Introduction
Lung disease and high risk pregnancy are a thread to any pregnancy. Oxygen transport through the mother’s lungs into the bloodstream and into fetal blood circulation via the placenta is absolutely essential for normal development of the fetus.
Fortunately, most lung diseases become limiting only long after the reproductive phase of a woman. However, asthma is the exception where severe asthma can occur in the reproductive age. Nevertheless, only about 1% of all pregnant women have asthma.
Severe forms of asthma with status asthmaticus occur in 10% of these women. This means that about 1 in 1000 pregnancies have serious lung disease (Ref.19, p.2050). Asthma tends to get worse during the course of a pregnancy.
Regular check-up regarding asthma
However, the physician can help by reviewing the asthma on a regular basis and identifying the more severe forms of asthma. These can be sent to an appropriate specialist like a respirologist (= pulmonary specialist) or an allergist, if environmental allergies are a main contributor to the asthma. Often the corticosteroid inhalation schedule can be optimized and allergy shots, if this is applicable, can be given more frequently in order to better control anti-IgE antibodies. Smoking and preganancy do not mix. Low birth weight, premature labor and fetal death are often the consequence.
More info on asthma here.
References
1. The Merck Manual, 7th edition, by M. H. Beers et al., Whitehouse Station, N.J., 1999. Chapter 235.
2. B. Sears: “Zone perfect meals in minutes”. Regan Books, Harper Collins, 1997.
3. Ryan: Kistner’s Gynecology & Women’s Health, 7th ed.,1999 Mosby, Inc.
4. The Merck Manual: Lung diseases
5. AB Diekman et al. Am J Reprod Immunol 2000 Mar; 43(3): 134-143.
6. V Damianova et al. Akush Ginekol (Sofia) 1999; 38(2): 31-33.
7. Townsend: Sabiston Textbook of Surgery,16th ed.,2001, W. B. Saunders Company
8. Cotran: Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease, 6th ed., 1999 W. B. Saunders Company
More references:
9. Rakel: Conn’s Current Therapy 2001, 53rd ed., W. B. Saunders Co.
10. Ruddy: Kelley’s Textbook of Rheumatology, 6th ed.,2001 W. B. Saunders Company
11. EC Janowsky et al. N Engl J Med Mar-2000; 342(11): 781-790.
12. Wilson: Williams Textbook of Endocrinology, 9th ed.,1998 W. B. Saunders Company
13. KS Pena et al. Am Fam Physician 2001; 63(9): 1763-1770.
14. LM Apantaku Am Fam Physician Aug 2000; 62(3): 596-602.
15. Noble: Textbook of Primary Care Medicine, 3rd ed., 2001 Mosby, Inc.
16. Goroll: Primary Care Medicine, 4th ed.,2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Further references:
17. St. Paul’s Hosp. Contin. Educ. Conf. Nov. 2001,Vancouver/BC
18. Gabbe: Obstetrics – Normal and Problem Pregnancies, 3rd ed., 1996 Churchill Livingstone, Inc.
19. The Merck Manual, 7th edition, by M. H. Beers et al., Whitehouse Station, N.J., 1999. Chapter 251.
20. The Merck Manual, 7th edition, by M. H. Beers et al., Whitehouse Station, N.J., 1999. Chapter 250.
21. Ignaz P Semmelweiss: “Die Aetiologie, der Begriff und die Prophylaxis des Kindbettfiebers” (“Etiology, Understanding and Prophylaxis of Childbed Fever”). Vienna (Austria), 1861.
22. Rosen: Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice, 4th ed., 1998 Mosby-Year Book, Inc.
23. Mandell: Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, 5th ed., 2000 Churchill Livingstone, Inc.
24. Horner NK et al. J Am Diet Assoc Nov-2000; 100(11): 1368-1380.
25. Ferri: Ferri’s Clinical Advisor: Instant Diagnosis and Treatment, 2004 ed., Copyright © 2004 Mosby, Inc.
26. Rakel: Conn’s Current Therapy 2004, 56th ed., Copyright © 2004 Elsevier
