Asthmatic
& Pregnant?
Suggestions
to help you breath easier
If you’re pregnant and have asthma, it’s natural to have all kinds of
questions: Will my asthma be passed onto my child? What about me, when I give birth?
Can I take my asthma medication while pregnant? “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,”
said Michael Schatz, MD, FAAAAI. It’s important to remember that the risks of
uncontrolled asthma are far greater than the risks associated with asthma
medications.
Asthma is one of the most common medical conditions in pregnant women. The
key is to manage your asthma so that your baby can get the oxygen needed for
proper development. Your first step should be to avoid irritants that trigger
your asthma. Some of the common triggers for asthma are dust mites, mold,
cigarette smoke, cockroach allergen, and animal dander. Your ability to control
your asthma affects how well your baby receives oxygen. You may not want to be
taking medication when pregnant, but it is important to control and manage your
asthma symptoms for your baby’s health too. It’s possible you’ll need shots or
oral pills (if prescribed by your doctor), but most women should just be taking
low-dose short-acting medications.
The latest guidelines recommend that pregnant women with asthma use an
inhaled corticosteroid such as budesonide. These new guidelines are based on
thousands of reports and are the latest version of treatment recommendations.
They indicate that albuterol should be a first line defense for pregnant women
with asthma. The short acting drugs—low-dose inhaled corticosteroids, such as
budesonide— are safer than alternative therapies such as terbutaline. By
following these new guidelines with your doctor, your asthma will not prevent
you from having a healthy baby.
SOURCE: American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology
www.aaaai.org/media/news_releases/2003/09/090203.stm
www.aaaai.org/patients/topicofthemonth/0903/default.stm