FeCt, Berlin offspring study

FeCt, Berlin offspring study 2010 and 2013-2019

Our offspring study deals with the health status of the offspring of former paediatric oncology patients in German-speaking and European countries. Information is collected by means of a questionnaire. Since 2010, we have been investigating health questions concerning the offspring of former patients. Diseases, well-being, use of health services and health behavior are compared between the offspring of former patients, their siblings and the general population. Data of the control group from the general population are available within the framework of a cooperation with the study on "Health of Children and Adolescents in Germany, KiGGS" of the Robert Koch Institute.

Will my children be healthy?

In the context of the study on the later fertility of childhood cancer patients, some of the interviewees stated that they had children of their own. In a follow-up study by Professor Anja Borgmann-Staudt, Doctor Magdalena Balcerek and colleagues on the health of the offspring, it became apparent:

that for many of the former childhood cancer patients* the health of their offspring is a topic of great importance.
that mothers of children of former patients rarely drank alcohol and smoked during pregnancy and later in presence of their children.
that former patients more often visited specialists with their children, but not general practitioners.
that the parental diagnosis and care for children's health strongly influence the use of health care.that vaccinations (against mumps, measles and rubella) were more frequently given to children of former patients.
that preventive medical checkups were taken more frequently in children of former patients.
that the children of former patients do not more often suffer from childhood cancer, cardiovascular diseases or congenital malformations
that artificial reproductive technologies did not increase the prevalence of childhood cancer, cardiovascular diseases or congenital malformations in offspring.

We would like to sincerely thank the participants for their valuable contributions to our study!

Find the publication concerning this study here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11764-020-00929-0