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Risk of Allergic Rhinitis, Allergic Conjunctivitis, and Eczema in Children Born to Mothers with Gum Inflammation
Vivian Chia-Rong Hsieh1, Chin-Chen Liu2, Yu-Chen Hsiao3
1Department of Health Services Administration, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Insights
Maternal gum infections during pregnancy increase the risk of allergic diseases in children. This study found higher rates of allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and eczema in children born to mothers with periodontal disease.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Maternal and Child Health
Background:
- Limited evidence exists on the link between maternal periodontal disease and childhood allergies.
- Understanding this association is crucial for maternal and child health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the risk of developing allergies in children born to mothers with periodontal disease.
- To investigate the association between maternal gum infection during pregnancy and childhood allergic diseases.
Main Methods:
- A 9-year population-based retrospective cohort study using Taiwan's National Health Insurance database.
- 42,217 newborns of mothers with periodontal disease were matched with 42,334 controls.
- Incidence of allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, and eczema was observed and analyzed using Cox regression models.
Main Results:
- Children born to mothers with periodontal disease had higher cumulative incidences of allergic rhinitis (46.8%), allergic conjunctivitis (24.2%), and eczema (40.4%).
- Adjusted hazard ratios indicated moderately increased risks for these allergies (HRs: 1.17, 1.27, 1.14 respectively).
- Parental income and residential area were adjusted for to control for environmental factors.
Conclusions:
- Maternal periodontal disease during pregnancy is an independent risk factor for childhood allergic diseases.
- Children born to mothers with gum infections show significantly higher risks for allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and eczema.
- Intergenerational consequences of maternal gum infections warrant consideration in gestational care.
Purpose:
Despite links between maternal and child health status, evidence on the association between gum infection in pregnant mothers and childhood allergies is scarce. We aim to evaluate the risk of developing allergy in children born to periodontal mothers in a nationwide study.
Methods:
We conducted a 9-year population-based, retrospective cohort study using Taiwan's National Health Insurance database. A study cohort of 42,217 newborns born to mothers with periodontal disease during pregnancy was identified in 2001 and matched with 42,334 babies born to mothers without any infection (control) by mother's age at delivery and baby sex. With a follow-up period from 2001 to 2010, we observed the incidence of allergic rhinitis (AR), allergic conjunctivitis (AC), and eczema in these children. Cox proportional hazards regression models were performed with premature deaths as competing risk for the estimation of allergic disease risks.
Results:
Nine-year cumulative incidences were the highest among children born to periodontal mothers; they reached 46.8%, 24.2%, and 40.4% (vs. 39.5%, 18.3% and 34.8% in control) for AR, AC, and eczema, respectively. Our results showed moderately increased risks for the allergies in children born to periodontal mothers relative to their matched non-inflammatory control (adjusted HRs: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.15-1.20; 1.27, 1.24-1.31; 1.14, 1.12-1.17, respectively). Because the impact of food consumption and living environment cannot be considered using insurance data, we attempted to control it by adjusting for parental income and mother's residential area.
Conclusions:
Overall cumulative incidence and risks of children born to periodontal mothers for AR, AC, and eczema are significantly higher than those born to non-inflammatory mothers. Gum infection in women during pregnancy is an independent risk factor for allergic diseases in children, thus its intergenerational consequences should be considered in gestational care.
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