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Published on: August 7, 2017

Asthma at 8 years of age in children born by caesarean section

C Roduit1, S Scholtens, J C de Jongste

  • 1Centre for Prevention and Health Services Research, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands.

Thorax
|December 5, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Children born via caesarean section face a higher risk of developing childhood asthma, especially if their parents have allergies. This delivery method also increases sensitization risk in offspring of non-allergic parents.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
  • Epidemiology
  • Obstetrics

Background:

  • The link between caesarean section delivery and childhood asthma is debated, potentially due to altered early-life microbial colonization.
  • Previous studies suggest a possible association, but evidence remains inconclusive.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To prospectively investigate the association between caesarean section birth and the risk of asthma and allergic sensitization at age 8.
  • To examine how parental allergic status modifies this association.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective birth cohort study followed 2917 children for 8 years.
  • Asthma was defined by wheeze, dyspnea, and inhaled corticosteroid prescriptions.
  • Serum IgE antibodies to common allergens were measured at age 8 in a subgroup of 1454 children.

Main Results:

  • Caesarean section (8.5% prevalence) was associated with an increased risk of asthma by age 8 (OR 1.79).
  • The asthma risk associated with caesarean section was significantly higher in children of allergic parents (OR up to 2.91) compared to non-allergic parents (OR 1.36).
  • Caesarean section was linked to increased sensitization risk only in children of non-allergic parents (OR 2.14).

Conclusions:

  • Caesarean section delivery elevates the risk of childhood asthma, particularly in offspring of parents with allergic conditions.
  • The impact of caesarean section on allergic sensitization differs based on parental allergic status, affecting only children of non-allergic parents.
Abstract

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