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The Interrelations Between Asthma, Pregnancy, and Lactation

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Bronchial Asthma

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Abstract

Asthma can be expected in at least 7% of women of childbearing age and has been reported to complicate 1% of pregnancies (1). The last decade has heralded a series of sometimes conflicting studies that have debated the inter-relationships between asthma, pregnancy, and fetal outcome. The literature on the effect asthma has on the fetus suggests an increased risk of perinatal mortality and low-birth-weight or preterm infants. Maternal hypertension and death can also complicate the pregnancy of an asthmatic woman. The severity of the asthma itself often seems to change during pregnancy, with the bulk of the data suggesting that asthma most frequently worsens. Furthermore, subsequent pregnancies tend to mimic the previous pattern of disease. Close medical supervision accompanied by aggressive management appear to favorably affect both fetal and maternal outcome. This chapter will review the differential diagnosis and interrelationships of asthma in pregnancy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of California School of Medicine, Davis, CA, USA

    Gary A. Incaudo

  2. University of California School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA

    Michael Schatz

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  1. University of California School of Medicine, Davis, CA, USA

    M. Eric Gershwin  & Georges M. Halpern  & 

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Incaudo, G.A., Schatz, M. (1994). The Interrelations Between Asthma, Pregnancy, and Lactation. In: Gershwin, M.E., Halpern, G.M. (eds) Bronchial Asthma. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-0297-4_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-0297-4_6

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

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