妊婦の室内生活環境が小児湿疹の発症に影響を出していると日本の研究で明らかになりました。
SAPPORO -- Pregnant mothers' indoor environment may have an effect on childhood eczema that affects babies up to 18 months old, and the multilayer wood flooring used in many homes is also a factor, according to a study by researchers from Hokkaido University and other institutions.
Childhood eczema is a general term for skin problems that affect about 10% of children, including erythema toxicum neonatorum and atopic dermatitis.
According to the research team, the development of childhood eczema is related to genetic factors and environmental conditions, and many studies have reported that humid environments where mold and condensation occur are also contributors to the onset of the disease. However, little research has been done on the risks that pregnant mothers' indoor environments pose to their babies after birth.
The research team used the Japan Environment and Children's Study, conducted by the Ministry of the Environment since fiscal 2010 for parents and children across Japan, to track those born between 2011 and 2014 and their mothers until the children reached 18 months old (71,883 pairs) and 3 years old (58,639 pairs).
The questionnaire revealed that the risk of developing eczema at 18 months of age was 1.2 to 1.4 times higher when pregnant mothers had spent a long time being exposed to environments including those with a high "mold index" (indicating the number of rooms with mold) and with multilayer wood flooring. In the case of the 3-year-olds, it was also found that the indoor environment after childbirth, such as the presence of mold and smokers, seemed to have more influence than the environment during pregnancy. The results were published in the international academic journal Environmental Research in April.
According to Yu Ait Bamai, a member of the research team and a specially appointed associate professor at Hokkaido University, multilayer wood flooring, which is natural wood or sheet laminated over a base material, is used in many homes in Japan. When that flooring material deteriorates due to condensation or water leakage, it is known to produce alcohols that cause eye and nose irritation, and this may be associated with the development of childhood eczema.
She said, "Although it might be difficult to replace wooden flooring materials, it may be possible to prevent childhood eczema by maintaining appropriate humidity to prevent the formation of mold even before the birth of a child."
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20240628/p2a/00m/0li/004000c
今回取り上げるのは "dermatitis"/ˌdɝː.məˈtaɪ.t̬əs/ です。
LDOCE では "a disease of the skin that causes redness, swelling, and pain" と定義されていました。
Cambridge Dictionary では "a disease in which the skin is red and painful" と定義されていました。
以上のことから "dermatitis" の意味は「皮膚炎」と考えられます。本文で使われている "atopic dermatitis" は「アトピー性皮膚炎」ということですね。
知識があるかないかで赤ちゃんの病気を防げるかが決まるので、情報収集は大切だと実感しました。(Lily)