Asthma In Pregnancy

Asthma in pregnancy is a risky disease for the fetus and the mother. It is estimated that between 3% and 6% of the world population has this disease, which makes it a very common condition.

Asthma is the obstruction of the smallest parts of the airways. The obstruction causes difficulty in performing respiratory mechanics , especially for expiration. This obstruction is based on the inflammation of the small bronchi.

Among pregnant women, asthma is the most common chronic disease. According to statistics, between 4% and 7% of pregnant women have complications associated with asthma at some point in their pregnancy , although during childbirth it is highly unlikely that it will manifest itself.

The worst time is usually between the seventeenth and twenty-fourth week of pregnancy. This is at the end of the second trimester. The greatest number of consultations of pregnant women in emergency services was registered at that time . On the other hand, the smallest number of consultations for this reason occurs in the last month before delivery.

Consequences of Asthma in Pregnancy

If a pregnant woman with asthma is not treated and controlled properly, complications can occur in her health and that of the fetus. The main danger is lack of oxygen. The oxygen that the mother has circulates in the blood and is what she shares with the baby , and the decrease in its levels will affect both of them.

Asthma in pregnancy can cause the mother:

• Hyperemesis gravidarum: occurrence of intense vomiting for a long time. It’s not the typical morning nausea of ​​the first trimester. Here, episodes are frequent and cause weight loss.
• Pre – eclampsia : also called pregnancy toxemia. It is a syndrome in which the mother’s blood pressure rises, edema is caused by fluid retention and there is a loss of protein in the urine – proteinuria.
• Gestational hypertension : it is the increase in the pressure levels of the pregnant woman.

• Premature labor : although asthma symptoms do not often appear during childbirth, labor can be brought forward due to this disease.

In the baby, asthma during pregnancy can cause:

• Intrauterine growth delay : the constant lack of sufficient oxygen causes the fetus to grow more slowly, and it may be smaller than expected for the gestational age.
• Low birth weight : associated with intrauterine growth restriction, it is a baby who arrives at the time of delivery without sufficient weight.
• Neonatal hypoxemia : At the time of delivery, the baby may have an insufficient supply of oxygen that causes the baby to be born with symptoms of shortness of breath. This will require intensive neonatal care with external oxygen supplementation.

• Increased perinatal mortality : if asthma in pregnancy is not controlled, the risk of the baby’s death increases.

Medications for Asthma During Pregnancy

During pregnancy, it is important to choose, together with your doctor, which medications can be taken according to your needs. Not all medications are safe for both mother and baby. Therefore, the medical advice is essential .

For asthma, most medications have proven not to be harmful to pregnant women. Uncontrolled asthma is presumed to be more dangerous during pregnancy than the possible adverse effects of the medications used.

Allergy desensitization injections are used in some asthmatics to reduce episodes of asthma attacks. If the pregnant woman started these injections before becoming pregnant, she should continue with them , but their initiation is contraindicated when the pregnancy is already established.

After childbirth, there are no problems for a woman to breastfeed. In addition, asthmatics who have recently been mothers are encouraged not to give up medication .

How to prevent complications?

There are basic measures that women with asthma during pregnancy can take to reduce the risks, always accompanied by professional advice and appropriate medication, to be defined by doctors.

Below, we explain what these preventive measures are:

• Do not smoke : tobacco complicates and worsens asthma, in addition to increasing the risk of congenital syndromes in the fetus.

• Control triggers : Asthma responds as an acute attack to certain substances that should be avoided. We can name environments with dust or dirt, cigarette smoke and some animal hair.
• Respect prenatal consultations: Pregnant and asthmatic women need more intensive control with doctors than planned for a normal high-risk pregnancy.
• Take medication in a timely manner : according to medical indications, schedules and presentations must be respected. Never self-medicate under these circumstances.
• Pay attention to warning signs : the doctor will provide the pregnant woman with a list of symptoms that, if they appear, indicate the need for a quick consultation. These symptoms are usually shortness of breath, severe chronic cough and fever, among others.
• Control of gastroesophageal reflux : it is common for pregnant women to suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease. The problem is that reflux can intensify asthma symptoms. For this reason, household measures should be taken, such as raising the head of the bed, dividing daily meals into smaller parts, and delaying bedtime, letting two or three hours pass after dinner, in order to prevent food from triggering the reflux.

Conclusion

Asthma in pregnancy carries significant risks for both mother and fetus. Therefore, if this occurs, it is important to consult the doctor and follow the recommended treatment. Also, it is advisable to be aware of any symptoms that indicate a complication.