Pollen exposure during pregnancy linked to baby asthma risk
Turns out, children born in the peak grass pollen season, October and December, may have a greater risk of developing respiratory diseases such as asthma . Led by La Trobe University, a team of local (The MACS study) and international (COPSAC2000 and LISAplus) researchers analysed cord blood collected from hundreds of babies born in Melbourne, Denmark, and Germany. They discovered those born during the peak grass pollen season in both hemispheres had high immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels in umbilical cord blood - a marker used to predict the development of allergic diseases. Lead researcher, Bircan Erbas from La Trobe's School of Psychology and Public Health, said the aim of the study was to determine the effect of exposure to high grass pollens during pregnancy and soon after birth. Read Complete Article