Management of Asthma during Pregnancy

Asthma has been reported to occur in 0.4 to 1.3 per cent of pregnant women,^1,2 making it the most common obstructive pulmonary disease during pregnancy.³ Uncontrolled episodes of wheezing have been associated with maternal and perinatal mortality,⁴ although the pregnancy outcome for women with corticosteroid-dependent asthma is almost as favorable as that for the general population when asthma is controlled satisfactorily.^5,6 The goals of therapy in managing asthma in a pregnant woman are similar to those in a nonpregnant woman with asthma; in order of decreasing importance, they are to prevent death, respiratory failure, status asthmaticus, emergency room visits, and.