Population-based case–control study of allergic rhinitis during pregnancy for birth outcomes

Somoskövi, Ákos; Bártfai, Zoltán; Tamási, Lilla; Kocsis, Judit; Puhó, Erzsébet; Czeizel, Andrew E.

doi:10.1016/j.ejogrb.2005.11.035

« Previous Next »European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology
Volume 131, Issue 1 , Pages 21-27, March 2007

Population-based case–control study of allergic rhinitis during pregnancy for birth outcomes

Ákos Somoskövi
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1536 Budapest 114, P.O. Box 250, Budapest, Hungary
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +36 309 633 398; fax: +36 1 214 2498.
Zoltán Bártfai
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1536 Budapest 114, P.O. Box 250, Budapest, Hungary
Lilla Tamási
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1536 Budapest 114, P.O. Box 250, Budapest, Hungary
Judit Kocsis
- III Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
Erzsébet Puhó
- National Institute for Epidemiology, Department of Human Genetics and Teratology, Budapest, Hungary
- Foundation for the Community Control of Hereditary Diseases, Budapest, Hungary
Andrew E. Czeizel
- Foundation for the Community Control of Hereditary Diseases, Budapest, Hungary

Received 17 January 2005; received in revised form 24 October 2005; accepted 27 November 2005.

Abstract

Objective

Allergic rhinitis is frequent in women of childbearing age including pregnancy. The present study aimed to estimate the effect of maternal allergic rhinitis on birth outcomes, in particular congenital abnormalities, preterm birth and low birthweight newborns.

Study design

Analysis of the population-based data of the Hungarian Case–Control Surveillance of Congenital Abnormalities between 1980 and 1996.

Results

The evaluation of data did not reveal any teratogenic potential of allergic rhinitis and indeed a lower prevalence of total congenital abnormalities was found. In addition, a protective effect could be observed for preterm birth due to longer gestational age (adjusted t=2.97, p=0.003).