The British Lung Foundation reports that over 12% of the UK population-eight million people-have been diagnosed with asthma during their lifetime, and that there are 160 000 new cases a year. 1 Symptoms vary from occasional mild breathlessness through to frequent debilitating bouts of severe breathing problems. One of the most accepted mechanisms of asthma pathogenesis implicates the actions of cytokines produced by T-helper 2 (Th2) cells, but the cause of asthma remains unknown. Known risk factors for the development of asthma include genetic predisposition, reduced gastrointestinal flora biodiversity in infancy, early-life exposure to cigarette smoke, allergens and reduced exposure to respiratory infections. Recently, there has been growing interest in its developmental origins. Stressors on maternal physiology during pregnancy can lead to long-lasting effects in offspring in a process known as developmental programming. Prenatal maternal psychological

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