The relevance of maternal immune responses to inhalant allergens to maternal symptoms, passive transfer to the infant, and development of antibodies in the first 2 years of life.

Background: Asthma and other atopic diseases are strongly hereditary. Although the mother might play a special role, the mechanisms for such an effect are not clear.

Objective: We sought to investigate the influence of maternal immune responses to cat and mite allergens on (1) maternal symptoms, (2) the development of immune responses in the infant, and (3) the development of allergic disease during the first 3 years of life.