iii. Abstract:
Background: Globally, the incidence of allergic diseases
is increasing along with cesarean delivery rates. Data regarding the
association between cesarean delivery and allergic diseases are
inconsistent. Here, we aimed to clarify the association between cesarean
delivery and the development of asthma, atopic dermatitis, wheezing, and
eczema.
Methods: We used data from the Japan Environment and
Children’s Study. The data
included were those of 104,065 fetal records and their children.
Information about the mode of
delivery, asthma, atopic dermatitis, wheezing, and eczema was obtained
from questionnaires and medical record transcripts. Multiple logistic
regression analysis was used to assess the association between cesarean
delivery and asthma, atopic dermatitis, wheezing, and eczema risk among
infants at 1 year of age.
Results: We included 74,639 subjects in this study,
wherein 18.4% underwent cesarean deliveries. After adjusting for the
perinatal, socioeconomic, and postnatal confounding factors, children
born by cesarean delivery had no increased risk of developing asthma
[95% confidence interval (CI) 0.84–1.08], atopic dermatitis (95%
CI, 0.92–1.13), wheezing (95% CI, 0.94–1.04), or eczema (95% CI,
0.94–1.05).
Conclusions: This nationwide cohort study found no
association between cesarean delivery and asthma, atopic dermatitis,
wheezing, and eczema among infants at 1 year of age. However, further
studies are needed to evaluate whether cesarean delivery plays a role in
the development of allergic diseases.
Keywords :
cesarean delivery, allergic disease,
atopic dermatitis, asthma,
wheezing, eczema