Treating Asthma in Pregnancy - An Update

Abstract

:Asthma is one of the most common chronic medical conditions affecting the lungs during pregnancy. At any given time, up to 8% pregnant women have asthma. During pregnancy, asthma not only affects the woman, but it can also cut back on the oxygen to fetus. But this does not mean that having asthma will make pregnancy more difficult or dangerous to fetus. Pregnant women who have asthma that is properly controlled generally have normal pregnancies with little or no increased risk to pregnant women or their developing babies. Currently available national guidelines for the treatment of asthma during pregnancy emphasize the objective measurement of control, patient education, motivation, caution and medication adherence. The article reviews the available literature highlighting the appropriate selection of medications in the treatment of asthma during pregnancy, and to identify those factors which may influence the asthma care provider's ability to successfully manage this condition, and also illustrate that maintaining asthma control with long term medications in pregnancy is safer than the risk of uncontrolled asthma or untreated exacerbations for both the mother and the fetus. Women's drug treatment during pregnancy should be regularly assessed in the light of asthma control criteria.

Asthma in pregnant woman and its management : a review

“…In an appropriate clinical setting with intermittent pulmonarysymptoms (such as wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness), the medical historyshould focus on the underlying causes of asthma and whether there are possible comorbidities suchas gastroesophageal reflux disease, voice spinal cord dysfunction, Chronic sinus disease or rhinitis may mimic asthma symptoms or may lead to poor control. 19 During pregnancy, if symptoms of asthma occur, a spirometer can be used to diagnose the severity of asthma in patients without a history of asthma. If the FEV1/FVC ratio decreases or women show at least 12% improvement in FEV1 after inhaling short-acting beta agonists, the diagnosis of asthma can be confirmed.…”