The placenta is a temporary organ that forms in the uterus during pregnancy. It supplies oxygen and nutrients to the fetus and is crucial in producing vital hormones for the pregnancy.
It has been for some time that atopic diseases such as asthma and allergies can begin to develop during the fetal stage. Based on a review of 19 previous studies involving around 13,000 children, a new study aims to evaluate the association between human placental changes and the risk of atopic disorders during childhood.
Scientists at Örebro University, led by Maria Lodefalk, suggest that changes in the placenta may increase the risk of children developing asthma and allergies. The study mainly shows that premature babies are three times more likely to have asthma problems if there is inflammation in the membranes and placenta while they’re still developing. This risk adds to the already higher chance of lung disease that comes with premature birth.
There is also an association between unusually heavy placentas and increased asthma medication prescriptions in full-term children during their first year of life.
Maternal microbiota impact fetal development
Despite these significant links, scientists still don’t know if changes in the placenta directly or indirectly lead to asthma or allergies in children.
Maria Lodefalk said, “It’s almost impossible to conduct the studies to prove a causal relationship in pregnant women. But given these results, we pediatricians should focus more on the potential significance of the placenta for the child after birth.”
“This new knowledge is something that healthcare can already benefit from.”
“If we know that changes in the placenta may mean a higher risk of developing asthma, we can more closely monitor children born prematurely and after discovering inflammation in the fetal membranes and placenta. Weighing and sending all placentas for analysis in case of uncertainties could also be a simple and effective measure.”
“There is a need for additional studies to understand how changes in the placenta may affect the child’s health. It would also be of interest to investigate whether specific treatments after birth reduce the risk of children born with inflammation of later developing asthma.”
Journal Reference:
- Bakoyan Z, Cao Y, Hansson SR, Karlsson JP, Lodefalk M. Childhood atopic disorders in relation to placental changes-A systematic review and meta-analysis. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2024 May;35(5):e14141. DOI: 10.1111/pai.14141