11 Feb 2025 • New research suggests that antibiotic exposure in the first week of life—given for maternal group B streptococcus (GBS) rather than infant infections—may increase childhood asthma risk.

A study of 14,807 children found that those treated postnatally had a 30% higher likelihood of developing asthma by age six (RR=1.3).

The risk remained significant across statistical models, with antibiotic exposure also linked to increased use of short-acting beta agonists and allergic rhinitis. These findings emphasize the need for careful antibiotic use in newborns.

Source: JACI | Read Full Story