Future Finland – Make the best decision for your child

With the launch of Future Finland, a new birth cohort will be established in Finland. It means that the lives of people born during a specific time frame will be studied using different sources of information.

The Future Finland birth cohort will, based on register data, include all children born in Finland between 2025 and 2029 along with their families. In addition, children born between 2026 and 2029 and their families will be invited to participate in in depth data collection, first in Uusimaa region and later across the entire country.

The cohort also includes families who move to Finland later, if they have children born during those years.

The data collected from participating families will be used in research that produces valuable insights into children's well-being, their living environments, and broader societal trends and transformations. This knowledge supports decision-making and supports the development of services that better meet the needs of children and families in Finland.

The data collection in Future Finland includes:

• national register data
• questionnaire data
• biological samples
• body composition measurements of newborns.

National registers are a cornerstone of the Future Finland study. These databases are maintained by institutions, such as Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela), and Statistics Finland.

In addition to national register data, the Future Finland birth cohort will include online questionnaires. These surveys explore areas that are not captured by registers, such as everyday family life, well-being and personal experiences.

With informed consent, families are asked to allow the use of blood samples collected during pregnancy and at birth for research purposes. In addition, some newborns may undergo body composition measurements.

Data is gathered from multiple sources to create a comprehensive and reliable picture of the well-being of children, young people, and families − and how it changes over time.

The data collected in Future Finland will be used in research to generate meaningful insights into children's well-being, their living environments, and societal phenomena and  changes. 

Future Finland offers an unprecedented opportunity to understand − and shape − Finnish society for future generations.

The collected data will also support evidence-based decision-making and the development of services that better respond to the needs of children and families.

The data collection for the Future Finland birth cohort – including questionnaires and biological samples – began in March 2026 within the Uusimaa region and will gradually expand across Finland in the following years.

To participate, you need to give consent for the use of biological samples collected during pregnancy, at birth, and shortly after for research purposes. The samples will be taken during pregnancy at HUS laboratories, and at the time of delivery at the Women’s Hospital, Espoo Hospital, or Hyvinkää Hospital.

Consent can be given online either during pregnancy or immediately after birth. 

Give your consent

For newborn samples, either parent can give consent on behalf of the child. The consent of one parent is sufficient. For samples collected during pregnancy, only the pregnant person can give consent.

For the questionnaire data, we hope that all parents of the babies—both mothers and fathers—will give their consent and take part in the study.

More information about giving consent will be available e.g. during visits to your local maternity clinic and ultrasound screening appointments.

By participating, you will support research that improves living conditions and public services so that you, your family and also generations to come have a better chance to live healthier, happier lives.

All information you provide to Future Finland is handled with strict confidentiality and securely protected. We have strict data protection standards in all aspects of data usage, ensuring that neither you nor your child can be identified.

The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) is responsible for the handling and storing all samples and data securely. 

More information on Future Finland’s privacy notice.
Future Finland privacy notice

You don’t need to submit a separate refusal. Without your consent, your samples will not be used in Future Finland research. Also answering  the questionnaires is completely voluntary.

You may withdraw your previously given consent for the use of your and your child’s samples at any time by submitting a written notice to the THL Biobank. Once consent is withdrawn, your samples and data will no longer be transferred or used in any future research. You can get more information by email at [email protected], or by phone at 029 524 6073.

Sometimes a pregnancy ends before the baby is born. Future Finland does not receive this information automatically, so we kindly ask you to inform us by email at [email protected].