Maternal asthma and lung function, childhood asthma and growth: the MAESTRO-Child study

Maternal asthma is associated with childhood asthma and low birthweight. We investigated whether maternal asthma, allergic asthma and lung function are associated with childhood asthma and growth.

Data from a Swedish pregnancy cohort (Maternal Asthma Events Stress and Offspring (MAESTRO)) were linked to data from children (MAESTRO-Child) and to national health registers (529 mother-child pairs). Pre- and post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV₁/FVC and bronchodilator response were measured in pregnancy. Maternal asthma, childhood asthma and childhood growth (at birth, 6, 12, 18 and 36 months) were defined from self/parent-reported questionnaires and/or register data. Maternal allergic asthma was defined as asthma and allergic sensitisation (positive Phadiatop^TM in pregnancy). Associations between maternal asthma, allergic asthma or lung function and childhood asthma and growth were estimated using multivariable regression models.

For maternal allergic asthma, there was an increased risk of "asthma ever by 6 years" (adjusted risk ratio (adjRR) 2.07, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.33-3.22). Increasing pre- and post-bronchodilator FEV₁ was associated with a reduced risk for childhood asthma (adjRR 0.50, 95% CI 0.30-0.81 and 0.45,95% CI 0.29-0.69, respectively for "asthma ever by 6 years"). No significant relationship was found for FVC, FEV₁/FVC, bronchodilator response or between maternal measures and childhood growth.

Maternal asthma and allergic asthma are risk factors for childhood asthma. Higher lung function in pregnancy may be associated with a lower risk for childhood asthma in the offspring. Maternal measures did not have a statistically significant association with childhood growth in the offspring.