Abstract
Breathlessness in the absence of an underlying pathology is common in pregnancy. Asthma affects about 7% of women of child-bearing age. Treatment is the same as for the non-pregnant population and most drugs are safe in pregnancy. Educating women to continue preventer inhaled corticosteroid therapy will reduce the risk of attacks. Respiratory infections are associated with a higher morbidity in pregnancy and should be treated aggressively. Most chronic pulmonary diseases do not alter fertility. Large reserves in respiratory function allow the fetus and mother to survive without compromise in most cases. The use of chest X-rays should not be avoided in pregnancy. Women with a chronic respiratory disease should receive pre-pregnancy counselling and education. Women should be managed in a multidisciplinary setting with the respiratory team. The presence of pulmonary hypertension and cor pulmonale is associated with a high risk of death in pregnancy.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
