TY - JOUR

T1 - Maternal life and work stressors during pregnancy and asthma in offspring

AU - Pape, Kathrine

AU - Liu, Xiaoqin

AU - Sejbæk, Camilla Sandal

AU - Andersson, Niklas Worm

AU - Larsen, Ann Dyreborg

AU - Bay, Hans

AU - Kolstad, Henrik Albert

AU - Bonde, Jens Peter Ellekilde

AU - Olsen, Jørn

AU - Svanes, Cecilie

AU - Hansen, Kirsten Skamstrup

AU - Rugulies, Reiner

AU - Hougaard, Karin Sørig

AU - Schlünssen, Vivi

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - BACKGROUND: Maternal stressors during pregnancy are potential risk factors for asthma in offspring. However, previous studies have been limited by the use of self-reported data focusing on stressors either in private life or at work. This study examined the association between maternal stressors both in private life and at work during pregnancy and asthma in offspring. METHODS: In the Danish National Birth Cohort, 75 156 live-born singletons born during 1996-2002 were identified. Maternal information on job title were available around weeks 12-16 of gestation. Data on maternal bereavement, life-threatening illness, suicide attempt and alcohol or drug abuse of a close relative and offspring childhood asthma (3-10 years of age) were obtained from Danish nationwide registers. Maternal psychosocial work stressors (job control, psychological job demands, emotional job demands, work-related violence and threats of work-related violence) were estimated by the use of job-exposure matrices. The association between maternal stress and childhood asthma was analysed in Cox models adjusted for maternal age, comorbidity and parity. RESULTS: Neither private-life nor work stressors were related to onset of asthma in offspring. Separate analyses by parental atopy or onset of asthma in offspring supported the main findings. CONCLUSIONS: This study does not support an elevated risk of childhood asthma related to exposure to stress during pregnancy.

AB - BACKGROUND: Maternal stressors during pregnancy are potential risk factors for asthma in offspring. However, previous studies have been limited by the use of self-reported data focusing on stressors either in private life or at work. This study examined the association between maternal stressors both in private life and at work during pregnancy and asthma in offspring. METHODS: In the Danish National Birth Cohort, 75 156 live-born singletons born during 1996-2002 were identified. Maternal information on job title were available around weeks 12-16 of gestation. Data on maternal bereavement, life-threatening illness, suicide attempt and alcohol or drug abuse of a close relative and offspring childhood asthma (3-10 years of age) were obtained from Danish nationwide registers. Maternal psychosocial work stressors (job control, psychological job demands, emotional job demands, work-related violence and threats of work-related violence) were estimated by the use of job-exposure matrices. The association between maternal stress and childhood asthma was analysed in Cox models adjusted for maternal age, comorbidity and parity. RESULTS: Neither private-life nor work stressors were related to onset of asthma in offspring. Separate analyses by parental atopy or onset of asthma in offspring supported the main findings. CONCLUSIONS: This study does not support an elevated risk of childhood asthma related to exposure to stress during pregnancy.

KW - bereavement

KW - childhood asthma

KW - job-exposure matrix

KW - Negative life events

KW - occupational exposure

KW - stress

U2 - 10.1093/ije/dyaa133

DO - 10.1093/ije/dyaa133

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 32974645

AN - SCOPUS:85100358342

VL - 49

SP - 1847

EP - 1855

JO - International Journal of Epidemiology

JF - International Journal of Epidemiology

SN - 0300-5771

IS - 6

ER -