Asthma poses serious risk in pregnancy.

2003 OCT 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Asthma affects more than 20 million Americans and can be a serious problem for pregnant women. Avoiding asthma triggers, taking medication as prescribed, and working with your physician will ensure you and your baby's health, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI).

"Asthma is one of the most common medical problems to occur in pregnant women," said Michael Schatz, MD, an expert on the management of allergies and asthma during pregnancy. "If you work with your allergist/immunologist to control your asthma during pregnancy, you should be just as likely as anyone else to have a normal pregnancy and a healthy baby."

Uncontrolled asthma can be a threat to maternal well being and fetal growth and survival. Asthma can cause a decrease in the oxygen content of the mother's blood.

"Your baby is dependent on the mother for oxygen, but if asthma is not controlled, the mother's lack of oxygen could hurt the baby," Schatz said. "If asthma is controlled during pregnancy, there should be no increased risk."

Asthma tends to worsen in the late second and early third trimesters; however, some women may experience fewer symptoms during the last four weeks of pregnancy. In fact, studies have demonstrated that asthma symptoms get worse in one third of women and improve in another third during pregnancy. Troublesome asthma during ...