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Asthma During Pregnancy

Table of Contents


Overview

Asthma is a fairly common health problem during pregnancy. This includes those who have never had asthma before. During an asthma attack, it can make it harder to breathe, and the baby may get less oxygen. But when asthma is well controlled, there are few risks to the pregnancy.

Most asthma treatments are safe to use when you're pregnant. Talk to your doctor about the safest treatment for you.

What are the risks of uncontrolled asthma during pregnancy?

If your asthma is not controlled, risks to your health may include:

Risks to the fetus may include:

The better you and your doctor can manage your asthma, the less risk there is.

How is asthma managed during pregnancy?

You'll need an asthma action plan to help you manage asthma during your pregnancy. Use this plan to help control inflammation and prevent and control asthma attacks.

If you're pregnant and have asthma, here are some things to know:

How can you manage asthma during pregnancy by treating allergies?

It's common to have allergies, such as allergic rhinitis, along with asthma. Treating allergies is an important part of managing asthma during your pregnancy.

Are asthma medicines safe to use during pregnancy?

If you're pregnant and have asthma, it's safer to be treated with asthma medicines than to have asthma symptoms and asthma attacks.

Poor control of asthma is a greater risk to the baby than asthma medicines are.

Never stop taking or reduce your medicines without talking to your doctor. You might have to wait until your pregnancy is over to make changes in your medicine.

Always talk to your doctor before using any medicine when you're pregnant or trying to become pregnant.


Credits for Asthma During Pregnancy

Current as of: July 10, 2023

Author: Healthwise Staff (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
Clinical Review Board (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.


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