Allergy and stress in pregnancy
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Allergy and Stress in Pregnancy: The association of stress during pregnancy with the development of food allergies in childhood
IRAS ID
192900
Contact name
Cherry Alviani
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
R&D Manager, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 5 months, 29 days
Research summary
Allergic disease is increasing, particularly amongst children. We don’t yet know exactly why some children develop allergies and others don’t. Although genetics undoubtedly play an important role, other factors, such as how their immune system is shaped by their environment, are also important.
There is evidence that stress during pregnancy can increase the risk of allergy in the unborn child, possibly through the maternal hormone cortisol. Mothers with high anxiety during pregnancy are more likely to have children with asthma and hayfever. No study has yet looked at whether the same is true for childhood food allergy. The mothers of children attending the paediatric allergy clinic at KCH appear to have experienced a high number of stressful events during their pregnancy or the first few months of life of their children.
This study aims to assess the effect of maternal stress and life events during pregnancy on the development of food allergy in children under 6 years of age. It will help us understand why some children develop food allergies and others don’t. We will be using a questionnaire to assess stress during pregnancy in children attending a paediatric allergy clinic, and compare it to stress experienced during the pregnancies of children attending a general paediatric clinic, who don't have any allergies. Stress levels of mothers with children who have food allergy will be compared to ones who don’t, to see if there is a difference. The study duration is six month.
REC name
West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/WM/0090
Date of REC Opinion
8 Mar 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion