A pregnant woman who has asthma needs to make sure that the asthma treatment she uses is safe for use during pregnancy. Inhaled asthma medications are generally thought to be safe for use during pregnancy. No matter what types of treatment the woman has been using, she should consult her doctor or obstetrician about her asthma medications before becoming pregnant or upon learning of her pregnancy.

While most inhaled asthma meds are perceived as safe, a daily long-acting medication in pill form might not be safe. There are many options for asthma meds, so she should work with her doctor to find a safe alternative. Some asthma medications like prednisone cross the placenta and may affect the baby. Corticosteroid asthma meds have been associated with an increased risk of cleft lip.

Albuterol is one asthma medication that is commonly preferred for use during pregnancy. In fact, a pregnant woman who develops bronchitis may be prescribed albuterol to assist her ease of breathing even if she does not have asthma. Albuterol is a fast-acting asthma medication often used as a rescue inhaler.

If a woman with asthma is planning to become pregnant, it would be beneficial for her to change her asthma medications before pregnancy if necessary. This would decrease the risk to the fetus from exposure to unsafe asthma meds. Also, the pregnant woman can ensure that the medication will safely manage her asthma symptoms prior to the added stress of pregnancy.

Preventing asthma flare-ups are an important part of asthma management during pregnancy. If a woman is aware of asthma triggers, she should avoid contact with those triggers as much as possible. Common triggers are pet dander, pollen, cigarette smoke, and perfumes or chemical irritants. The triggers that the pregnant woman had before pregnancy will be the same as what triggers asthma during pregnancy.

Heartburn is often a problem during pregnancy. If heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is triggering asthma symptoms, the pregnant woman should discuss the use of medication for heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease with her doctor or obstetrician. The woman may be able to do things to minimize heartburn such as not lying down after eating.

The pregnant woman with asthma should not assume that her asthma will be a problem during pregnancy. One third of pregnant woman do not have a change in their asthma symptoms, while one third of women have less asthma symptoms during pregnancy. Only one third of pregnant women with asthma experience worse asthma symptoms during pregnancy.