COPANA - The Copenhagen Analgesic Study
2020 -
Background
Studies in animal models and in vitro have raised suspicions that some types analgesics (painkillers) may have an impact on the development of the fetal gonads. However, there are no human studies that specifically assess the effect of medication on gonadal development and sex differentiation.
Aims and Study Design
In COPANA we establish a longitudinal mother-child (and father) cohort with the main aim to investigate whether intake of mild analgesics during pregnancy is associated with early markers of effects on gonadal development and sex differentiation of the fetus. A total of 590 families (healthy mothers, biological fathers and their newborns) are included.
Mothers are recruited early in pregnancy and asked to report biweekly on medicine use through an electronic questionnaire. Blood and urine are collected during pregnancy from the mothers, from their children aged 3 months, and once from the father. Anogenital distance of male and female fetuses will be determined prenatally (by ultrasound) as well as postnatally. Around 3 months of age (during minipuberty) a detailed clinical examination of the child is performed, which incl. assessement of the external genitalia.
As secondary aims we will also investigate the associations of maternal use of anti-fungal medicin during pregnancy as well as maternal exposure to known or suspected endocrine disruptors to early markers of reproductive development.
Mothers are recruited early in pregnancy and asked to report biweekly on medicine use through an electronic questionnaire. Blood and urine are collected during pregnancy from the mothers, from their children aged 3 months, and once from the father. Anogenital distance of male and female fetuses will be determined prenatally (by ultrasound) as well as postnatally. Around 3 months of age (during minipuberty) a detailed clinical examination of the child is performed, which incl. assessement of the external genitalia.
As secondary aims we will also investigate the associations of maternal use of anti-fungal medicin during pregnancy as well as maternal exposure to known or suspected endocrine disruptors to early markers of reproductive development.
The Research Team behind COPANA
COPANA is a collaboration between EDMaRC/Dept. of Growth and Reproduction at Rigshospitalet (Casper Hagen, Anders Juul, Margit Fischer, Gylli Mola, Anna-Maria Andersson, Hanne Frederiksen, Kristian Almstrup) and Department of Obstetrics and Section of fetal medicine at Rigshospitalet (Peter Damm, Karin Sundberg, Hanne Kristine Hegaard, Rikke Nue Møller, Ane Lilleøre Rom).
Key EDMaRC researchers in the project:
Casper Hagen (PI)
MD, PhD
MD, PhD-student
Gylli Mola
MD, PhD-student
MDSc, Professor
MSc, PhD, Senior Researcher