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Smoking in the last trimester of pregnancy increases the risk of atopic dermatitis in a child
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
Scientists say that smoking a mother in the last trimester of pregnancy increases the risk of atopic dermatitis in a child, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
A team of scientists conducted a study involving more than 1,400 kids between the ages of 2 and 18 months. Medics wondered whether children suffer from allergies. And also whether she smoked during pregnancy and immediately after her or was in contact with smokers. Especially carefully, scientists asked parents about the presence of atopic dermatitis in children.
Analyzing the information obtained, the scientists came to interesting conclusions. It turned out that atopic dermatitis children suffered much more often, whose mothers smoked during the last three months of pregnancy. At the same time, maternal smoking at the beginning of pregnancy or in the first 6 months of the baby's life did not increase the risk of skin problems in the baby.
The authors of the study suggest that the cause is in the fetal immune system. Smoking at the end of pregnancy disrupts its development, which leads to atopic dermatitis. Perhaps the immune system of the child's skin is involved in this process.
It should be noted that before the doctors showed the negative effects of smoking the mother for the respiratory system of the child. So children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy are more likely to suffer from bronchial asthma and respiratory infections. But the question with cutaneous manifestations of the allergy was still open. Of course, this harm of smoking for the baby is not exhausted. Doctors speak very much about this. Smokers are more likely to have complications of pregnancy, premature birth, children with low birth are born. And this negatively affects the health of the baby. The authors of the study presented their results to the conference of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in Orlando.
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