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Published on: August 7, 2017
Haemoglobin concentrations in pregnancy and respiratory and allergic outcomes in childhood: Birth cohort study
S O Shaheen1, C Macdonald-Wallis2,3, D A Lawlor2,3
1Centre for Primary Care and Public Health, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, UK.
Insights
Maternal hemoglobin levels during pregnancy may influence childhood allergies. Lower hemoglobin was linked to allergic sensitization and lower lung function, but not asthma or other allergic disorders.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Pediatrics
- Immunology
Background:
- Limited evidence suggests low maternal iron and anemia in pregnancy increase risks for childhood respiratory and allergic issues.
- Investigating the link between maternal hemoglobin and offspring respiratory/allergic outcomes is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine associations between maternal hemoglobin concentrations during pregnancy and various childhood respiratory and allergic outcomes.
- To determine if maternal hemoglobin levels impact hayfever, eczema, wheezing, asthma, allergic sensitization, total IgE, and lung function in children.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC).
- Analyzed associations between maternal hemoglobin (g/dL) and offspring outcomes at ages 7-9 years.
- Controlled for potential confounding factors in a cohort of 3234-5335 participants.
Main Results:
- Maternal hemoglobin showed no association with childhood hayfever, eczema, wheezing, or asthma.
- Lower maternal hemoglobin in early (<18 weeks) and late (>28 weeks) pregnancy correlated with reduced allergic sensitization.
- Late pregnancy anemia (hemoglobin <11 g/dL) was linked to decreased forced vital capacity (FVC) in children.
Conclusions:
- Lower maternal hemoglobin during pregnancy may elevate the risk of childhood allergic sensitization, elevated IgE, and reduced FVC.
- These findings may indicate the impact of prenatal iron status on offspring health.
- Maternal hemoglobin levels were not found to be associated with the risk of childhood asthma or other allergic disorders.
Background:
Limited epidemiological evidence suggests that low maternal iron status and anaemia in pregnancy may increase the risk of childhood respiratory and allergic outcomes.
Objectives:
To investigate the relation between maternal haemoglobin concentrations in pregnancy and childhood respiratory and allergic outcomes.
Methods:
In the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), we examined associations of maternal haemoglobin concentrations (g/dL) in pregnancy with hayfever, eczema, wheezing, doctor-diagnosed asthma, allergic sensitisation and total IgE at 7 years, and with lung function at 8-9 years in the offspring, after controlling for potential confounders (N = 3234-5335).
Results:
Maternal haemoglobin was not associated with offspring hayfever, eczema, wheezing or asthma. However, the first haemoglobin measurement in pregnancy (<18 weeks' gestation) and the last measurement (>28 weeks' gestation) were negatively associated with allergic sensitisation (adjusted odds ratio [95% CI] per g/dL 0.91 [0.83 to 0.99] and 0.90 [0.83 to 0.98], respectively). The last haemoglobin measurement was also negatively associated with total IgE (adjusted geometric mean ratio 0.94 [0.88 to 0.99]). Anaemia (haemoglobin <11 g/dL) in late pregnancy was negatively associated with forced vital capacity (difference in standard deviation score -0.07 [-0.13 to -0.01]).
Conclusions And Clinical Relevance:
Lower maternal haemoglobin in pregnancy may be a risk factor for allergic sensitisation, elevated IgE and lower FVC in childhood, which may reflect effects of lower prenatal iron status. However, maternal haemoglobin was not associated with risk of childhood asthma or other allergic disorders.
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