Stress during pregnancy increases the likelihood of allergies in the child

Predisposition to bronchial asthma is partly due to genetic factors, but the risk of developing the disease increases if allergens, including dust mites, are present in the child's environment.

Scientists at Harvard University, working under the guidance of Dr. Rosalind J. Wright, have found that the stress suffered by a woman during pregnancy also affects the developing immune system of the child. According to the results of animal studies, the combination of stress and exposure to allergens during pregnancy has a significant impact on the formation of the fetal immune system. For the first time, the authors conducted a direct analysis of this relationship in humans. They compared the level of maternal stress and exposure to dust mites during pregnancy with the concentration of immunoglobulin E (IgE) in umbilical cord blood during birth. A total of 387 newborns participating in the Asthma Coalition on Community, Environment, and Social Stress (ACCESS) project conducted in Boston were involved in the study.

In the umbilical cord blood of infants whose mothers experienced increased stress (related to financial issues, relationship problems, etc.) during pregnancy, a high content of immunoglobulin E was recorded even in cases of relatively low content of dust mites in the place of residence of women. This indicates that stress increases the effect of dust allergens on the developing immune system of the fetus. The results obtained did not depend on the skin color, social status, education and smoking history of women.

The results obtained are very important, however, the authors emphasize that only long-term observation of children participating in the study will reveal the possible impact of stress on the likelihood of developing bronchial asthma. Moreover, they believe that it is necessary to conduct a similar study with a large number of participants, which will provide a more complete picture of the relationship between prenatal stress and the development of the child's immune system.

To date, experts suggest recognizing stress as a "social pollutant" and insist that when conducting programs to maintain prenatal health, the psychological state of the mother should be considered on an equal basis with other environmental factors.

Portal "Eternal youth" www.vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of ScienceDaily

26.05.2008