Maternal work-related stress prior to conception and airway and skin symptoms in infancy – results of the transgenerational ACROSSOLAR study

Radon, Katja; Stettin, Lisa; Vogelberg, Christian ; Nowak, Dennis ; Weinmann, Tobias ; Schaub, Bianca und Forster, Felix (2025): Maternal work-related stress prior to conception and airway and skin symptoms in infancy – results of the transgenerational ACROSSOLAR study. ERS: European Respiratory Society Congress 2025, Amsterdam, 07. September - 01. Oktober 2025. European Respiratory Society (Hrsg.), European Respiratory Journal. Bd. 66, Nr. Supplement 69, PA3754 Lausanne: European Respiratory Society.

Abstract

Objective: We investigated the association between maternal stress before conception and wheeze & eczema in infancy.

Methods: We analyzed data from the ISAAC Study (Munich/Dresden, 1995/6) and its follow-ups (SOLAR 1 2002/4 & 2 2007/8), which tracked participants' work-related stress (Trier Inventory for Chronic Stress), respiratory & skin symptoms, and environmental factors. Since 2008, participants’ children were recruited into the ACROSSOLAR cohort. By 2024, 416 children born to female participants were enrolled. Logistic regression models assessed maternal stress levels prior to pregnancy as predictor of symptoms of wheezing & eczema in infancy. We also considered maternal asthma & eczema diagnosis (drdx), education, smoking, age at birth, preterm birth, birth type, breastfeeding <=6 months and sex (infant).

Results: Among mothers, 44% had ever smoked, 18% reported drdx asthma, and 25% drdx eczema. Median age at birth was 30 years (16–36 years). Of the infants, 47% were female, 13% were preterm, 24% were born via Cesarian section, and 55% were breastfed. The prevalence of symptoms in infancy was 10% for wheezing and 14% for eczema. Infant wheeze was associated with maternal smoking (ever vs. never smoking: Odds Ratio 1.9; 95% Confidence Interval 1.0–3.8) but not with work-related stress (>= vs. <median 0.7; 0.3–1.3) or maternal drdx asthma (vs. no drdx asthma 1.3; 0.6–3.1). Eczema was more likely in infants of mothers with stress (>= vs. < median 2.2; 1.2–4.1) and in those whose mothers reported drdx eczema (vs. no drdx eczema 2.3; 1.3–4.2).

Conclusion: Our findings suggest a transgenerational effect of maternal stress on eczema in infancy.

• Dokumententyp: Konferenzbeitrag (Abstract)
• Fakultät: Medizin > Institut und Poliklinik für Arbeits-, Sozial- und Umweltmedizin
• Themengebiete: 600 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften > 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
• Ort: Lausanne
• Bemerkung: This article was presented at the 2025 ERS Congress, in session “Occupational and environmental causes of asthma”.
• Sprache: Englisch