BMJ  2007;334:582-585 (17 March), doi:10.1136/bmj.39112.717674.BE

Practice

Asthma in pregnancy

Evelyne Rey, internist1, Louis-Philippe Boulet, pneumologist2

1 Departments of Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, CHU Ste-Justine, 3175 Côte-Ste-Catherine, Montreal, QC, Canada H3T 1C5, 2 Institut de cardiologie et de pneumologie de l'Université Laval, Hôpital Laval, 2725 Chemin Sainte-Foy, Québec City, QC, Canada G1V 4G5

Correspondence to: E Rey evelyne_rey@ssss.gouv.qc.ca

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Introduction

Doctors often encounter pregnant patients who have asthma but have limited knowledge of asthma and its optimal treatment (see Scenario box). After treating an acute episode in a presenting patient, the doctor should advise her about asthma, its impact on pregnancy, and the best way to manage her asthma.


Scenario

A 30 year old woman presented to the emergency department complaining of breathlessness. She was 22 weeks pregnant, and her pregnancy had been complicated by nausea and gastric pain. She had had asthma since childhood, had visited the emergency room at least once a year in the previous three years, but had not been followed up regularly. She had used inhaled budesonide irregularly in the past and stopped this medication when she became pregnant. She had been having flu-like symptoms in the previous week and used inhaled salbutamol three or four times a day with partial relief.

On examination, we observed . . . [Full text of this article]


How common is asthma in pregnancy?

Does pregnancy affect asthma?

Does asthma affect pregnancy?

Management of asthma in pregnancy

Does asthma affect labour and delivery?

Does asthma affect postpartum period and breast feeding?

Conclusions


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  • Boulet, L-P. (2009). Influence of comorbid conditions on asthma. Eur Respir J 33: 897-906 [Abstract] [Full text]  
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  • de Swiet, M. (2007). Attacks seem rare in labour. BMJ 334: 652-652 [Full text]  

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