I. Profile
       Department of Epidemiology & Social Medicine, currently constituted by five research groups, is one of the important academic components in Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research. The Department mainly focuses on epidemiological and sociological research on issues related to reproductive health throughout the life cycle.
       In recent five years, the Department has undertaken over 39 government-funding projects, among which 25 were national, provincial and ministerial-level scientific projects, including 2 projects supported by the National Key Technology Research and Development Program of China (“12th Five Year Plan”), 2 projects funded by National Key Research and Development Plan (“13th Five Year Plan”), 7 projects funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China and 1 project supported by National Social Science Fund of China. Regarding 34 other projects held by the Department, 12 are international cooperation projects, and 22 are non-bidding projects, which are entrusted by the government. In the same period, 261 papers (119 international peer reviewed papers) have been published and the Department is the responsible author in 215 of them (82 international peer reviewed papers).
       At present, the Department has 6 doctoral supervisors and 7 master supervisors of Fudan University, 9 doctoral candidates and 9 postgraduate students.
       Furthermore, long-term favorable academic exchanges have been maintained between the Department and several international research institutions such as Johns Hopkins University, Aarhus University, and domestic organizations engaged in reproductive epidemiology research.

II. Main Research Priority
       Research fields of the Department mainly include perinatal factors and fetal/adulthood health, genetic and epigenetic mechanism of reproductive diseases, environmental factors and human health, puberty development and sexual and reproductive health of adolescents, clinical trials of drugs and medical devices of reproductive related endpoints, family planning services for post-partum and post-abortion, assessment of fertility regulation and fertility protection appropriate techniques, etc.

III. Research Team
       Director of the department: Miao Miaohua
       PI: Du Jing, Zhou Weijin, Zhu Qianxi, Miao Maohua, Liang Hong, Lou Chaohua, Tu Xiaowen, Wu Junqing, Li Yuyan, Che Yan
       The number of senior researchers is 18
       The number of intermediate researchers is 5
       The number of junior researchers is 10
       The number of postdoctoral researcher is 1

IV. Contact Details
       Tel.: 021-64771568
       Email: miaomaohua@sippr.org.cn 

V. Department Composition

Research Group of Reproductive & Genetic Epidemiology

i. Research Priority
       Studies on the genetic and epigenetic mechanism of reproductive diseases, the health status of perinatal parents, the growth and development of offspring and fetal diseases.
       Studies on systematic assessment, application promotion and standardized services of fertility regulation techniques; studies on perinatal health care and child growth and development; and, studies on reproductive health evaluation and promotion of middle-aged to elderly men.

ii. Main Research Achievements
       In the past 5 years, the Group presided over or participated in Reproductive Health Impact Assessment and Guidance for Adolescents (supported by the National Key Technology Research and Development Program of “12th Five Five-Year Plan” of China), Supplementary Investigations on Reproductive Physiological Constants and Essential Data of Males and Females in China (a special project of fundamental scientific work of the Ministry of Science and Technology),The Study of the Characteristic Methylation Spectrum and Mechanism of Recurrent Miscarriage (the National Natural Science Foundation of China), Study on Function and Mechanism of Cyclic RNA in Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion (the National Natural Science Foundation of China), A Molecular Epidemiological Study on Linear Epitops of HPV58-type E6, E7 and L1 Proteins (the National Natural Science Foundation of China), The establishment of DNA methylation profile of male gonadal function decline and its function pathway and predictive value (the Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai), The mechanism of abnormal function of key protein of lipid metabolism pathway in placental tissue in the pathological process of gestational diabetes mellitus (the Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai), Fish Oil Supplement in Pregnancy to Prevent Perinatal Depression and Facilitate Cognitive Development of Offspring: a randomized controlled trial in China (Statens Serum Institut), Establishment of Methylation Profile and Screening of Genetic Markers and Therapeutic Targets in Recurrent Abortion (Advanced Programs for Overseas Chinese, Shanghai human resources and Social Security Bureau), Establishment and Study of Early Diagnostic Markers of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (a grant from Shanghai Municipal Health Commission), etc.

iii. Personnel Structure of the Research Group
       PI: Prof. Du Jing, Zhou Weijin & Zhu Qianxi
       The number of senior researchers is 5
       The number of intermediate researchers is 2
       The number of junior researchers is 2
       The number of postdoctoral researcher is 1

Research Group of Environment, Reproduction and Perinatal Epidemiology

i. Research Priority
       Main research fields of the Research Group cover the effects of physical & chemical factors in the environment on human health, and the relationship between perinatal factors and fetal/adulthood diseases.

ii. Main Research Achievements
       In recent five years, the Group has undertaken multiple national, provincial and ministerial-level scientific projects, including 2 projects of the National Key Research and Development Plan (“13th Five Year Plan”), 3 projects supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, 1 project supported by Shanghai Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, 4 projects supported by the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission(among them 2 for talent youth projects) and 6 projects supported by Shanghai Municipal Health Commission etc.
       Masses of research achievements have been acquired based on such projects. In recent five years, at least 10 international peer reviewed articles have been published annually. Nine SCI papers have been published on Journals in the first district of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, such as Environment International, Science of the Total Environment, Human Reproduction, Environmental Pollution and BJOG. In the research area of environment and human health, the Group has extensively evaluated the effects of human exposures to environmental Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) and other common chemical substances such as Bisphenol A (BPA), genistein, Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs), etc. For example, the Group has comprehensively assessed the effects of BPA on human reproduction including semen quality, sexual function and reproductive hormonal levels of the adult as well as birth weight, genital development and pubertal development of the offspring. It is worth mentioning that the Group reported the harmful effects of BPA on the anus-genital distance and birth weight of offspring for the first time throughout the world, which attracts extensive attention from researchers in this field and several international media. These research findings provide important scientific evidence for promoting and facilitating many countries (China and developed countries in Europe and America, etc.) to modify (restrict or forbid) the criteria of BPA production and use. On the basis of the findings mentioned above, the Group is still exploring the roles that epigenetic and metabolomic alterations play in health effects of human EDCs exposure at present.
       In terms of the research area of perinatal epidemiology, the Group makes full use of national register data in five Nordic countries to conduct extensive epidemiological studies based on its long-term cooperation with Aarhus University. A number of valuable research findings have been published related to potential effects of prenatal risk factors including prenatal parental medication use and maternal psychological stress during pregnancy on offspring health. Currently, more than 20 international peer reviewed papers have been published in this area, including 2 published on Journals in the first district of the Chinese Academy of Sciences: European Journal of Epidemiology and Pediatrics.

iii. Personnel Structure of the Research Group
       PI: Prof. Miao Maohua & Liang Hong
       The number of senior researchers is 4.
       The number of intermediate researchers is 2.
       The number of junior researchers is 5.

Research Group of Adolescent Reproductive Health

i. Research Priority
       Puberty, development, and sexual and reproductive health of adolescents; micro- and macro-factors influencing adolescent health; interventive models and their effect evaluation on adolescent health. 

ii. Main Research Achievements
       During the past 5 years, the team has conducted and fulfilled more than 10 research projects predominated by cooperation with international institutions/university, including Global Early Adolescent Follow-up Study (WHO/JHU), Well-being of Adolescents in Vulnerable Environments (WAVE)(JHU/AstraZeneca), Design of UNFPA’s 2nd China National Survey on Young People (UNFPA), Evaluations on School-based Comprehensive Sexuality Education Implementation in China (UNESCO/UNFPA/UNICEF), Research on Knowledge, Attitude and Practice about Sexual & Reproductive Health (SRH) and Access to SRH Education and Services for Young People with Disabilities (UNESCO), A Qualitative Study on Adolescent Gender Socialization and Sexuality (Ford Foundation), Development and Pilot Test of Three Quantitative Instruments for Early Adolescents (WHO), Piloting of the Electronic Platform for Data Collection and of the Instruments (WHO), Innovations of Data Collection among Early Adolescents (JHU), Supplementary Investigations on Reproductive Physiological Constants and Essential Data of Males and Females in China (Special project of fundamental scientific work of the Ministry of Science and Technology), Study on Smoking Situation and Control among Shanghai Adolescents (Shanghai Municipal Health Commission) etc.; the group also participated in a project of the National Key Technology Research and Development Program of “12th Five-Year Plan” of China-Reproductive Health Impact Assessment and Guidance for Adolescents. The team members published more than 200 papers in national and international journals and won more than 10 awards, including the second prize of the Science and Technology Award of Shanghai, the second prize of the National Science and Technology Award of Women and Children Health, the third prize of the Excellent Scientific and Technological Achievements of Population and Family Planning during the “11th Five Year Plan”, and the second prize of the National Soft Science Award of Population and Family Planning, etc.

iii. Personnel Structure of the Research Group
       PI: Prof. Lou Chaohua & Xu Xiaowen
       The number of senior researchers is 4
       The number of intermediate researchers is 1
       The number of junior researchers is 2

Research Group of Sexual and Reproductive Health & Protection and Assessment of Fertility

i. Research Priority
       Research and promotion of fertility protection appropriate techniques /Assessment of fertility among persons of childbearing age and promotion of healthy lifestyles; Sexual and reproductive health technologies promotion/comprehensive counseling and  health promotion for special groups. 

ii. Main Research Achievements
       The Group has undertaken projects of the National Sci-Tech Support Plan proposed for the “11th Five Year Plan” and the “12th Five Year Plan”. Subsequently, comprehensive studies on key technologies to informed selection high-quality services and new contraceptive techniques and methods suitable for migrant populations have been conducted in China. In addition, first-rate birth control services are provided for migrant populations in 8 provinces or cities all over China, including contraceptive method selection and guidance, integrative sexual and reproductive health counseling and reproductive tract infection detection and counseling, which rigorously facilitates the improvement of their reproductive health levels. Since 2013, it has carried out a series of sexual and reproductive health ability construction, counseling and training and sexual and reproductive health counseling services for people of reproductive age, known as “China’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Consultant Capacity Building” funded and supported by Ford Foundation, United Nations, the former Population and Family Planning Commission, etc.. Without any doubt, not only does such a project make great contribution to “Integrative Sexual and Reproductive Health Counseling” and “Reproductive Health Counseling Capacity Building” in China, but 4 policy suggestions raised have been adopted by relevant departments of the former National Population and Family Planning Commission, so as to boost the occurrence of “Reproductive Health Counsellor” as a profession in China. What is worth mentioning is that it serves as a critical technology to support and participate in the entire process of vocational construction of “Reproductive Health Counsellor”. With the transformation of population policy and the implementation of the "comprehensive two-child" policy, fertility protection is a task that needs long-term attention and research. The follow-up study of the research group will further focus on fertility protection and assessment, using the previous research results, including the development and application of contraceptive screening system, reproductive health counseling research and other advantages to carry out researches, such as early protection and assessment of fertility of childbearing age population, fertility protection and assessment, fertility protection technology research and promotion, promotion of fertility protection and healthy lifestyle, the establishment of appropriate mechanisms for fertility protection.
       Additionally, the Group has completed a Birth Cohort Study on the Impact of Environmental and Genetic Risk Factors on Adolescent Obesity funded by National Natural Science Foundation, a Study on Reproductive Health Education and Intervention Models in Shanghai funded by Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality, a Study on Current Status and Service Accessibility of Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health funded by Shanghai Community Administration Foundation, a Study on Family Health Promotion Projects and Public Service Models of a Particular Population Based on the Community funded by Science and Technology Commission of Xuhui District, etc., which have achieved rich research findings.
       Cumulatively, the Group has published more than 300 articles in influential journals at home and abroad, among which, there are over 30 SCI papers. In addition, it has also compiled and published over 20 monographs and cultivated over 30 doctoral and postgraduate students of Fudan University. Programs and papers undertaken by it have won national awards for multiple times. To be specific, “Contraception and Birth Control Informed Choice and Reproductive Health Counseling Capacity Building in China” was endowed with the second prize of the Excellent Science and Technology Achievement Award of National “11th Five Year Plan” Population and Family Planning released by the former national Population and Family Planning Commission, and the third prize of the National Science and Technology Achievement Award of Women and Children Health obtained during the “Integrative Family Planning/Reproductive Health Counseling Ability Construction & High-quality Service Promotion Program”.

iii. Personnel Structure of the Research Group
       PI: Prof. Wu Junqing & Li Yuyan
       The number of senior researchers is 3

Research Group of Clinical research and training

i. Research Priorities
       Drug and medical device clinical trials, clinical technology assessments, intervention studies for post-partum and post-abortion family planning services at hospital settings, maternal and child health epidemiological researches, and application of machine learning for clinical complex data.

ii. Main Research Achievements
       The Group closely integrates epidemiological study design & technology into clinical researches, and has undertaken a number of related international, national, or local researches, including “Research on the incidence and genetic risk factors for venous thromboembolism in Chinese pregnant women”, “Machine-learning prediction models for venous thromboembolism with complex data”, “Research on the evaluation of fertility in China and its risk factors”, “A cohort study on the effectiveness and safety of post-abortion antibiotic prophylaxis for reducing genital tract infections” “Establishment of a suitable graded gestational weight gain range and its effect on interventions to reduce macrosomia” “Risk and health promotion of repetition of community-acquired pneumonia in children” “barriers and solutions for pre-conceptual health examination in a district of Shanghai” “Intervention and policy transformation research on postpartum unintended pregnancy” “Safety and effectiveness of GeneFix PP IUD: a phase IV clinical trial". Worked with FHI 360, a study to evaluate the contraceptive effectiveness during the third, fourth and fifth year of Sino-implant (II) use and the pharmacokinetics over five years of use in Chinese women provided solid evidences to WHO to issue prequalification of the product. Acted as a national coordinator joined one of the 7th Framework Program titled “Integrating Post-Abortion Family Planning Services into China’s existing abortion service in hospital setting”. The group is conducting studies with partners from about 100 health facilities/hospitals in over 20 provinces in China. Have completed international collaborating projects with partners from FHI 360 in the US, LSHTM in the UK, Gent University in Belgium, IIPS in India, etc. Provided hard scientific evidences to the central and local governments for policy making. 

iii. Personnel Structure of the Research Group
       PI: Prof. Che Yan
       The number of senior researchers is 2
       The number of junior researchers is 1