Investigations on incidence and relevant factors of allergies in 5725 urban pregnant women: a cohort study in China

Abstract

Background Allergic diseases are highly prevalent in the women of childbearing age. As we know, the immune system could change when pregnancy, which may affect the course of allergic diseases. Meanwhile, they also can affect the course and outcome of pregnancy. The data on incidence of allergies during pregnancy is lacking and conducting clinical trials in pregnant women was limited, therefore, we observed a prebirth cohort to supplement the relevant data and strengthen concerned research conductions. Objective We aim to obtain the incidence of allergies in urban pregnancy and explore the relevant factors of allergic diseases in urban pregnancy. Methods We design a multicenter and prospective cohort in 20 institutions above municipal level which were eligible according to the study design from 14 provinces covering all-side of China. This cohort was conducted from 13+6 weeks of gestation to 12 months postpartum and in our study, we chose the prenatal part to analyze. The outcome was developing allergies during pregnancy, which were diagnosed by clinicians according to the uniform criterion from National Health Commission. All the data was collected by electronic questionnaires through tablet computers. Results The incidence of allergic diseases in urban pregnant women was 21.0% (95%CI 20.0% ~ 22.0%). From social demography data, the history of allergies of pregnant women and their parents had statistical significance(p < 0.01); For exposure to living or working environment, house decoration for less than half a year, exposure to plush toys, disinfectants, insecticides, antihistamines, glucocorticoids, antipyretic analgesics, tocolytic agent and probiotics had statistical significance (all p < 0.05); For psychological status, self-rated depression and anxiety had statistical significance (p = 0.026;p = 0.006). Conclusion The incidence of allergic diseases in urban pregnant women was similar to the former study and kept a medium–high level. The history of allergies of pregnant women and their parents, house decoration time, exposure to plush toys, disinfectants, insecticides, antihistamines, glucocorticoids, antipyretic analgesics, tocolytic agents, probiotics, self-rated depression, and anxiety were relevant factors of allergic diseases during pregnancy.

Maternal and perinatal outcomes of asthma exacerbation during pregnancy in a Chinese population: a retrospective cohort study

“…The prevalence of exacerbations during pregnancy also showed an increasing trend, from 0.17% in 2013 to 0.42% in 2020. A large-scale study conducted across 20 municipal and higher institutions in 14 Chinese provinces reported in 2023 that the prevalence of asthma during pregnancy was 0.3% [ 5 ]. According to data from a South Korean population, 0.43% of pregnant women had asthma between 2009 and 2011 [ 12 ].…”

“…Asthma is the most prevalent respiratory disorder that complicates pregnancy, and the prevalence of asthma in pregnancy was 0.3% in China [ 4 , 5 ]. Asthma is linked to complications during pregnancy, poor perinatal outcomes, and allergic diseases in the offspring [ 6 ].…”

Positive rate of wheat allergens in the Chinese allergic population: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…As the incidence of allergic diseases shows an increasing trend, there has been a growing concern about allergies. Dietary ingredients, pollen and mites can all be allergens that trigger allergic diseases 37 . Wheat, one of the top eight food allergens, is present in a variety of staple foods, snacks and beverages, and is also a common allergy trigge [1][2][3] .…”

Haptens in preparations marketed as dedicated for pregnant women: Analysis of product composition

“…Allergic diseases occur in approximately 21% of urban pregnant women. 1 Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common one, making up to 50% of pregnancy dermatoses. 2 However, patch-testing is not recommended for pregnant and breast-feeding women, as their immunological changes preclude correct response.…”