Cesarean Delivery May Be a Risk Factor for Food Allergy in Predisposed
Infants



NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Sept 03 - There is an association between
cesarean section delivery and subsequent food allergy, especially among
children of mothers with allergies, according to study results published in
the August issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

"Cesarean delivery might delay the colonization of the newborn intestine,"
Dr. Merete Eggesbo, of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Oslo,
and colleagues note. "A delayed or aberrant colonization process has been
offered as an explanation for the increase in allergic disease."

The researchers prospectively obtained data on mode of delivery, maternal
or infant use of antibiotics, and potential confounders in a population-
based cohort of 2803 children. Main outcomes included parental perception
of reactions to egg, fish, or nuts, as well as objectively confirmed
reactions to egg at 2-1/2 years of age.

In a logistic regression analysis, cesarean section was associated with an
odds ratio of 7.07 for parentally perceived reactions to egg, fish, or nuts
(p = 0.005) among children allergic mothers. The odds ratio was a 4.1 for
confirmed egg allergy (p = 0.08) in these children.

The association between cesarean section and the risk of food allergy was
weak and not significant among children whose mothers were not allergic.

There was no association between maternal or infant antibiotic use and an
increased risk of food allergy.

These results "lend circumstantial support to the importance of
microbiologic stimuli in early life," Dr. Eggesbo and colleagues conclude.
They say this might be another factor to consider when mode of delivery is
discussed with pregnant women.

J Allergy Clin Immunol 2003;112:420-426.

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