Impact of prenatal stress on childhood wheeze and asthma

<bold>Background:</bold> Maternal severe stress during pregnancy might affect fetal lung development and subsequently predispose children to childhood asthma, but he role of fetal stress in the pathogenesis of childhood wheeze remains controversial. Childhood wheezing accounts for significant morbidity and health care use. Recurrent wheeze may be a precedent of asthma and reduced lung function. <bold>Objective:</bold> To evaluate the independent effects of fetal stress on early childhood wheezing and asthma development. <bold>Methods:</bold> Case-Control Retrospective Study, 83 children were included in the study: 45 – in control group, 38 – in the study group. Age was varied in 6-8 years age range. International Study on Asthma and Allergy in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire has been used for the paternal survey. Valid questionnaire of Sarason's Life Experiences Survey has been used to assess the maternal stress during pregnancy. <bold>Results:</bold> Maternal severe stress during pregnancy can trigger wheezing and asthma of their child during the first 6 years of life. Results of statistical analyses showed reliable positive correlation with asthma: birth weight <2500 (r=.232; p=0.035); severe stress (r=.532; p=0.000); asthma history/mother (r=.426; p=0.000); allergy/mother (r=.402; p=0.000); chronic bronchitis /mother (r=.447; p=0.000); asthma/father (r=.425; p=0.000); moderate stress (r=-.263; p=0.016); <bold>Conclusion:</bold> These findings suggest a direct mechanism relating between stress and wheeze in early childhood. Fetal exposure to maternal stress may contribute significantly to the population burden of preventable childhood respiratory illness. Severe stress during pregnancy may be opens a window for fetal programming of immune functioning.