Asthma and Pregnancy
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that makes airways (bronchial tubes)
particularly sensitive to irritants, and this is characterized by difficulty in
breathing.
Asthma cannot be cured, but for most patients it can be controlled so that they
have only minimal and infrequent symptoms and they can live an active life.
If you have asthma, managing it is an important part of your life. Controlling
your asthma means staying away from things that bother your airways and taking
medicines as directed by your doctor.
The first question most women on medication ask when they are expecting a baby,
is "Will this medicine harm my baby ?"
The good news is that all the common allergy and asthma medicines are known to
be very safe during pregnancy. So, pregnant women should be able to enjoy an
asthma and allergy free pregnancy.
In fact, asthma control is especially important when for pregnant women.
With newer drugs and medicines there is often no formal information about safety
in pregnancy, because women who are or might become pregnant are not allowed to
take part in the safety tests during the testing of the drugs or medicines for
fear of harming the baby (and facing massive lawsuits as a result). No drug
manufacturer wants to take the least risk with unborn babies.
However, older asthma treatment medicines exist, and these have been used for
many decades, and long before the thalidomide catastrophe taught us that unborn
babies are especially at risk. Many of these older asthma treatments have been
used during pregnancy for decades, and are known to be safe in pregnancy.
In the case of newer medicines you should avoid them in pregnancy if possible,
just in case. But there is a wide selection of older alternatives that are safe
for use during pregnancy.
When a baby is conceived, the parents don't know whether it is going to be a boy
or a girl. Nor do they know whether it will be more clever or less so. They
happily take the chance. Sadly, some pregnancies end in loss of the baby, and
others result in babies that are born with illnesses and defects, even to mums
who have not been anywhere near medicines. That is all part of life. Parents
accept these risks when they decide that they want to have a baby. The
overwhelming majority of birth problems have nothing at all to do with medical
treatments.
At a Glance … Asthma
and Pregnancy-
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that makes airways (bronchial
tubes) particularly sensitive to irritants, and this is characterized by
difficulty in breathing.
-
Common allergy and asthma medicines are known to be very safe during
pregnancy.
-
As a result, pregnant women should be able to enjoy an asthma and allergy
free pregnancy.
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Asthma Books
Here we are launching two asthma eBooks with basic information and tips about
Astma and Allergies.
- The Asthma Secrets
- The Asthma Basics
Come back and Check them out in a few weeks!
Asthma Resources
The asthma resources on this site are based on various reports and the experience of respected authorities.
Safe Drugs and Pregnancy
Which Drugs and Medicines are Safe for use during Pregnancy?
Asthma Medicines and
Pregnancy
Far from being dangerous in pregnancies, certain asthma medicines can help to
protect your baby and help it to develop normally.
Exercise and Asthma
A few people seem to get asthma attacks only when they run or take other
exercise.
Type of Exercise
Some types of exercise are worse than others. For example, if you do different
types of exercise that you use the same amount of oxygen, then some will cause
more wheeziness or chest tightness than others.
Avoid Exercise
People with asthma should definitely exercise. Enjoyable exercise is even more
important for asthma sufferers than for other people.
Occupational Asthma
Some jobs can actually cause asthma. Asthma caused by dust or fumes at work is
called occupational asthma.
Peak Flow Meters
A peak flow meter is a hand-held device that shows how well you are breathing.
More Articles about Asthma...
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