The relationship of food allergy with the type of birthof the child and its effect on mothers' anxiety andquality of life

This study was conducted to examine the relationship of food allergy with the child's birth type and its effect on mothers' anxiety and quality of life. Volunteer mothers with children with food allergies between the ages of 0-12 participated in the study. Research data were collected using the face-to-face interview technique with a survey form prepared by the researcher. Individuals' general information, demographic characteristics, knowledge about diseases and allergies, quality of life and anxiety (Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Parent Form (FAQLQ-PF) and Food Allergy Quality of Life-Parental Burden (FAQL-PB)) were evaluated. The duration of breastfeeding in those born vaginally (16.48±6.95 months) was found to be longer than in those born by cesarean section (12.52±7.92 months) (p=0.002). It was determined that 84.5% of those born vaginally had no neonatal intensive care admission, while 32.9% of those born by cesarean section had neonatal intensive care admission. (p=0.020). Antibiotic use in the first six months of children born by cesarean section (41.5%) is higher than those born vaginally (22.4%) (p=0.019). FAQLQ-PF eating anxiety scores were found to be significantly higher in those born vaginally than in those born by cesarean section (p=0.048). Parental burden FAQL-PB scores were found to be significantly higher in those born vaginally than in those born by cesarean section (p=0.040). Following an allergy-friendly diet during vaginal and cesarean sections also increased mothers' anxiety (p=0.021; p<0.001). In those who had a cesarean section, as the child's age increased, emotional impact, eating anxiety, social and nutritional limitations, and FAQLQ – PF total values increased (p<0.05). As a result of the logistic regression analysis, it was found that when eating anxiety increased by 1 unit, the preference for vaginal birth increased by 23.0% (OR=1.230, p<0.05). When eating anxiety increased by 1 unit, the preference for cesarean section decreased by 18.7% (OR=0.813, p<0.05). Caesarean section is the source of various factors that may induce dysbiosis of the microbiota, such as antibiotic use, neonatal intensive care unit admission, and duration of breastfeeding. For this reason, if there is no medical indication, vaginal birth should be preferred.