Allergy Prevention

Atopic diseases have become a public health concern in the last few decades. The recent increase in the prevalence of atopic diseases comes with high socioeconomic costs and underlines the need for effective prevention. Prevention can be directed to reduce the incidence of allergic diseases, in “high-risk” patients, as well as reducing the severity and impact on the quality of life of allergic patients. The occurrence of atopic diseases depends on a complex interplay between genetic predisposition, environmental and allergen exposures, microbial imbalance, and immune dysfunction. Current preventive strategies for atopic diseases in children target mainly environmental and allergen exposures, both in pregnant women and in children during early infancy. Over the last decade, there has been an increasing interest in microbiome composition, development, and modulation as a possible preventive strategy for immune-mediated diseases such as allergic diseases. This chapter focuses on available high-quality evidence on the role of prenatal and perinatal interventions for the prevention of allergic diseases in children and addresses the current preventive strategies recommended by international guidelines as well as unmet areas for future research.