Maternal asthma in pregnancy and pubertal timing in daughters and sons: a population-based cohort study

Camilla Lomholt Kjersgaard; Andreas Ernst; Sofie Aagaard Sand; Pernille Jul Clemmensen; Nis Brix; Lea Lykke Harrits Lunddorf; Cecilia Høst Ramlau-Hansen

doi:10.1016/j.annepidem.2025.04.013

Maternal asthma in pregnancy and pubertal timing in daughters and sons: a population-based cohort study

Camilla Lomholt Kjersgaard^*, Andreas Ernst, Sofie Aagaard Sand, Pernille Jul Clemmensen, Nis Brix, Lea Lykke Harrits Lunddorf, Cecilia Høst Ramlau-Hansen

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Abstract

PURPOSE: We investigated the impact of maternal asthma on children's pubertal timing as it remains underexplored.

METHODS: The Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC) provided information on maternal asthma during pregnancy, supplemented with diagnosis codes from the Danish National Patient Register. The DNBC sub-cohort the Puberty Cohort gave half-yearly information on pubertal timing from 11 years. We estimated adjusted mean age differences in months for reaching Tanner Stages 1-5 for breast, genital and pubic hair development, axillary hair, acne, and voice break, and menarche for daughters, and first ejaculation for sons. Further, a negative control analysis explored confounding, and two mediation analyses explored mediation through birthweight and childhood asthma.

RESULTS: In total, 15,819 children and their mothers participated and 6.6% of the children had mothers with asthma. Results indicated slightly later pubertal development in sons of mothers with asthma (average difference: 1.0 months (95% confidence intervals -0.4, 2.4)). This association was not mediated by birthweight or childhood asthma. We did not observe any associations among daughters. The negative control analysis suggested some confounding towards the null.

CONCLUSION: Sons of mothers with asthma during pregnancy had slightly later pubertal timing, though the result could also indicate no association.

Original language	English
Journal	Annals of Epidemiology
Volume	106
Pages (from-to)	40-47
Number of pages	8
ISSN	1047-2797
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annepidem.2025.04.013
Publication status	E-pub / Early view - 16 Apr 2025

Keywords

pregnancy
maternal asthma
puberty
adrenarche
menarche
pubertal timing
tanner stage

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10.1016/j.annepidem.2025.04.013

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@article{08173d48796743bb9a2cc3f210e690e5,

title = "Maternal asthma in pregnancy and pubertal timing in daughters and sons: a population-based cohort study",

abstract = "PURPOSE: We investigated the impact of maternal asthma on children's pubertal timing as it remains underexplored.METHODS: The Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC) provided information on maternal asthma during pregnancy, supplemented with diagnosis codes from the Danish National Patient Register. The DNBC sub-cohort the Puberty Cohort gave half-yearly information on pubertal timing from 11 years. We estimated adjusted mean age differences in months for reaching Tanner Stages 1-5 for breast, genital and pubic hair development, axillary hair, acne, and voice break, and menarche for daughters, and first ejaculation for sons. Further, a negative control analysis explored confounding, and two mediation analyses explored mediation through birthweight and childhood asthma.RESULTS: In total, 15,819 children and their mothers participated and 6.6% of the children had mothers with asthma. Results indicated slightly later pubertal development in sons of mothers with asthma (average difference: 1.0 months (95% confidence intervals -0.4, 2.4)). This association was not mediated by birthweight or childhood asthma. We did not observe any associations among daughters. The negative control analysis suggested some confounding towards the null.CONCLUSION: Sons of mothers with asthma during pregnancy had slightly later pubertal timing, though the result could also indicate no association.",

keywords = "pregnancy, maternal asthma, puberty, adrenarche, menarche, pubertal timing, tanner stage",

author = "Kjersgaard, {Camilla Lomholt} and Andreas Ernst and Sand, {Sofie Aagaard} and Clemmensen, {Pernille Jul} and Nis Brix and Lunddorf, {Lea Lykke Harrits} and Ramlau-Hansen, {Cecilia H{\o}st}",

note = "Copyright {\textcopyright} 2025. Published by Elsevier Inc.",

year = "2025",

month = apr,

day = "16",

doi = "10.1016/j.annepidem.2025.04.013",

language = "English",

volume = "106",

pages = "40--47",

journal = "Annals of Epidemiology",

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Maternal asthma in pregnancy and pubertal timing in daughters and sons: a population-based cohort study. / Kjersgaard, Camilla Lomholt ; Ernst, Andreas; Sand, Sofie Aagaard et al.
In: Annals of Epidemiology, Vol. 106, 06.2025, p. 40-47.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Maternal asthma in pregnancy and pubertal timing in daughters and sons

T2 - a population-based cohort study

AU - Kjersgaard, Camilla Lomholt

AU - Ernst, Andreas

AU - Sand, Sofie Aagaard

AU - Clemmensen, Pernille Jul

AU - Brix, Nis

AU - Lunddorf, Lea Lykke Harrits

AU - Ramlau-Hansen, Cecilia Høst

PY - 2025/4/16

Y1 - 2025/4/16

N2 - PURPOSE: We investigated the impact of maternal asthma on children's pubertal timing as it remains underexplored.METHODS: The Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC) provided information on maternal asthma during pregnancy, supplemented with diagnosis codes from the Danish National Patient Register. The DNBC sub-cohort the Puberty Cohort gave half-yearly information on pubertal timing from 11 years. We estimated adjusted mean age differences in months for reaching Tanner Stages 1-5 for breast, genital and pubic hair development, axillary hair, acne, and voice break, and menarche for daughters, and first ejaculation for sons. Further, a negative control analysis explored confounding, and two mediation analyses explored mediation through birthweight and childhood asthma.RESULTS: In total, 15,819 children and their mothers participated and 6.6% of the children had mothers with asthma. Results indicated slightly later pubertal development in sons of mothers with asthma (average difference: 1.0 months (95% confidence intervals -0.4, 2.4)). This association was not mediated by birthweight or childhood asthma. We did not observe any associations among daughters. The negative control analysis suggested some confounding towards the null.CONCLUSION: Sons of mothers with asthma during pregnancy had slightly later pubertal timing, though the result could also indicate no association.

AB - PURPOSE: We investigated the impact of maternal asthma on children's pubertal timing as it remains underexplored.METHODS: The Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC) provided information on maternal asthma during pregnancy, supplemented with diagnosis codes from the Danish National Patient Register. The DNBC sub-cohort the Puberty Cohort gave half-yearly information on pubertal timing from 11 years. We estimated adjusted mean age differences in months for reaching Tanner Stages 1-5 for breast, genital and pubic hair development, axillary hair, acne, and voice break, and menarche for daughters, and first ejaculation for sons. Further, a negative control analysis explored confounding, and two mediation analyses explored mediation through birthweight and childhood asthma.RESULTS: In total, 15,819 children and their mothers participated and 6.6% of the children had mothers with asthma. Results indicated slightly later pubertal development in sons of mothers with asthma (average difference: 1.0 months (95% confidence intervals -0.4, 2.4)). This association was not mediated by birthweight or childhood asthma. We did not observe any associations among daughters. The negative control analysis suggested some confounding towards the null.CONCLUSION: Sons of mothers with asthma during pregnancy had slightly later pubertal timing, though the result could also indicate no association.

KW - pregnancy

KW - maternal asthma

KW - puberty

KW - adrenarche

KW - menarche

KW - pubertal timing

KW - tanner stage

U2 - 10.1016/j.annepidem.2025.04.013

DO - 10.1016/j.annepidem.2025.04.013

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 40250504

SN - 1047-2797

VL - 106

SP - 40

EP - 47

JO - Annals of Epidemiology

JF - Annals of Epidemiology

ER -

Maternal asthma in pregnancy and pubertal timing in daughters and sons: a population-based cohort study

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Keywords

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