▁pr en atal ▁expos ures ; ▁and ▁ ▁consider ▁health ▁dispar ities ▁among ▁children , ▁which ▁may ▁include ▁the ▁consideration ▁of ▁pr en atal ▁expos ures ▁ ▁Object ive ▁The ▁N CS ▁was ▁designed ▁to ▁examine ▁the ▁effects ▁of ▁the ▁environment — bro ad ly ▁defined ▁to ▁include ▁factors ▁such ▁as ▁air , ▁water , ▁di et , ▁sound , ▁family ▁dynamics , ▁community , ▁and ▁cultural ▁influ ences — ▁and ▁gen et ics ▁on ▁the ▁growth , ▁development , ▁and ▁health ▁of ▁children ▁across ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁The ▁N CS ▁was ▁designed ▁to ▁follow ▁approximately ▁ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁children , ▁some ▁from ▁before ▁birth , ▁through ▁age ▁ 2 1 ▁years . ▁The ▁N CS ▁planned ▁to ▁collect ▁compreh ensive ▁information ▁to : ▁ ▁contribute ▁to ▁impro ving ▁the ▁health ▁and ▁well - be ing ▁of ▁all ▁children ▁ ▁deep en ▁our ▁understanding ▁of ▁the ▁contribution ▁of ▁various ▁factors ▁to ▁a ▁range ▁of ▁health ▁and ▁disease ▁out comes ▁ ▁understand ▁factors ▁that ▁lead ▁to ▁health ▁dispar ities . ▁ ▁With ▁this ▁broad ▁perspective , ▁the ▁N CS ▁was ▁designed ▁to ▁contribute ▁to ▁the ▁implementation ▁of ▁health ▁equ ity , ▁where ▁each ▁individual ▁has ▁an ▁opportunity ▁to ▁realize ▁their ▁health ▁potential . ▁ ▁Dis cont in ued ▁The ▁N CS ▁was ▁in ▁its ▁V angu ard , ▁or ▁pilot ▁phase , ▁which ▁was ▁designed ▁to ▁assess ▁the ▁feas ibility , ▁accept ability , ▁cost , ▁and ▁utility ▁of ▁Study ▁scientific ▁output , ▁log istics , ▁and ▁operations