Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 10, 2026

Generating a Reproducible Model of Mid-Gestational Maternal Immune Activation using Poly(I:C) to Study Susceptibility and Resilience in Offspring
09:09

Generating a Reproducible Model of Mid-Gestational Maternal Immune Activation using Poly(I:C) to Study Susceptibility and Resilience in Offspring

Published on: August 17, 2022

Prenatal maternal antibiotic use increases the risk of childhood eczema: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Szilárd Petrás1, Bettina Vargáné Szabó1, Tivadar Kiss2

  • 1Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Szeged, Szikra u. 6. Szeged, H-6725, Szeged, Hungary.

Scientific Reports
|May 8, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Maternal antibiotic use during pregnancy, particularly before birth, is linked to an increased risk of childhood atopic dermatitis. This finding suggests careful consideration of antibiotic prescriptions during pregnancy for infant health.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiome research
  • Developmental pediatrics
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Early-life microbiome disruption negatively impacts health.
  • The long-term effects of maternal medication use on the gut microbiota and offspring health are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the association between maternal antibiotic use during pregnancy (prenatal or intrapartum) and the risk of childhood atopic dermatitis.
  • To synthesize evidence from existing cohort and case-control studies.

Main Methods:

  • A comprehensive meta-analysis was performed using data from EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane, and Web of Science.
  • Included 30 studies encompassing over 4.1 million mothers and 4.3 million children.
  • Analyzed data using random effects models and adjusted for publication bias with the trim-and-fill method.

Main Results:

  • Prenatal antibiotic exposure was significantly associated with a higher risk of childhood atopic dermatitis (adjusted odds ratio: 1.32).
  • This association remained significant after adjusting for publication bias (adjusted odds ratio: 1.22).
  • Intrapartum antibiotic use did not show a significant association with increased risk of childhood atopic dermatitis (odds ratio: 1.64).

Conclusions:

  • Prenatal antibiotic use during pregnancy may have a modest but significant impact on the risk of developing atopic dermatitis in offspring.
  • Findings underscore the importance of evaluating antibiotic prescribing practices during pregnancy concerning long-term child health outcomes.
  • Further research may be warranted to explore mechanisms and clinical implications.

Keywords:
AntibioticsAtopic dermatitisMeta-analysisPrenatalSystematic review

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