women who give birth at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield each year will all be offered to be a part of Born and Bred in Wakefield

"I think anything which helps the next generation will be really useful," added Andrew Whincup, Harriet's father.

About 6,000 women give birth at Pinderfields Hospital a year, with the BaBi signing up process "a verbal yes or no", said Dawn Athorn-Wright, senior research midwife at Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust.

"I think it's really important that we hear the people's voices, it shouldn't just be coming from professionals - it's really key that it comes from the women themselves and the families themselves," she said.