Parental Age and Childhood Allergy Risk

Is advanced maternal age associated with the risk of allergic diseases in early childhood?In this nationwide prospective birth cohort study of 34 942 children in Japan, children of mothers aged 35 years or older had lower odds of physician-diagnosed food allergy at age 1 year. Similar inverse associations were observed for wheezing, eczema, and house dust mite sensitization through age 4 years.These findings suggest that advanced maternal age may be protective against the development of allergic diseases in early childhood, potentially owing to behavioral, environmental, or biological factors associated with older parenthood.

Corresponding Author: Kiwako Yamamoto-Hanada, MD, PhD, Allergy Center, National Center for Child Health and Development, 2-10-1, Okura, Setagayaku, Tokyo 157-8535, Japan (yamamoto-k@ncchd.go.jp).

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