Maternal Asthma Management and Perinatal Outcomes
Summary
Asthma is one of the most common chronic conditions encountered in pregnancy, affecting up to 10% of expectant mothers globally. Physiological changes in airway responsiveness, hormonal shifts and immunological adaptations can alter disease control, with up to one-third of women experiencing worsening symptoms. Poorly controlled asthma increases the risk of pre-eclampsia, preterm birth, intrauterine growth restriction, low birth weight and perinatal mortality. Optimal management centres on maintenance of baseline control through personalised treatment plans, adherence to inhaled corticosteroids and avoidance of precipitants. Emerging strategies incorporate biomarkers such as fractional exhaled nitric oxide to tailor anti-inflammatory therapy, while biologic agents are under evaluation for severe, refractory disease. Effective multidisciplinary care, involving obstetricians, respiratory physicians and primary care teams, is essential to safeguard both maternal health and fetal development.
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Maternal Asthma Management and Perinatal Outcomes publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in maternal asthma management and perinatal outcomes across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO): A non-invasive marker of eosinophilic airway inflammation used to guide inhaled corticosteroid dosing.
Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS): Anti-inflammatory medications delivered by inhalation to control chronic airway inflammation in asthma.
Exacerbation: An acute or subacute worsening of asthma symptoms requiring increased medication or healthcare intervention.
Preterm birth: Delivery before 37 completed weeks of gestation, associated with increased neonatal morbidity and mortality.
Small for gestational age (SGA): A birth weight below the 10th percentile for the gestational age, indicating restricted fetal growth.
References
- Investigations on incidence and relevant factors of allergies in 5725 urban pregnant women: a cohort study in China. BMC Public Health (2023).
- Pregnancy outcomes in the omalizumab pregnancy registry and a disease-matched comparator cohort. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (2019).
- Asthma during Pregnancy in a Population-Based Study - Pregnancy Complications and Adverse Perinatal Outcomes. PLOS ONE (2014).
- The Breathing for Life Trial: a randomised controlled trial of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO)-based management of asthma during pregnancy and its impact on perinatal outcomes and infant and childhood respiratory health. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth (2016).
- Asthma in Pregnancy: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Whole‐Course Management, and Medication Safety. Canadian Respiratory Journal (2020).
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