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. 2011 Feb;106(2):131-139.e1.
doi: 10.1016/j.anai.2010.11.007. Epub 2011 Jan 8.

Association of maternal anemia with increased wheeze and asthma in children

Elizabeth W Triche  1 , Lisbet S Lundsberg, Paige G Wickner, Kathleen Belanger, Brian P Leaderer, Michael B Bracken
Affiliations

Association of maternal anemia with increased wheeze and asthma in children

Elizabeth W Triche et al. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2011 Feb.

Abstract

Background: Increasing interest has focused on maternal nutrition and micronutrient status during pregnancy and respiratory disease development in the offspring.

Objective: To examine the relationship between maternal anemia in pregnancy with wheeze and asthma in early childhood.

Methods: The cohort included children of women followed through pregnancy and recontacted when the child was 6 years of age to evaluate respiratory health. Exposure was assessed using maternal anemia diagnosis and hemoglobin (Hgb) < 11 during delivery hospitalization. Study outcomes include wheezing in early childhood; patterns of wheeze from birth to age 6 (early-onset transient wheeze; late-onset wheeze; early-onset persistent wheeze); and diagnosis of childhood asthma.

Results: Maternal anemia was reported by 11.9% of mothers and was associated with recurrent infant wheeze in the first year (adjusted odds ratio [ORa] = 2.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.18, 4.00), wheezing before age 3 (Ora = 2.42, 95% CI 1.38, 4.23), and early-onset transient and early-onset persistent wheeze patterns (Ora = 2.81, 95%CI 1.38, 5.72, and Ora = 2.07, 95% CI 1.02, 4.22), respectively. Among children of mothers with asthma, maternal anemia was associated with recurrent wheeze in year 1 (Ora = 4.22, 95% CI 1.65, 10.80) and wheeze before age 3 (Ora = 2.73, 95% CI 1.17, 6.35). Offspring of mothers with asthma also had increased odds of asthma diagnosis (Ora = 2.53, 95% CI 1.04, 6.17) and current asthma (Ora = 3.46, 95% CI 1.45, 8.26).

Conclusions: Maternal anemia during pregnancy is associated with infant respiratory health outcomes. If this observation is replicated, maternal anemia may be a target for intervention and future research.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: Michael Bracken and Paige Wickner work as occasional contractors for Pfizer although the research in this paper is not related in any way to compensation received from this company. All other authors do not have any conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
AIP/PRAM Study Cohort
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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