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Maternal antibiotic exposure and childhood allergies: The Japan Environment and Children's Study
Kouta Okoshi1,2, Kenichi Sakurai3, Midori Yamamoto4
1Department of Sustainable Health Science, Graduate School of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
Insights
Maternal antibiotic use during pregnancy is linked to a higher risk of childhood respiratory allergies, including asthma and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, up to age three. This association was observed in a large Japanese birth cohort study.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Pediatric Allergy
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The relationship between antibiotic use in pregnancy and allergic diseases in children is not well-established.
- Understanding this association is crucial for prenatal care and public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the link between maternal antibiotic exposure during pregnancy and the development of allergic diseases in offspring up to three years of age.
- Utilizing data from a substantial Japanese birth cohort to provide robust evidence.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from 78,678 mother-offspring pairs.
- Prenatal antibiotic exposure defined as any antimicrobial agent use during gestation.
- Logistic regression models used to assess associations with outcomes like asthma, wheezing, and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.
Main Results:
- Maternal antibiotic exposure was associated with increased odds of preschool asthma, wheezing, and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis in children.
- No significant association was found with food allergies, atopic dermatitis, or eczema.
- Timing of exposure, infant sex, or maternal allergy history did not alter these significant findings.
Conclusions:
- Maternal antibiotic exposure during pregnancy is associated with an elevated risk of developing childhood respiratory allergies.
- These findings highlight potential implications for antibiotic prescribing practices during pregnancy.
Background:
The association of maternal antibiotic exposure during pregnancy with childhood allergic diseases remains unclear.
Objective:
We aimed to evaluate the association of maternal exposure to antibiotic use during pregnancy with childhood allergic diseases up to the age of 3 years by using data from a large Japanese birth cohort.
Methods:
We analyzed data on 78,678 pregnant women and their offspring aged 0 to 3 years. Prenatal antibiotic exposure was defined as the use of any antimicrobial agent during pregnancy. Information was collected from maternal interviews and medical record transcripts. The outcome variables in this study included preschool asthma, wheezing, food allergy, atopic dermatitis, eczema, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and any allergic disease. We used logistic regression analysis to evaluate the association of antibiotic exposure during pregnancy with childhood allergic diseases.
Results:
Among the participating mothers, 28.5% used antibiotics during pregnancy. Antibiotic exposure during pregnancy was associated with preschool asthma (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.12 [95% CI = 1.06-1.19]), wheezing (aOR = 1.11 [95% CI = 1.07-1.15]), allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (aOR = 1.10 [95% CI = 1.03-1.17]) and any allergic disease (aOR = 1.09 [95% CI = 1.05-1.14]) in offspring up to age 3 years. In contrast, maternal antibiotic use was not associated with food allergies, atopic dermatitis, or eczema. Additionally, the significant associations were not influenced by the timing of antibiotic exposure, sex of the infants, or maternal history of allergies.
Conclusion:
Maternal antibiotic exposure during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of childhood respiratory allergies.
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