everhealthy
02-02-2005, 09:08 PM
New guidelines for managing asthma during pregnancy should reassure women who worry that taking medication might harm the fetus.
As many as 8% of pregnant women have asthma, and that proportion is increasing.
About one-third of women experience a worsening of their asthma during pregnancy, and about one-quarter have an improvement, according to the guidelines report. It was released Tuesday by the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program.
The new pregnancy guidelines are aimed at pregnant women with persistent asthma, defined as those who have symptoms at least two days a week or two nights a week. Such women require daily medication to control their asthma. But many pregnant women — and the doctors who care for them — mistakenly shy away from asthma medications for fear that the drugs will cause birth defects.
The guidelines, sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, can be accessed at nhlbi.nih.gov/health/prof/lung/asthma/astpreg.htm.
Highlights include:
• Pregnant women should always have Albuterol on hand. The short-acting inhaled medication has been well studied in pregnancy.
• Inhaled steroids are the preferred medication for pregnant women with persistent asthma. Of all inhaled steroids, there are more pregnancy safety data for budesonide, but there's no evidence that other inhaled steroids aren't safe. Increased doses of an inhaled steroid or the addition of another type of drug, called a beta agonist, might be necessary for some.
• Women with severe asthma may need to take steroids by mouth. Although data about their safety during pregnancy are conflicting, severe uncontrolled asthma poses definite risks to the mother and fetus.
More details at: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-01-11-asthma-pregnancy_x.htm
As many as 8% of pregnant women have asthma, and that proportion is increasing.
About one-third of women experience a worsening of their asthma during pregnancy, and about one-quarter have an improvement, according to the guidelines report. It was released Tuesday by the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program.
The new pregnancy guidelines are aimed at pregnant women with persistent asthma, defined as those who have symptoms at least two days a week or two nights a week. Such women require daily medication to control their asthma. But many pregnant women — and the doctors who care for them — mistakenly shy away from asthma medications for fear that the drugs will cause birth defects.
The guidelines, sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, can be accessed at nhlbi.nih.gov/health/prof/lung/asthma/astpreg.htm.
Highlights include:
• Pregnant women should always have Albuterol on hand. The short-acting inhaled medication has been well studied in pregnancy.
• Inhaled steroids are the preferred medication for pregnant women with persistent asthma. Of all inhaled steroids, there are more pregnancy safety data for budesonide, but there's no evidence that other inhaled steroids aren't safe. Increased doses of an inhaled steroid or the addition of another type of drug, called a beta agonist, might be necessary for some.
• Women with severe asthma may need to take steroids by mouth. Although data about their safety during pregnancy are conflicting, severe uncontrolled asthma poses definite risks to the mother and fetus.
More details at: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-01-11-asthma-pregnancy_x.htm