Table 1 Baseline demographic and clinical characteristic of the enrolled newborns and of their parents: prenatal conditions

Pregnancy

Assisted reproductive technique

154 (20.9)

90 (11.7)

7 (1.0)

251 (11.4)

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR)

82 (11.1)

58 (7.6)

7 (1.0)

147 (6.7)

Mother’s characteristics

Age >40 year

95 (12.9)

91 (11.9)

46 (6.5)

232 (10.5)

Low education

185 (25.1)

184 (24)

131 (18.6)

500 (22.6)

Nationality

  Italian

654 (88.7)

703 (91.7)

655 (92.8)

2012 (91.0)

  African

12 (1.6)

9 (1.2)

8 (1.1)

29 (1.3)

  Asian

10 (1.4)

2 (0.3)

6 (0.8)

18 (0.8)

  Eastern Europe

36 (4.9)

37 (4.8)

22 (3.1)

95 (4.3)

  Western Europe

13 (1.8)

4 (0.5)

7 (1.0)

24 (1.1)

Southern America

12 (1.6)

12 (1.6)

8 (1.1)

32 (1.4)

Maternal diseases during pregnancy

275 (37.3)

220 (28.7)

92 (13.0)

587 (26.6)

Treatment with corticosteroids

404 (54.8)

157 (20.5)

4 (0.6)

565 (25.6)

History of respiratory diseases

138 (18.7)

134 (17.5)

132 (18.7)

404 (18.3)

  Asthma

49 (6.6)

50 (6.5)

47 (6.7)

146 (6.6)

  COPD

12 (1.6)

8 (1.0)

6 (0.8)

26 (1.2)

  Eczema

33 (4.5)

28 (3.7)

26 (3.7)

87 (3.9)

  Rhinitis

78 (10.6)

82 (10.7)

90 (12.7)

250 (11.3)

  Wheezing

1 (0.1)

-

1 (0.1)

2 (0.1)

Prenatal smoke exposure

  None

559 (75.8)

560 (73.0)

525 (74.4)

1644 (74.4)

  To maternal active smoking only

76 (10.3)

93 (12.1)

61 (8.6)

230 (10.4)

  To maternal passive smoking only

102 (13.8)

114 (14.9)

120 (17.0)

336 (15.2)

Father’s characteristics

Age >40 year

184 (25.0)

203 (26.5)

158 (22.4)

545 (24.7)

Low education

219 (29.7)

261 (34.0)

198 (28.0)

678 (30.7)

History of respiratory diseases

138 (18.7)

158 (20.6)

141 (20.0)

437 (19.8)

  Asthma

51 (6.9)

48 (6.3)

48 (6.8)

147 (6.7)

  COPD

8 (1.1)

14 (1.8)

8 (1.1)

30 (1.4)

  Eczema

15 (2.0)

12 (1.6)

15 (2.1)

42 (1.9)

  Rhinitis

100 (13.6)

133 (17.3)

117 (16.6)

350 (15.8)