ASTHMA affects nearly one in ten pregnant women and is associated with serious risks to both mother and baby—but a leading expert says these risks can be significantly reduced with proper asthma management.
Speaking in a webinar hosted by the Allergy & Asthma Network, Dr Karla Adams, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Uniformed Services University, emphasized that controlling asthma during pregnancy is the most important intervention to optimise perinatal outcomes.
“Asthma obviously can impact the course of pregnancy, and then pregnancy obviously can have some significant impacts on asthma control and management for these individuals,” Dr Adams said.
Asthma in pregnancy is linked to a range of complications, including hemorrhage, cesarean delivery, gestational diabetes and hypertension, low birth weight, and even infant mortality. The risk increases with more severe or poorly controlled asthma, rising as high as 30% or more, according to Dr Adams.
However, active management—including patient education, adherence to medication, and close monitoring—can reduce the risks, particularly of preterm birth.
Dr Adams also highlighted that asthma exacerbations aren’t limited to those with severe disease. Even those with mild or moderate asthma can experience worsening symptoms, especially in the second trimester. Concerningly, many of the key risk factors—such as obesity, smoking, and depression—are modifiable, meaning early intervention can make a meaningful difference.
Physiologically, poorly controlled asthma and exacerbations can lead to maternal hypoxia, forcing the fetus to redistribute blood to vital organs and potentially causing intrauterine growth restriction or small for gestational age infants.
Though most pregnant women with asthma have the condition before pregnancy, clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion in new cases, particularly when symptoms like coughing or wheezing accompany breathlessness.
Dr Adams concluded by urging clinicians to take an active role: “We can help assist our patients have improved perinatal outcomes by monitoring and providing medication and therapeutics for those factors.”
Reference
Adams K. Asthma & pregnancy: Special considerations for expectant mothers. Presented at: Advances in Allergy & Asthma; July 17, 2025.
