We define pregnancy rhinitis as nasal congestion in the last 6 or more weeks of pregnancy without other signs of respiratory tract infection and with no known allergic cause, disappearing completely within 2 weeks after delivery. In order to describe physiological variations of nasal obstruction during pregnancy, subjective scores and nasal as well as oral peak expiratory flow values were recorded daily in 23 pregnancies until 1 month after delivery. Scores were higher during early and late pregnancy than in the month after delivery. Objectively registered blockage increased during pregnancy in eight women only. Unexpectedly nine women showed declining blockage. Five of 23 women had pregnancy rhinitis.

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The purpose of this study was to define the cumulative incidence of pregnancy rhinitis, and to study whether smoking, asthma, hayfever or month of conception are risk factors. A questionnaire was delivered during 1 year in 10 antenatal care centers in one Swedish county. Questions were asked by midwives on the ordinary check-up visits throughout pregnancy. Five centers with response rates of 70% or more, including 599 women, were evaluated. The cumulative incidence of pregnancy rhinitis was 22%. Smokers had a significantly increased incidence with a relative risk enhancement of 69%, whereas hayfever, asthma, and month of conception had no statistically significant influence on incidence. Pregnancy rhinitis was shown to appear at any time during gestation.

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