Maternal stress during pregnancy may be partly to blame for childhood eczema, according to a study on mice published in the journal Nature.
While past epidemiological studies have linked the two, this is the first time scientists have found a biological mechanism that explains the connection.
Pediatric eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a common inflammatory skin condition characterized by dry, scaly patches of skin that are often extremely itchy. According to the new research, a possible cause is a rise in the stress hormone cortisol during pregnancy. This increase causes sensory neurons and immune cells in the developing baby’s skin to overreact, leading to eczema.
“Our findings support a new model in which early-onset pediatric eczema originates from dysregulations in the fetal immune system, caused by fluctuations in maternal glucocorticoids (a class of steroid hormones) induced by stress,” commented the scientists in their paper.
The research team arrived at this conclusion after conducting a series of experiments on pregnant mice. They subjected some of the rodents to mild stress by placing them in a narrow tube with bright lights shining on them for half an hour, three times a day for five days. This resulted in a significant spike in cortisol levels in maternal blood and the amniotic fluid.
After the pups were born, scientists mimicked the mild friction that can trigger eczema in babies by gently rubbing their skin in typical eczema-prone areas. Almost all of the offspring of stressed mothers developed eczema-like symptoms. Pups of control mothers who were free to roam during pregnancy and therefore less stressed never developed full-blown lesions.
Gene studies
Researchers then examined the baby mice’s skin cells to see how their genes were behaving and if any were altered by the stress their mothers experienced. They found that a type of immune cell, known as a mast cell, which is involved in inflammatory responses, was primed to release histamine. This chemical causes symptoms like itching and swelling.
To further confirm the role of mast cells, the research team genetically engineered mice without them. Even when their mothers were stressed, the offspring did not develop eczema.
The scientists also discovered that the genes of sensory neurons, which link the skin to the spinal cord, were altered by maternal stress. Many of these genes are associated with pain and itching, suggesting that the baby mice had heightened skin sensitivity.
This research does not definitively prove a causal link in humans, as it was conducted on mice. However, it strongly suggests a potential connection. If the same biological mechanism is identified in humans, it could pave the way for new therapeutic approaches. For example, stress management during pregnancy could help reduce the risk of eczema and possibly other allergic diseases in children.
Written for you by our author Paul Arnold, edited by Sadie Harley, —this article is the result of careful human work. We rely on readers like you to keep independent science journalism alive.
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More information:
Nadine Serhan et al, Maternal stress triggers early-life eczema through fetal mast cell programming, Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09419-8
Abhay P. S. Rathore et al, Childhood eczema linked to mother’s stress during pregnancy, Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/d41586-025-02427-8
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Study in mice reveals a link between maternal stress during pregnancy and childhood eczema ( 29)
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