Intestinal Microbiota on Allergy, Growth and Development (SMARTGenHK)

There is growing evidence that microbial programming beginning in-utero can be a central component for a balanced development of innate immunity and optimal growth and development in newborns. However, the specific types of bacteria along with their cross-talk with maternal and fetal host factors are far from being clear. The investigators hypothesize microbial compositions at different body sites of pregnant women are associated with early-life microbiota of their offspring as well as growth, neurodevelopment and the development of allergic and neurocognitive disorders. This is a prospective birth cohort study involving Chinese mother-child pairs. The investigators will follow up 120 pregnant women from first trimester until childbirth, and the child until three years of age.