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Antibiotic use from childhood through early adulthood was associated with higher odds of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) at age 24, with the odds increasing as the number of antibiotic prescriptions rose, according to a new study presented at UEG Week 2026.

IBS is a common digestive disorder that affects more than 60 million people across Europe, causing symptoms such as abdominal pain and changes in bowel habits. While previous research has suggested a link between antibiotic use and IBS, evidence on whether childhood exposure is associated with IBS in adulthood remains inconsistent. Much of the existing evidence relies on people recalling past antibiotic use, with a lack of population-based studies using objectively recorded antibiotic data across childhood.

To address this gap, researchers analyzed data from 2,853 participants in the population-based Swedish BAMSE birth cohort. Antibiotic prescriptions were obtained from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register from 2005, when participants were aged 9–11 years, until one year before IBS was assessed at age 24.

The researchers examined whether participants had received antibiotics, the total number of prescriptions received and the classes of antibiotics prescribed.

At age 24, 10.0% of participants had IBS, of whom 79.4% were female. Antibiotic use was more common among those with IBS, with 87.8% having received antibiotics during the study period compared with 80.2% of those without IBS.

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