The ability to bring life into this world is an amazing superpower that women have. To be able to hold and grow an entire human being in your belly and give it life is something that should always be seen as magical. Since childbirth is such a powerful task it’s only right to assume that with that great responsibility comes dangerous risk and complications. Pregnancy and childbirth can cause many changes to a woman’s body. One example is the change in a woman’s respiratory system.
Is There a Link Between Asthma and Pregnancy?
Giving birth to children will change a woman’s body forever. One not-so-fun discovery is that a woman’s respiratory system can be affected negatively in the process. Growing a child affects the upper and lower respiratory tracts.
During that time, a woman’s lung capacity is reduced. Pregnant women are also more prone to stuffy and runny noses, changes in the shape and size of the chest occur, and more.
With that being said, a good question to ask is, “can you become asthmatic due to pregnancy?”.
You May Also Like
According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, there is no research that shows that you can develop asthma due to pregnancy.
This can be relieving to know if one is planning on becoming pregnant.
The downside to pregnancy and asthma is that if you already have asthma, becoming pregnant can worsen your symptoms or expose pre-existing symptoms.
RELATED: When Should You See an Asthma Specialist?
You May Also Like
How Symptoms May Worsen in Pregnant Women
When pregnant and suffering from asthma, there is a possibility that one of three things will happen. Your asthma will either worsen, stay the same or improve during the duration of pregnancy. Women who suffer from severe asthma may see their symptoms worsen over time compared to women who suffer from mild asthma and may see their symptoms start to improve or have no change.
The hormonal changes that occur when pregnant affect your lungs and sinuses. Since estrogen increases, it leads to congestion, which leads to stuffy noses. Then there is the increase of progesterone, which leads to shortness of breath.
Women with severe asthma might suffer from this the most. Uncontrolled asthma may increase the risk of pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia, high blood pressure, restrictions with the growth of the fetus and premature birth. Asthma symptoms are most likely to worsen between 24 or 36 weeks into pregnancy.
Why Were There No Symptoms?
With a condition like asthma and how severe it can get, it can be quite confusing as to why no symptoms of asthma were shown before pregnancy. But just like many other conditions, asthma has the ability to lay dormant in one’s body.
Also, there are possibilities that the symptoms were there but since they were so mild, not much attention was given to what they could actually be. It’s easy to brush off common asthma symptoms like shortness of breath for small periods of time, runny and stuffy noses, and slight lung irritability as just an annoying sickness because of something like a slight change in the weather.
RELATED: Watch Out For Your Asthma Triggers!
How This New Diagnosis Affects You and Your Baby
If treated properly, being diagnosed with asthma while pregnant can have little to no effect on you and your baby. If you have mild asthma, you’ll usually face the same asthma symptoms that you did before pregnancy.
If you suffer from severe asthma, there’s the possibility that your symptoms may worsen during pregnancy so it’s important to keep it controlled. Uncontrolled asthma without proper care will have effects on you and your unborn child and can ultimately put the baby’s life in jeopardy.
If treatment is needed to control your asthma, it’s crucial that you first let your doctor know that you have asthma. When pregnant, certain medications can not be used due to the risk of it harming the baby. Though it’s been stated that most asthma medications are safe to use during pregnancy, asthma medications do contain certain steroids that can risk harm to your unborn baby. This is why it is important to talk to your doctor about your existing asthma and the current medications you use. Also reach out to your doctor if you notice any changes in your respiratory system (lungs, breathing, nose, etc.) during pregnancy. You may discover pre-existing asthma symptoms that need attention.
