TY - JOUR

T1 - Maternal vaginal microflora during pregnancy and the risk of asthma hospitalization and use of antiasthma medication in early childhood

AU - Benn, Christine Stabell

AU - Thorsen, Poul

AU - Kjær, Birgitte Boysen

AU - Bisgaard, Hans

AU - Andersen, Morten

AU - Rostgaard, Klaus

AU - Björkstén, Bengt

AU - Melbye, Mads

PY - 2002

Y1 - 2002

N2 - Background: Infants with wheezing and allergic diseases have a microflora that differs from that of healthy infants. The fetus acquires microorganisms during birth when exposed to the maternal vaginal microflora. It is therefore conceivable that the maternal vaginal microflora might influence the establishment of the infant flora and, as a consequence, the development of wheezing and allergic diseases. Objective: We sought to study the associations between the composition of the maternal vaginal microflora and the development of wheezing and asthma in childhood. Methods: We performed a population-based cohort study in Denmark. Vaginal samples for bacterial analysis were obtained during pregnancy. A total of 2927 women (80% of the invited women) completed the study and had 3003 live infants. Infant wheezing was assessed as one or more hospitalizations for asthma between 0 and 3 years of age. Asthma was assessed as use of 3 or more packages of antiasthma medication between 4 and 5 years of age. Results: Maternal vaginal colonization with Ureaplasma urealyticum during pregnancy was associated with infant wheezing (odds ratio [OR], 2.0; 95% CI, 1.2-3.6), but not with asthma, during the fifth year of life. Maternal colonization with staphylococci (OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.4-3.4) and use of antibiotics in pregnancy (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.1-2.6) were associated with asthma during the fifth year of life. Conclusion: The composition of the maternal vaginal microflora might be associated with wheezing and asthma in the offspring up to 5 years of age.

AB - Background: Infants with wheezing and allergic diseases have a microflora that differs from that of healthy infants. The fetus acquires microorganisms during birth when exposed to the maternal vaginal microflora. It is therefore conceivable that the maternal vaginal microflora might influence the establishment of the infant flora and, as a consequence, the development of wheezing and allergic diseases. Objective: We sought to study the associations between the composition of the maternal vaginal microflora and the development of wheezing and asthma in childhood. Methods: We performed a population-based cohort study in Denmark. Vaginal samples for bacterial analysis were obtained during pregnancy. A total of 2927 women (80% of the invited women) completed the study and had 3003 live infants. Infant wheezing was assessed as one or more hospitalizations for asthma between 0 and 3 years of age. Asthma was assessed as use of 3 or more packages of antiasthma medication between 4 and 5 years of age. Results: Maternal vaginal colonization with Ureaplasma urealyticum during pregnancy was associated with infant wheezing (odds ratio [OR], 2.0; 95% CI, 1.2-3.6), but not with asthma, during the fifth year of life. Maternal colonization with staphylococci (OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.4-3.4) and use of antibiotics in pregnancy (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.1-2.6) were associated with asthma during the fifth year of life. Conclusion: The composition of the maternal vaginal microflora might be associated with wheezing and asthma in the offspring up to 5 years of age.

KW - Antibiotics

KW - Asthma

KW - Childhood

KW - Maternal vaginal microflora

KW - Staphylococci

KW - Ureaplasma urealyticum

KW - Wheezing

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0036966116&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1067/mai.2002.125833

DO - 10.1067/mai.2002.125833

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 12110824

AN - SCOPUS:0036966116

VL - 110

SP - 72

EP - 77

JO - Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

JF - Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

SN - 0091-6749

IS - 1

ER -