Tocolytic treatment and childhood allergic disorders: The Japan
Environment and Children’s Study
Abstract
Background: This study aimed to evaluate differences in maternal
characteristics and obstetric and childhood outcomes between term births
according to the use of tocolytic treatment. Methods: This study
analyzed the data of the participants enrolled in the Japan Environment
and Children’s Study between 2011 and 2014. Data of 63,409 women with
singleton births after 37 weeks of gestation were analyzed. We compared
maternal characteristics, obstetric outcomes, and childhood outcomes
between term births with tocolytic treatment and those without tocolytic
treatment. Multiple logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted
odds ratios for childhood outcomes with significant between-group
differences in the univariable analysis for term births with tocolytic
agents, with term births without tocolytic agents as the reference
group. Results: In term births with tocolytic agents, participants had
significantly younger age, leaner body mass index, higher oxidative
stress during pregnancy, shorter pregnancy period, lighter neonatal
birth weight, lower incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus, higher
incidence of preterm premature rupture of membrane, higher rates of
cesarean section, lower incidence of meconium-stained amniotic fluid
during pregnancy, and higher incidence of childhood allergic disorders.
The incidence of childhood developmental disorders showed no significant
between-group differences. The adjusted odds ratio for childhood
allergic disorders in term births with tocolytic agents was 1.09 (95%
confidence interval, 1.04-1.14). Conclusions: This study found no
significant association between tocolytic treatment and the incidence of
childhood developmental disorders in children with term births. However,
tocolytic treatment showed an association with a slightly increased
incidence of childhood allergic disorders.