Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 1, 2026
A Component-resolved Diagnostic Approach for a Study on Grass Pollen Allergens in Chinese Southerners with Allergic Rhinitis and/or Asthma
Published on: June 4, 2017
The effect of an educational program for pregnant women to prevent allergic diseases in infants: study protocol for a
Rie Nakamura1, Nao Ishiguro2, Eiji Naru3
1KOSÉ Corporation Research Laboratories, 48-18 Sakae-cho, Kita-ku, Tokyo, 114-0005, Japan. r-itou@kose.co.jp.
Insights
Prenatal education on infant allergies may help mothers adopt preventive behaviors. This study evaluates if specialized education can reduce allergy onset in infants, with results to be shared globally.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Allergy and Immunology
- Public Health
Background:
- Infant allergic diseases have risen significantly in developed nations.
- Existing preventive measures for infantile allergies show limited effectiveness.
- This study investigates prenatal education as a primary prevention strategy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of prenatal education interventions in preventing infant allergies.
- To determine if specialized educational programs can establish effective allergy prevention behaviors in mothers.
- To assess the impact of evidence-based information on maternal behaviors regarding infant allergy prevention.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial comparing standard prenatal education with a specialized program.
- 120 pregnant women recruited and allocated to intervention or control groups.
- Maternal behaviors for allergy prevention assessed four months post-birth.
Main Results:
- The study aims to determine if the educational program leads to effective allergy prevention behaviors.
- Comparison of behaviors between the intervention and control groups will be conducted.
- Data will be analyzed to ascertain the program's impact on infant allergy prevention.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal education can equip mothers with vital information and behaviors for allergy prevention.
- The study's findings will be disseminated to promote behavioral changes in mothers.
- If effective, the program will be introduced globally as a novel strategy for infant allergy prevention.
Background:
Allergic diseases in infants have dramatically increased in developed countries during the past few decades. To date, extensive research has been done on risk factors for allergies in infancy, and preventive measures against them. However, the effect of the primary approach to preventing infantile allergy is still limited. The aim of this trial is to evaluate whether prenatal education interventions, including the latest public research results on allergic diseases, prevent the onset of infant allergies.
Methods/Design:
We designed a randomized controlled, two-arm (standard prenatal education vs our education), parallel-group, assessor-blind trial. A sample of 120 pregnant women will be recruited at Chiba Aiyu-kai Kinen Hospital and allocation is by computer-generated randomization. Pregnant women in the intervention arm participate in the childbirth education program established by the specialist and a pediatric allergy educator. The program was developed based on evidences supporting interventions on primary prevention, which are suggested to be beneficial to infantile allergies in recent studies. The primary objective of the study is to determine whether it is possible to establish effective behaviors for allergy prevention in early infancy in the children of pregnant women who participate in an educational program developed by pediatric allergy specialists. Four months after birth, their behaviors will be compared against those of pregnant women who did not participate in the program.
Discussion:
Allergies are common in many individuals worldwide, and can be present from babyhood through the person's lifetime. One of the strong points of this study is that it should provide pregnant women with accumulated information on preventive knowledge against allergy, that can be effective in some cases, and that women can apply a combination of these behaviors before and after pregnancy. The results of our program will be publicized to help change the behaviors of mothers, and, if the program is effective, for preventing allergies in infants, it will be disclosed worldwide as a new preventive strategy for allergy in infants.
Trial Registration:
UMIN-CTR, ID: UMIN000034730 Retrospectively registered on 1 December 2018.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
02:06Allergic Reactions
01:12What is an Experiment?