Asthma And Pregnancy: What Are The Risks?

Asthma is a condition that attacks the lungs. It can lead to decreased oxygen levels for patients who do not properly manage the disease.

However, asthma is not contagious, and it is perfectly safe for most women with the condition to become pregnant.

It is estimated that only thirty percent of women experience any increased difficulty with asthma during pregnancy.

At the same time, there are many precautions that can prevent flare ups, and decrease the risk of problems during the term.

With proper care and management of the disease, it is very easy to enjoy your pregnancy, and deliver a perfectly healthy baby.

Do Not Discontinue Medications

Many women worry that the medications used to treat asthma will cause problems for the baby. However, most physicians agree that the complications of asthma can be worse than the side effects of any medication.

You should never stop taking your asthma medications before speaking with your physician. In some instances, a doctor may discontinue a prescription or medication for the term of the pregnancy.

At the same time, most medications that are stopped will need to be replaced with something else.

Eliminate Asthmatic Triggers

Eliminating the triggers of asthma is very important all the time, but even more so during pregnancy. It is very possible for your allergies or sinuses to become more inflamed during pregnancy.

For this reason, it is important to avoid allergens such as pollen, dust mites, and tobacco smoke.

Gastrointestinal disorders can also become worse during pregnancy and irritate the air passage. Therefore, avoiding spicy foods can be helpful in managing your asthma.

In most cases, the triggers that bothered you before pregnancy will be the same that bother you during pregnancy.

Continue Healthy Breathing Techniques

If you have asthma, it is important that you learn to breathe properly, and keep your body calm during an attack. Learning to take slow deep breathes will help to assure the body gets plenty of oxygen.

If you have never been taught these exercises, it is time to learn. The biggest risk to the fetus will be a decrease in blood oxygen levels. If your blood oxygen level drops, so does your babies.

In this situation, the baby will not have enough oxygen to continue development, and severe complications could occur.

If you panic and become stressed during an asthma attack, your baby can be affected. Stress releases certain chemicals in the brain that will go to the baby, and make the child stressed too.

In order to enjoy a happy, healthy pregnancy, you need to properly manage your asthma. Talk with your doctor about how the condition can affect your pregnancy. If you have additional questions or concerns, you may want to visit an asthma specialist.

They can help you develop a program to manage your asthma during pregnancy. You can also consult with a therapist to learn relaxation techniques if stress seems to be an issue during pregnancy.

By staying on top of the disease, and meeting regularly with your doctor, you should have very few problems.

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