On Monday 30 June at 14:00, Camilla Lomholt Kjersgaard defends her PhD dissertation entitled "Atopic dermatitis and reproductive health".

Birth rates are declining across all European countries, now falling below the demographic threshold of 2.1 children per woman required to maintain population size. At the same time, research suggests a potential link between atopic dermatitis – commonly known as atopic eczema – and reproductive health.

Previous studies have indicated that individuals with atopic dermatitis are more likely to have fewer siblings, come from smaller families, and experience flare-ups of the condition during pregnancy. In addition, the immune profile characteristic of the disease has been associated with a reduced risk of miscarriage. These observations raise important questions about whether atopic dermatitis may influence reproductive health, including puberty and the ability to conceive.

Despite this, the association between atopic dermatitis and reproductive health remains largely under-researched. There is a need to better understand whether, and how atopic dermatitis may affect puberty, semen quality, sex hormones, and time to pregnancy.

The summary is written by the PhD student.

The defence is public and takes place in Samfundsmedicinsk Auditorium (1262-101), Aarhus University. Please see the press release for more information. 

Contact

PhD student Camilla Lomholt Kjersgaard
Mail: ck@ph.au.dk
Phone: (+45) 87168268

Read full press release