A recent study conducted by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) reveals that there may be a link between prenatal vitamin A deficiency and postnatal asthma.
According to a press release published on February 12, researchers studied mice who were deprived of this essential vitamin in the womb, and found that the muscles surrounding their airways developed differently than normal. As such, once the mice were born, they were more apt to respond to certain stimuli by narrowing their airways, which is a common characteristic of asthma.
"Researchers have long wondered what makes some people more susceptible than others to developing asthma symptoms when exposed to the same stimulus," said Dr. Wellington Cardoso, senior author of the study and director of the new Columbia Center for Human Development, in a statement. "Our study suggests that the presence of structural and functional abnormalities in the lungs due to vitamin A deficiency during development is an important and under-appreciated factor in this susceptibility."
The source reports that while most pregnant women in the United States are likely getting the right amount of vitamin A in their diets, certain factors such as alcohol or tobacco use during pregnancy may have an effect on this. That being said, the study may help researchers determine how fetal exposure to these and other adverse environmental factors affects the baby in the long term.
In many cases, there's nothing you can do to prevent your child from developing asthma, but there are steps you can take to ease his or her symptoms. Browse the Allergy Be Gone website today to learn about our allergenic bedding and other asthma and allergy solutions.
