Fetal and Infant Origins of Childhood Asthma: The Generation R Study

__Abstract__ Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways. Accumulating evidence suggest that childhood asthma has at least part of its origins in fetal life and infancy. The developmental plasticity hypothesis suggests that adverse exposures in early life lead to developmental adaptations of various organ systems, including of the respiratory tract to enhance survival in the short term. We observed that rapid infant growth is, independent of fetal growth, associated with an increased risk of childhood asthma. Also maternal gestational weight gain and psychological distress were associated with increased risks. A longer duration and exclusive breastfeeding were associated with a reduced risk of childhood asthma.