Worried about using asthma medications while you’re pregnant? The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists now advises pregnant women with asthma to keep using their asthma medication during pregnancy if necessary—but in the lowest possible dose.
The recommendations echo the U.S. National Asthma Education Prevention Program, which says that using asthma medications during pregnancy is less dangerous than having an asthma attack. An attack may deprive the fetus of oxygen and cause such fetal complications as premature birth and growth problems.
More than 30 million Americans suffer from asthma, and a recent study showed that asthma complications are high among low-income pregnant women, particularly among black women in this category. However, experts say, women with “well-controlled” asthma can have healthy pregnancies. To read more about asthma and pregnancy, visit the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology website.
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