Acid suppressant drugs ‘linked to asthma’
Children whose mothers took acid-suppressant drugs during pregnancy are at an increased risk of developing asthma, according to new research.
A recent study conducted at Children’s Hospital Boston indicated that such a group was at a 1.5 times higher risk of developing the condition than those whose mothers had never taken the medication.
Lead researcher Elizabeth Hait and her team examined data from some 585,000 children born between 1995 and 2004, reports Bounty.
According to the findings, there was a 43 per cent greater likelihood that the 5,600 children who had been exposed to acid suppression medication would require treatment for allergic conditions in later life.
Patients who suffer from acid reflux or heartburn are often prescribed the suppressant medication.
Ms Hait noted: "Some pregnant women have such severe acid reflux that they can’t eat because they are in so much pain."
Meanwhile, a new vaccine which represses asthma symptoms by boosting the cells which control the body’s protective mechanisms has been developed.
The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with asthma
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