Treating asthma during pregnancy safer than not, says new guide

Drug Topics

About 4% to 8% of pregnancies will be complicated by asthma, a potentially serious condition that can lead to significant morbidity. Up until now, pharmacists and other practitioners have not had a guide to aid in choosing appropriate medical treatment. Recently, however, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) released a practice bulletin for the management of asthma during pregnancy. According to the ACOG recommendations, it is safer for pregnant women with asthma to be treated with medications than to experience asthma symptoms and exacerbations, and that the main goal of asthma treatment is to maintain sufficient oxygenation of the fetus by preventing hypoxic episodes in the mother. For mild persistent disease, the preferred regimen is a low-dose inhaled corticosteroid.