Relationship between fetal growth and the development of asthma and atopy in childhood.

734 subjects born in 1972-73 were followed up until the age of 13. Infants with a larger head circumference at birth tended to have higher serum total IgE at 11 years of age but IgE was not associated significantly with birth lenght or birth weight. In contrast, recent asthma symptoms were positively associated with birth length but not with head circumference. There were no signifant associations of any of the birth parameters with skin prick positivity, reported hay fever, or eczema.