The First 1,000 Days

The period from conception through the first two years of life is critical for a child’s development and the health of the adult they will become. That is why it is essential to prioritize the health of young children even before they are born.

The First 1,000 Days

A website that provides guidance to expectant parents and parents of children up to two years old on how to create an environment that supports their child’s development.

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The findings of a series of articles published in 2016 in The Lancet under the title “Advancing Early Childhood Development: from Science to Scale” highlight the importance of making a stronger global commitment to early childhood health.

We now know that the first three years of life are critical not only for a child’s development but also for the overall health of the adult they will become. Thus, the concept launched by UNICEF of the “first 1,000 days”—spanning from conception through a child’s first two years—enables a comprehensive approach to maternal and child health to promote environments conducive to the healthy development of the fetus and newborn.

The First 1,000 Days of Life

Improving conditions at birth

This approach, which will enable efforts to improve birth conditions by creating an environment conducive to welcoming the newborn, offers a threefold benefit: for the health of the mother, the child, and the future adult. This requires paying particular attention to the health and, more generally, the living conditions of women and their partners before pregnancy (from the moment they plan to conceive), during pregnancy, during and after childbirth, and then to the health of the child and their parents in the first years of life. This requires ensuring that the health of the child and their parents is given special consideration in all public policies.

The “Perinatal and Early Childhood” Program of Santé publique France

As part of its “Perinatal and Early Childhood” program, Santé publique France contributes to the development of prevention, risk reduction, and health promotion during this stage of life. The goal is to make the most of this period to foster a lifestyle that supports the child’s development and the formation of secure attachments with their parents. This ranges from preparing for parenthood to supporting pregnancy—including providing nutritional guidance to expectant mothers—and then helping families adjust to life with their newborn.

Prevention and health promotion initiatives in the perinatal and early childhood period are centered on three objectives:

  • supporting the development and evaluation of innovative and promising initiatives in prevention and health promotion;

  • building a network of institutional and nonprofit professionals in the field of perinatal care and early childhood;

  • developing an information and advisory system on promoting environments conducive to the health of children and parents (professionals and the general public).

The strategy for its actions is based in particular on:

  • the work of the Commission for the National Strategy on Childhood and Adolescence, chaired by François de Singly, notably the 2015 report “Toward the Comprehensive Development of Children and Adolescents”;

  • the “Priority Prevention” plan of the 2018 National Health Strategy;

  • the 2017–2019 Interministerial Plan for Mobilization and the Fight Against Violence Against Children;

  • the 2019 National Strategy to Combat Poverty;

  • UNICEF’s proposals;

  • the Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health, published by the WHO in 2010.

Find all the information you need on nutrition and physical activity, relevant data, and the initiatives undertaken by Santé publique France to monitor the nutritional situation in France and promote healthy eating habits.

Everything you need to know about nutrition and physical activity:

Find all the information you need on the health impacts of climate change, related data, and the actions taken by Santé publique France to monitor and reduce risks.

Everything you need to know about the impact of UV radiation on health:

Learn everything about the impact of extreme heat and heat waves on health:

Everything you need to know about the impact of extreme cold on health:

Find all the information you need on the health impacts of exposure to chemicals and pollution, relevant data, and the actions taken by Santé publique France to monitor and reduce these risks.

Everything you need to know about carbon monoxide:

Everything you need to know about the preconception workplace:

Everything you need to know about air pollution:

Everything you need to know about water pollution:

Find all the information you need about maternal and infant health, relevant data, and the initiatives undertaken by Santé publique France to monitor and prevent these diseases.

Everything you need to know about hepatitis B:

Everything you need to know about measles:

Everything you need to know about rubella:

Everything you need to know about chickenpox:

Everything you need to know about the flu:

Everything you need to know about fetal alcohol syndrome:

Everything you need to know about vaccination:

Everything you need to know about bronchiolitis:

Everything you need to know about salmonellosis:

Everything you need to know about Zika:

Everything you need to know about chikungunya:

Everything you need to know about malaria:

Everything you need to know about listeriosis:

Everything you need to know about Q fever:

Everything you need to know about syphilis:

Everything you need to know about HIV/AIDS:

Everything you need to know about pediatric hemolytic uremic syndrome:

Everything you need to know about permanent neonatal hearing loss:

Find all the information you need about winter viruses and respiratory infections, including data and details on the measures taken by Santé publique France to monitor and prevent these illnesses.

Everything you need to know about bronchiolitis:

Everything you need to know about gastroenteritis:

Everything you need to know about the flu:

Everything you need to know about whooping cough:

Everything you need to know about pneumococcal infections:

Everything you need to know about chickenpox:

Find all the information you need about tobacco, related data, and the initiatives undertaken by Santé publique France to monitor and reduce the risks associated with tobacco use.

Everything you need to know about tobacco:

Find all the information you need on injuries, related data, and the initiatives undertaken by Santé publique France to monitor and prevent injuries.

Everything you need to know about burns:

Everything you need to know about falls:

Everything you need to know about falls from windows:

Everything you need to know about dog bites:

Everything you need to know about drowning:

Everything you need to know about head injuries:

  • Head Injury

Find all the information you need about vaccination and vaccine-preventable diseases, including data and details on the initiatives undertaken by Santé publique France to promote vaccination and monitor diseases.

Everything you need to know about vaccination:

Everything you need to know about whooping cough:

Everything you need to know about tuberculosis:

Everything you need to know about diphtheria:

Everything you need to know about polio:

Everything you need to know about tetanus:

Everything you need to know about hepatitis B and D:

Everything you need to know about invasive meningococcal infections:

Everything you need to know about pneumococcal infections:

Everything you need to know about mumps:

Everything you need to know about measles:

Everything you need to know about rubella:

Everything you need to know about Haemophilus influenzae type B:

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