A recent study from the University of Edinburgh found that children born to mothers prescribed medications to treat acid reflux during pregnancy have a higher risk of developing asthma.
While there is a potential link, researchers believe that mothers-to-be should follow existing guidelines and use the medication as prescribed.
Drugs called H2 receptor antagonists and proton pump inhibitors can help block acid reflux. They are considered safe to use during pregnancies.
Researchers reviewed eight previous studies involving more than 1.3 million children.
Professor Aziz Sheikh, Co-director of the Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research at the University of Edinburgh, said: “Our study reports an association between the onset of asthma in children and their mothers’ use of acid-suppressing medication during pregnancy. It is important to stress that this association does not prove that the medicines caused asthma in these children and further research is needed to better understand this link.”
