chemical stress
Vaccinated Moms Pass on Less Natural
Immunity to Their Babies
Babies of mothers who were vaccinated against measles are more susceptible
to the disease than babies of mothers who did not receive the measles vaccination,
according to an article in the journal Pediatrics.
The study looked at 128 unvaccinated infants, aged 15 months. All the children
had been exposed to measles between 1990 and 1992. Infants whose mothers were
born after the onset of the measles vaccination program (1963) were 21% more
likely to develop measles, compared with children of mothers who did not receive
the measles vaccine. These results indicate that unvaccinated mothers pass
on a higher level of natural immunity to their infants, compared with vaccinated
mothers. The study's authors note that their findings may partially explain
the rise in measles cases during recent year.
Papania M, Baughman AL, Lee S, Cheek JE et. al. Increased
susceptibility to measles in infants in the United States Pediatrics
1999 (Nov); 104 (5): e59
Antibiotic Use in Pregnancy Linked to Allergy Related Symptoms in
Child.
A study of British children suggests that women who have an infection or take
antibiotics during pregnancy are more likely to have a child with an allergy-related
condition such as asthma, hay fever or eczema. Researchers at the University
of Nottingham evaluated the medical records of nearly 25,000 British children
and their mothers. The study found that children exposed to antibiotics in
the womb had a higher risk of developing asthma, hay fever and eczema than
did children whose mothers did not take the medication during pregnancy. Because
a person's immune system develops while he or she is still in the womb, some
experts speculate that factors that modify microbial exposure at this time
may have a long-term effect on the risk of developing allergic disease.
Amer. J. Respiratory and Critical Care Med., 2002; 166: 827-832
Cigarette Smoke Linked to Damage Before Birth
Sudden infant death syndrome has been related to both exposure to prenatal
cigarette smoke and impaired arousability from sleep. Researchers in the Journal
of Pediatrics found newborns and infants born to smoking mothers had higher
sleep arousal thresholds to auditory challenges than those born to nonsmoking
mothers. The impact of exposure to cigarette smoke occurred before birth.
Franco P, Groswasser J, Hassid S, Lanquart JP, Scaillet S, Kahn A Prenatal
exposure to cigarette smoking is associated with a decrease in arousal in infants J
Pediatr. 1999 (Jul); 135 (1): 34-38
Chlorinated Water ups Risk of Birth Defects
A study of 141,077 children demonstrates that chlorinated water increases the
risk of birth defects. Scientists poured through data on water quality and
incidence of birth defects in 366 regions throughout Norway between 1993 and
1995. Overall, 1.8% of the newborns studied had birth defects. However, infants
born in areas where water supplies were heavily chlorinated and had high levels
of organic material were 14% more likely to have birth defects than babies
born in areas with cleaner, less chlorinated water. This association was strongest
for birth defects of the urinary tract. Specifically, babies born in regions
with water supplies high in chlorine and organic material were twice as likely
to experience this type of birth defect, compared with infants born in regions
with less chlorinated water supplies.
Magnus P, Jaakkola JJK, Skrondal A, Alexander J et. al. Water
chlorination and birth defects Epidemiology 1999 (Sep); 10
(5): 513-517
Smoking During Pregnancy Associated with ADHD
Mothers who smoke cigarettes during pregnancy put their children at risk of
developing ADHD, according to the current issue of Archives of Disease in Childhood.
Researchers found that children with ADHD and coordination problems were more
than twice as likely to have a mother who smoked during gestation, compared
with children who did not have ADHD. Many subjects with ADHD also experienced
language problems (65% compared to 16% of childrenwithout the disorder.) the
study evaluated 113 Swedish 6-year olds, including 62 who had been diagnosed
with ADHD plus deficits in motor control and perception.
Oral Contraceptives and Bone Mass
Young women who exercise regularly and use oral contraceptives may not get
the boost in bone strength seen in women who exercise and do not use oral contraceptives.
A recent study showed that while regular resistance training and aerobic exercise
over a two-year period strengthened bones in women aged 18 to 31, oral contraceptives
appeared to prevent the buildup of bone density. The findings suggest that
women who take oral contraceptives may be compromising their chances of attaining
peak bone mass, according to Dr. Connie M. Weaver of Purdue University. Women
who did not use oral contraceptives had higher bone mineral content at skeletal
sites throughout their body at two years compared with women who used oral
contraceptives.
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 2001; 33: 873-880