Babies at risk of asthama even in womb

Swedish researchers have found that high pollen exposure in the last three months of pregnancy increases a baby’s risk of contracting asthma.

Swedish researchers have found that high pollen exposure in the last three months of pregnancy increases a baby’s risk of contracting asthma.

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A study of more than 110,000 pregnant women found that high pollen count was associated with a 35% increased risk of infants being taken to hospital because of asthma, the Daily Mail reported.

Researchers took account of a range of factors that could have swayed the results, including mothers’ smoking habits, infant gender, stage of pregnancy at birth, and season of birth.

Women with allergies may have reactions to pollen that affect the unborn baby’s environment and affect immune system development, the researchers said.

It is also possible that pregnant women with severe reactions to pollen suffer complications that affect the child, it is claimed.