BACKGROUND: Around 30-40% of the world's population will experience allergy, the most common and earliest-onset noncommunicable disease. With a steady rise in the incidence of allergic disease over recent decades, up to 18% of children will suffer a respiratory, food or skin allergy before their 18th birthday. There is compelling evidence that the risk of developing allergy is influenced by early life events and particularly in utero exposures. METHODS: A comprehensive literature review was undertaken which outlines prenatal risk factors and potential mechanisms underlying the development of allergy in childhood. RESULTS: Exposures including maternal cigarette smoking, preterm birth and Caesarean delivery are implicated in predisposing infants to the later development of allergy. In contrast, restricted growth in utero, a healthy maternal diet and a larger family size are protective, but the mechanisms here are unclear and require further investigation. CONCLUSION: To ameliorate the allergy pandemic in young children, we must define prenatal mechanisms that alter the programming of the fetal immune system and also identify specific targets for antenatal interventions.
BACKGROUND: Around 30-40% of the world's population will experience allergy, the most common and earliest-onset noncommunicable disease. With a steady rise in the incidence of allergic disease over recent decades, up to 18% of children will suffer a respiratory, food or skin allergy before their 18th birthday. There is compelling evidence that the risk of developing allergy is influenced by early life events and particularly in utero exposures. METHODS: A comprehensive literature review was undertaken which outlines prenatal risk factors and potential mechanisms underlying the development of allergy in childhood. RESULTS: Exposures including maternal cigarette smoking, preterm birth and Caesarean delivery are implicated in predisposing infants to the later development of allergy. In contrast, restricted growth in utero, a healthy maternal diet and a larger family size are protective, but the mechanisms here are unclear and require further investigation. CONCLUSION: To ameliorate the allergy pandemic in young children, we must define prenatal mechanisms that alter the programming of the fetal immune system and also identify specific targets for antenatal interventions.
Authors: Amy L Wooldridge; Robert J Bischof; Hong Liu; Gary K Heinemann; Damien S Hunter; Lynne C Giles; Rebecca A Simmons; Yu-Chin Lien; Wenyun Lu; Joshua D Rabinowitz; Karen L Kind; Julie A Owens; Vicki L Clifton; Kathryn L Gatford Journal: Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol Date: 2017-10-04 Impact factor: 3.619
Authors: Evelyn Xiu Ling Loo; Lynn Ong; Anne Goh; Ai-Ru Chia; Oon Hoe Teoh; Marjorelee T Colega; Yiong Huak Chan; Seang Mei Saw; Kenneth Kwek; Peter D Gluckman; Keith M Godfrey; Hugo Van Bever; Bee Wah Lee; Yap Seng Chong; Mary Foong-Fong Chong; Lynette Pei-Chi Shek Journal: Int Arch Allergy Immunol Date: 2017-06-28 Impact factor: 2.749
Authors: Hanna Danielewicz; Artur Gurgul; Anna Dębińska; Grzegorz Myszczyszyn; Tomasz Szmatoła; Anna Myszkal; Igor Jasielczuk; Anna Drabik-Chamerska; Lidia Hirnle; Andrzej Boznański Journal: Epigenetics Date: 2020-09-09 Impact factor: 4.528