Dr. Aditya Shah
Expert In Clinical Pharmacology And Drug SafetyView moreWhat is Asthma?
Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition characterized by the inflammation and narrowing of the airways (bronchial tubes) that carry air in and out of the lungs. It is not a temporary illness but a long-term condition that requires ongoing management.
When someone with asthma is exposed to a trigger, their airways react in three distinct ways:
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Inflammation: The lining of the airways becomes swollen and irritated.
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Bronchoconstriction: The muscles surrounding the airways tighten, making the passage narrow.
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Mucus Production: The body produces thick mucus that further clogs the narrowed tubes
How Does Pregnancy Asthma Feel?
When you are pregnant and have asthma issues, the signs are the same as in any normal patient. You can have the same issues as when you are not pregnant. To give you an idea about the symptoms of asthma, it includes-
- Wheezing
- Coughing
- Tightness in the chest region
- Inability to breathe through the nose
- Feeling out of breath
However, the way you feel these issues in your body may be a lot different than in the general case. When you are pregnant, the signs of asthma may be the same, but they occur more severely.
Any symptom may turn out to be more significant and cause a lot of difficulty in your body. Some studies show that during pregnancy, the chances of getting an asthma issue can increase.
For example, it tends to happen more often. But in some cases, nothing occurs, and the asthma symptoms do not increase in severity or frequency at all.
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Why Managing Asthma Is Important During Pregnancy
Proper asthma control is essential because poorly managed asthma can reduce oxygen supply to both the mother and the baby.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, uncontrolled asthma during pregnancy may increase the risk of:
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Preterm birth
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Low birth weight
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Preeclampsia
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Poor fetal growth
Maintaining stable breathing and oxygen levels is critical for fetal development.
Can Pregnancy Cause Asthma Complications?
Generally, pregnancy does not have any relation with causing asthma. If you think that the bump in your belly region has something to do with asthma, then it is wrong. The opposite of this is true, where the intensity or chances of an asthma attack can rise during pregnancy.
Most of the time, these happen when you do not take proper care of your health and use your Asthalin Respules inhaler on time. A study here shows that about 45% of pregnant women experience a more intense form of asthma than before.
However, it is important to note that all of these cases had an asthma attack before pregnancy. In only a fine minority of the cases, the patients did not notice any major increase in asthma issues even during pregnancy.
Even further and deeper studies show that the peak time of an asthma symptom is during the 29th to 36th week of your pregnancy.
However, there seems to be an interesting turnaround of events as asthma does not get worse during delivery or childbirth.
Scientists are not exactly sure how this happens. But the worst part is that you do not think that your asthma will be during childbirth and will never come back. In most of the cases, the asthma symptoms are just back to normal within a few months of childbirth.
Plus, if your asthma issues get bad during pregnancy times expect the same thing to occur again if you are pregnant once more.
Why Does Being Pregnant Worsen Asthma?
There are some reasons that scientists believe are the reasons why pregnancy may worsen asthma issues. Let us find out what happens during this case that makes you more prone to the breathing disorder.
| Rise In Uterus Size And Shift Of Your Diaphragm
| This is one of the main reasons why your asthma issue can get bad during pregnancy. See, for the delivery of the growing baby, the uterus size will expand in the advanced stages of pregnancy. This increase in the size of the uterus gives an upward lift and force, which also pushes the diaphragm up, and this may cause problems in breathing. |
| Increase in Some Hormones
| During the times of pregnancy, several hormones increase in their secretion. Studies show that some of these hormones can cause a drying effect in the trachea and sinuses, making them prone to constriction. It seems that the hormone progesterone can also increase your breathing rate, a normal sign that can trigger asthma. |
| Increase in Heartbeat | During your pregnancy months, the heart has to work much more since it has the task of providing blood not just to your body but to the foetus in the womb too. This rise in heartbeat is also a symptom that commonly occurs during an asthma attack. In all of these issues, it is a good idea to ask a doctor whether you are safe to use an inhaler like Duolin Rotacaps and the amount of dose to use. |
How Is Asthma Treated During Pregnancy?
Most of the time, a doctor will adjust the dose not just once but several times during this phase to make it suitable for your health and the growing foetus.
Of course, it is important to monitor your asthma symptoms and find out how frequently the issues occur, if the signs are getting bad or increasing in frequency, and so on.
A doctor will also conduct several USG tests during this time to see if the foetus is growing at a normal rate without showing any abnormal signs.
No doubt that one of the basic things is to avoid asthma triggers. A complete knowledge of what causes asthma is a good idea since you can avoid getting into such a situation.
Is It Safe to Use Asthma Medication During Pregnancy?
One of the biggest concerns for pregnant women is whether asthma medications are safe.
Most experts, including the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, agree that it is safer to treat asthma with medication than to leave it uncontrolled.
Common Asthma Medications Considered Safe
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Inhaled corticosteroids
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Short-acting bronchodilators (rescue inhalers)
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Long-acting bronchodilators (in some cases)
These medications help control inflammation and keep airways open.
Medications to Use with Caution
Some oral medications or high-dose treatments may require careful monitoring. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or adjusting any medication.
Bottom Line
Suffering from asthma for a long time, the signs may increase during pregnancy. However, with the right treatment and under a doctor’s careful monitoring, you can still control the situation and almost lead a normal and healthy pregnancy.
