Isolated Early-Life Antibiotic Exposure is Associated with Increased Risk of Childhood Asthma
February 10, 2025
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Candace Archie, Communications & Public Relations Manager
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New research indicates that postnatal antibiotic exposure, not associated with additional respiratory infections, is associated with childhood asthma
Milwaukee, WI – Early-life exposure to antibiotics can be a risk factor for childhood asthma, according to new research being presented at the 2025 AAAAI / WAO Joint Congress in San Diego, CA, later this month.
“We aimed to further explore the association between early-life antibiotic exposure and childhood asthma while mitigating the potential contributions by focusing on very early postnatal antibiotic exposure for maternal indications in otherwise healthy infants. Our results demonstrate that postnatal antibiotic therapy for maternal indication, not confounded by infants’ infections, was associated with an increased childhood asthma risk,” said lead author Eyal Kristal, MD.
In this study, researchers screened the electronic medical records of 14,807 healthy full-term children born to mothers with positive Group B Streptococcus vaginal culture between 2006 – 2018, with 311 children having received antibiotic treatment. Excluding children with postnatal respiratory symptoms, pneumonia or a positive blood/cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture, researchers found that antibiotic exposure was associated with higher risk of asthma both in a regression model (RR=1.3, 95% CI 1.04-1.6, p=0.018) and in the propensity model (RR=1.31, 95% CI 1.01-1.69 p=0.039) of the study. The study also found that short-acting beta-agonists (SABA) and allergic rhinitis were associated with antibiotic therapy.
Controlling for ethnicity, mode of delivery, birth weight, gender, maternal asthma, maternal antibiotic use during pregnancy and socioeconomic status, the study determined that postnatal antibiotic therapy for maternal indication, that is not confounded by an infant’s infections, was associated with an increased risk childhood asthma. While additional research will be valuable, this insight can lead to better treatment considerations during pregnancies and support better patient care.
Visit aaaai.org to learn more about allergies and asthma during pregnancies. Research presented at the 2025 AAAAI / WAO Joint Congress, February 28 – March 3 in San Diego, CA, is published in an online supplement to The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI).
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) is the leading membership organization of more than 7,100 allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists and other professionals with a special interest in the research and treatment of allergic and immunologic diseases. Established in 1943, the AAAAI is the go-to resource for patients living with allergies, asthma and immune deficiency disorders.