Babies born in fall are at high risk of Asthma!

The line that caught my attention was, “How, when and where a child is born may all play role in lifetime asthma risk.” What is new research study has brought in to light is that there are numerous factors that play a very critical role in setting the probability rate of having Asthma especially among new born babies.

Asthma occurs when airways in lungs spasm and swell which then leads to restriction of oxygen supply. The incidence of Asthma is steadily rising in the United States for past two decades. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, since 1980, the percentage of children having asthma has increased from 4 percent to 6 percent.

The reasons for Asthma are not entirely clear. It is widely believed that genetics play a major role in the risk for asthma but at the same time, an array of environmental factors like pollen, dust particles, mold, cockroach feces, cigarettes, air pollution, viruses and cold air are all considered as influencing contributors to its development.

The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine reported this month that children born in the fall have a 30 percent higher risk rate for asthma than those born in other seasons. The study based its findings on a review of more than 95,000 birth and medical records of children in Tennessee.

An explanation provided by the study is that the autumn babies are around 4 months old at the peak of cold and flu season. At this age, many babies are in day care and regularly exposed to the outside world. Because their lungs are at still developing and their immune system is not strong enough, constant exposure to winter virus increase their risk for asthma.

A rather peculiar suggestion offered by the lead researcher, Dr. Tina Hartert is that those parents who have a high familial risk for asthma can consider timing conception of their child to avoid fall birth. She is the director of the Center for Asthma Research and Environmental Health at Vanderbilt University.

But since she agrees that it is impractical for many couples, she says it is better for parents to take precautions to reduce their baby’s risk of a respiratory infection."It's premature to say you should time conception so children aren't born in the fall," she said. "But it's good sense to use typical hygienic measures to try and prevent illness."

“When baby is born,” been discussed, researchers then prove “How baby is born” explanation. According to Swiss researchers, a cesarean delivery is linked to a higher risk of asthma compared with babies born vaginally. In a study of nearly 3,000 children, it was found that 12 percent were diagnosed with asthma by age 8. The explanation given is that a baby’s immune system is primed up during vaginal birth while being exposed to bacteria as it moves through birth the canal.

Lastly, researchers look at “Where baby is born” hypothesis. It was reported in last month’s issue of The Journal of Asthma that a baby’s place of birth also influences asthma risk. In a study of black families in Dorchester, Massachusetts, it was found that babies born in the United States were more likely to have asthma than black babies born outside the country.

Although the reason for this disparity is not clear but the sterile condition under which American babies are born may be a factor. Babies born in developing countries are exposed to more infections and germs, so their immune system is better equipped to withstand less serious assaults associated with asthma like mold and dust mites.