Barcelona Life Study Cohort
Pollution is one of the issues that most concern us when we talk about public health. We know that it is one of the factors that cause more diseases in adults, and especially in children, but we still do not know how it can affect the future baby during pregnancy, one of the most vulnerable and determining periods in the life of children. people.
That’s why we designed the Barcelona Life Study Cohort (BiSC), a research project aimed at understanding and understanding how Barcelona’s air pollution affects the development of the baby during pregnancy. In addition, we will make an accurate estimate of the exposure of pregnant mothers to environmental pollution, evaluating the main atmospheric pollutants, noise pollution, stress, the importance of physical activity and green spaces and we will know better the mediating function of the placenta .
BiSC is funded by the European Research Council (AirNB project).
If you volunteer,
you will help us:
- Know what impact environmental pollution has on the course of pregnancy and on the development of children.
- Understand the role of the placenta
- You have a unique pregnancy
- You are within your first 15 weeks of gestation
- You are between 18 and 45 years old
- You are a resident in the city of Barcelona or Esplugues de Llobregat
- You monitor your pregnancy and give birth at the Hospitals of Sant Joan de Déu, Clínic-Maternitat or Sant Pau
- You do not present any important disease
- Minimum duration of one year

What is the study?
The project in figures
- We will make an exhaustive follow-up of your pregnancy, very complete ultrasounds that will evaluate different aspects of the placenta, the growth and the neurological and cardiac training of your baby.
- We will accurately track your exposure to the main environmental pollutants.
- You will participate in one of the largest studies that have been done worldwide until today, it is expected to include 1,200 pregnant volunteers throughout Barcelona.
- If in any of the evaluations we do, we detect a problem, it will be considered and treated by the experts of the study and the team of the Hospital de Sant Pau and San Juan de Dios.
- We will all benefit. The results of the study will be very important for the health of future generations.




Frequent questions
Being pregnant Being between 18 and 45 years old
Living within the area of the Hospitals of San Juan de Dios, Clinic-Maternity or Hospital de Sant Pau
To be healthy
Refers to the fact that you currently do not have any medical diagnosis of neurological disease
Generically, BiSC is a study initially planned for 2 years. In your case the follow-up will be carried out throughout your pregnancy and the first year of your child, so your commitment will be for two years. In any case you can decide at any time and with total freedom to leave the study.
By filling in the form to receive information we will contact you. On your next visit to C.A.P we will explain the next steps.