JiGenerations Health Cohort Study：Parental Exposure and Intergenerational Health in China

The impact of maternal conditions on offspring health and disease has garnered increasing attention, underscoring the necessity of large-scale, prospective, multicenter cohort studies spanning the entire maternal-child life cycle to elucidate this relationship.

This study aims to establish a family-centered birth cohort of 100,000 individuals, beginning at the preconception stage and tracking offspring through adolescence, to investigate early-life health trajectories. By doing so, we seek to enhance understanding of the intergenerational transmission of disease, health status, longevity, and psychological-behavioral patterns in the Chinese population. Furthermore, this research will identify critical intervention windows and underlying mechanisms, enabling the development of targeted health interventions. Ultimately, these efforts will contribute to improved population health and the advancement of healthy aging strategies rooted in early-life interventions.

Data and Biospecimen Collection Information and biological samples will be collected from couples before conception, during pregnancy, at birth, and throughout childhood (0-14 years), establishing a family-centered cohort spanning preconception, pregnancy, birth, and childhood.

Key health outcomes include metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, neurodevelopmental abnormalities, immune-related conditions, and mental health issues.

Multi-Omics Biobank A comprehensive database will be built using biospecimens such as placenta, umbilical cord blood, umbilical tissue, breast milk, oral epithelial cells, blood, urine, and feces, integrating genomic, proteomic, metabolomic, and microbiomic data.

Study Population and Timeline The target population consists of Chinese couples of reproductive age (18-49 years) and their offspring, with a focus on multigenerational health linkages, urban-rural disparities, and regional representation.

The study will launch in 2025, with long-term follow-up until 2039, conducted in phases from preconception to offspring adolescence.

Geographical and Environmental Coverage A stratified sampling approach will cover 24 research sites across Northwest, Southwest, Central, North, East, South, and Northeast China, ensuring diversity in climate, socioeconomic status, and pollution levels.

Real-time air pollution monitoring (e.g., PM2.5, SO₂), meteorological data (temperature, humidity), and sociogeographic factors (green space, urbanization) will be included.

Significance: By integrating genetic, environmental, and lifestyle data, this study will uncover how early-life exposures influence chronic disease transmission across generations, providing targeted intervention strategies to support China's "Healthy China" initiative and address aging-related challenges.

Inclusion criteria

• Parental Generation: Eligible participants include couples of reproductive age who undergo free pre-pregnancy eugenic health examinations, or pregnant women registered for prenatal care at healthcare institutions during early pregnancy (≤14 weeks). The participants are aged 18-45 years old and have mobile phones and internet (computer) devices. All participants must provide informed consent and commit to long-term follow-up. The participants have no serious neuropsychiatric disorders, with sufficient understanding and expression to complete the survey.
• Offspring Generation: Newborns whose parents participated in pre-pregnancy eugenic health checks and/or maternal prenatal examinations are enrolled in the cohort upon parental (guardian) consent. Designated hospitals will provide expedited medical services, free physical examinations, free child healthcare, and free psychological counseling to ensure comprehensive follow-up spanning infancy, preschool, school age, and early adolescence (0-14 years).

Exclusion criteria

• Intellectual disability or other serious mental disorders;
• Suffering from serious underlying diseases and may have a significant impact on pregnancy outcome;
• Those with poor compliance and difficulty in follow-up.