Pregnant Women With Asthma Advised To Take Precautions.(Brief Article)

2001 SEP 6 - (NewsRx Network) -- Asthma affects more than 17 million Americans and can be a serious problem for pregnant women, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI).

When left uncontrolled, asthma is the most common, potentially serious, medical problem that may complicate pregnancy.

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," said Michael Schatz, MD, an expert on the management of allergies and asthma during pregnancy. "Since the fetus receives its oxygen from the mother's blood, decreased oxygen in her blood can lead to decreased oxygen in the fetus' blood. This, in turn, can lead to impaired fetal growth and survival, since a fetus requires a constant supply of oxygen for normal growth and development."

If a pregnant woman has asthma, it's doubly important that her symptoms be well-managed to increase both her health and that of her baby. "The three major issues with asthma and pregnancy are how a woman's asthma can become better or worse during pregnancy, how having asthma can influence the outcome of the pregnancy, and the effects of the asthma medication on the woman and child during pregnancy," said Schatz. "It also boils down to knowing how to appropriately manage asthma."

Pregnancy may affect the severity of asthma. 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. Troublesome asthma during labor and delivery is rare in women whose asthma has been adequately controlled during pregnancy. One study ...