%A Eviston,David P. %A Minasyan,Anna %A Mann,Kristy P. %A Campbell,Dianne E. %A Nanan,Ralph K. %D 2015 %J Frontiers in Pediatrics %C %F %G English %K allergy,Fetus,head circumference,developmental programming,Asthma,atopic dermatitis,food allergy,Mid-gestation,ultrasound imaging %Q %R 10.3389/fped.2015.00073 %W %L %M %P %7 %8 2015-September-08 %9 Original Research %+ David P. Eviston,Discipline of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Neonatology, Charles Perkins Centre Nepean, Sydney Medical School Nepean, The University of Sydney,Australia,deviston@gmail.com %# %! In utero head circumference is associated with childhood allergy %* %< %T In utero Head Circumference is Associated with Childhood Allergy %U https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2015.00073 %V 3 %0 JOURNAL ARTICLE %@ 2296-2360 %X BackgroundAltered fetal growth is known to be associated with allergic disease. Specifically, increased head circumference at birth has been linked to asthma and elevated IgE. However, few studies have examined a link between early fetal anthropometry and allergic disease. The aim of this study was to examine head circumference at mid-gestation in children diagnosed with allergy.MethodsThis was a retrospective cohort study, comprising pregnancies delivered between 10/2006 and 9/2010 at Nepean Hospital, Australia. Exclusion criteria were illegal drug use, alcohol consumption, gestation <35 weeks, and gestational hypertension. Pregnancy data were sourced from the Nepean Obstetric Database. Atopic diseases (asthma, atopic dermatitis, and IgE-mediated food allergy) were assessed by questionnaire at age 1–5 years. Infants from pregnancies with completed questionnaires, who also had a mid-gestation ultrasound scan, were included (N = 121). Multiple logistic regression techniques were used to model head circumference against the development of allergies.ResultsSmaller head circumference at mid-gestation was associated with increased odds of allergic disease in children aged 1–5 years. A 1 mm smaller head circumference was associated with a 7% increased chance of allergies being later diagnosed, adjusted for gestation (95% CI: 1–14%, p = 0.036). Head circumference at mid-gestation was also inversely correlated with the presence of multiple atopic disease.ConclusionSmaller mid-gestational head circumference is associated with early childhood allergic disease, which suggests that fetal programing of allergic disease occurs before mid-gestation. This suggests that mediators such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor may be dysregulated early in utero in a milieu, which also predisposes to atopic disease.