pregnancy have also been shown to predispose infants to atopic disease. For example, a
double-blind placebo control study showed that children exposed in utero to beta-adrenergic
receptor-blocking drugs taken for toxicosis of pregnancy, had elevated IgE levels in the cord
blood and developed clinical allergy during the first four years of life significantly more often
than the children of placebo-treated control mothers.14(122)
Apart from a constitutional Kidney-Defensive-Qi system weakness which may be hereditary or
developed in utero as in points (a) and (b) above, the period of time during the actual birth has a
bearing on the development of the Lung and Kidney's Defensive-Qi systems. Studies have
shown that stress during the neonatal period may increase the risk of development of allergy
later in life.15(123)
In particular, premature severing of the umbilical cord may interrupt the vital flow of hormones
and immune cells from the placenta to the offspring and the excretion of waste products from the
baby to the placenta. As mentioned earlier, IgG immunoglobulins which prevent IgE-mediated
allergic reactions, are the only immunoglobulins that are transported across the placenta to reach
the foetal circulation. It is therefore possible that a premature severance of the umbilical cord
may lead to a deficiency of IgG immunoglobulins in the baby and therefore a predisposition to
IgE-mediated allergic reactions later in life. In fact, levels of IgE antibodies are already higher at
birth in infants who later develop atopic disease.16(124) As IgE antibodies do not cross the
placental barrier they must be of foetal origin. Their elevated levels therefore suggest a
spontaneous antibody formation which is not efficiently suppressed by the IgG
immunoglobulins.
There is an interesting connection here with the traditional Chinese use of placenta and umbilical
cord for the treatment of asthma in children. In modern China, some doctors inject placenta
extract in the points LU-6 Kongzui, ST-40 Fenglong and BL-23 Shenshu to treat allergic asthma.
This seems to confirm that an interruption in the two-way flow of hormones, immune cells and
wastes between the placenta and the baby during childbirth is one of the causes of a deficiency
of the Kidney's Defensive-Qi system. Dr Kiiko Matsumoto also attributes allergies and asthma to
the premature severing of the umbilical cord.17(125) Finally, the very last development of lungs
and kidneys takes place in the birth canal and in babies delivered by Caesarian section there is a
higher incidence of allergic asthma.
Immunizations may sometimes trigger off atopic asthma and/or eczema in susceptible
individuals. Animal studies have demonstrated that pertussis bacteria induce IgE antibody
formation. It is therefore possible that pertussis immunization may induce excessive levels of
IgE antibodies: this effect would be enhanced if immunization is given during the pollen
season.18(126)
It has also been reported that general anaesthesia in infants may be associated with later
development of respiratory tract allergy.19(127)