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Am J Perinatol 2018; 35(11): 1065-1070
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1639507
Original Article
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Maternal Asthma Is an Independent Risk Factor for Long-Term Respiratory Morbidity of the Offspring

E. Spiegel
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
,
I. Shoham-Vardi
2   Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
,
A. Goldbart
3   Department of Pediatrics, Soroka University Medical Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
,
R. Sergienko
2   Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
,
E. Sheiner
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
› Author Affiliations Funding None.
Further Information

Publication History

16 July 2017

15 February 2018

Publication Date:
29 March 2018 (online)

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Abstract

Objective The objective of this study was to investigate whether maternal bronchial asthma increases the risk for long-term respiratory morbidity of the offspring.

Study Design A population-based cohort study compared the incidence of long-term pediatric hospitalizations due to respiratory disease of the offspring of mothers with and without bronchial asthma. Deliveries occurred between the years 1991 and 2014 in a tertiary medical center. Congenital malformations as well as multiple pregnancies were excluded. Kaplan–Meier's survival curve was used to estimate cumulative incidence of respiratory morbidity. A multivariate generalized estimating equation (GEE) logistic regression model analysis was used to control for confounders.

Results During the study period, 253,808 deliveries met the inclusion criteria; of which 1.3% were born to mothers with bronchial asthma (n = 3,411). During the follow-up period, children born to women with bronchial asthma had a significantly higher rate of long-term respiratory morbidity (odds ratio [OR] = 1.5; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.3–1.7; p < 0.001). Specifically, the rate of childhood asthma was higher among offspring of mothers with asthma (OR = 2.3; 95% CI = 1.8–2.9; p < 0.001). Children born to women with asthma had higher cumulative incidence of respiratory morbidity, using a Kaplan–Meier's survival curve (log-rank test; p < 0.001). Using two multivariable GEE logistic regression models, controlling for the time to event, maternal age, and gestational age at delivery, maternal bronchial asthma was found to be an independent risk factor for long-term respiratory disease of the offspring (adjusted OR = 1.6; 95% CI = 1.4–1.9; p < 0.001), and specifically for bronchial asthma (adjusted OR = 2.5; 95% CI = 1.9–3.1; p < 0.001).

Conclusion Maternal bronchial asthma is an independent risk factor for long-term respiratory morbidity of the offspring.

Keywords

asthma - wheeze - respiratory morbidity - pregnancy - childhood asthma

Note

This study was presented at the 36th Annual Meeting of the Society for Maternal–Fetal Medicine, Atlanta, GA, February 1–6, 2016.


 

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