ABSTRACT

The study explored the associations between maternal exposure to air pollution during different trimesters and allergic diseases including asthma, allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis or/and eczema. Individual exposure to air pollutants was assessed by an inverse distance weighted (IDW) method using daily concentrations of SO₂, NO₂, PM₁₀, and PM_2.5 from air quality monitoring stations. Multiple logistic regression model was performed to estimate the associations between air pollution during each trimester of pregnancy and childhood allergic diseases. A total of 332 children (51.3%) were reported by their parents having been diagnosed with allergic diseases. After adjusting for covariates, allergic diseases were significantly associated with per interquartile range (IQR) increase in NO₂, PM₁₀, PM_2.5 during the second trimester with odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) being 1.292 (1.005,1.662), 1.210 (1.042,1,405) and 1.270 (1.004,1.606), respectively. These findings suggest that maternal exposure to certain air pollutants during pregnancy, especially in the second trimester, is associated with childhood allergic diseases.