A baby's first exposure to the outside world can be highly effective on their fragile immune systems.
And while we know a mum’s diet can affect their baby while they are still expecting, not a lot has been linked between the environment’s impact on fetal development.
A new study has found a link between babies born during hayfever season and the development of asthma.
Conducted by La Trobe University, researchers examined high grass pollen concentrations during pregnancy and shortly after birth to see if they caused allergic respiratory diseases.
The study followed babies from the womb to their first welcome into the world, analysing outdoor grass pollen levels in comparison with cord blood samples.
They found that European babies born in April, during prime hayfever season, had higher levels of Immunoglobulin E (IgE) in their blood.
IgE is a type of antibody that is usually produced by the immune system if one has an allergy, according to medical experts.
“We know that outdoor pollen exposure during the first couple of months after birth can lead to allergic respiratory diseases, and we suspected that exposure during the later stages of pregnancy may also be important,” lead researcher and Associate Professor Bircan Erbas said.
However, mums who were pregnant during an entire high pollen season experienced the opposite effect - babies had lower IgE levels.
“This was a significant finding and indicates the possible development of a sensitisation barrier. However, more research needs to be done and currently we are working on studies to identify the specific risk time periods of pollen exposure during pregnancy on asthma and allergies in children.
“The study provides new insight that could help us predict and manage diseases like asthma – which are a significant public health burden,” the professor explained.
One of the major causes of asthma can be nasal allergies like hayfever, so it is quite interesting that the study has linked the respiratory disease to birth times during high allergy seasons.
If you believe your child may have asthma, you can evaluate their signs and symptoms and find the right treatment for him.
