Data on the association of maternal gestational weight gain (GWG) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) with childhood asthma are limited and inconsistent. We aimed to investigate these associations in a U.S. pre-birth cohort. Analyses included 16,351 mother-child pairs enrolled in the Massachusetts General Hospital Maternal-Child Cohort (1998-2010). Data were obtained by linking electronic health records for prenatal visits/delivery to determine BMI, GWG, and GDM (National Diabetes Data Group criteria) and to determine asthma incidence and allergies (atopic dermatitis or allergic rhinitis) for children. The associations of prenatal exposures with asthma were evaluated using logistic regression adjusted for maternal characteristics. A total of 2306 children (14%) developed asthma by age 5 years. Overall, no association was found between GWG and asthma. GDM was positively associated with offspring asthma (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.14-1.88). Associations between GDM and asthma were observed only among mothers with early pregnancy BMI between 20 and 24.9 kg/m2 (OR 2.31, CI 1.46-3.65, p-interaction 0.02). We report novel findings on the impact of prenatal exposures on asthma, including increased risk among mothers with GDM, particularly those with a normal BMI. These findings support the strengthening of interventions targeted toward a healthier pregnancy, which may also be helpful for childhood asthma prevention.
Keywords: allergy; childhood asthma; developmental origins of health and disease; gestational diabetes; gestational weight gain.