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Asthma Meds Likely Protected During Pregnancy: Study

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FRIDAY, Jan. 20 (HealthDay News) -- A recent study found no statistically significant link between asthma medication take during pregnancy as well as ordinary birth defects.

However, the study did find a positive association between some rare birth defects as well as mothers with asthma, as well as potentially with their medication take. But, the researchers couldn't tease out whether the problem was a loss of oxygen from less than well-controlled asthma or an effect of medications.

"Worsening asthma is a risk to the mom as well as the fetus. Hypoxia (a lack of oxygen) we know is a problem for a developing fetus. As well as, the potential risk they found here is very tiny. Even incase it turns out to be a real increase, the risk is so tiny. This study raises more questions than it answers," said Dr. Natalie Meirowitz, essential of the division of maternal fetal medicine at Extended Island Jewish Health examination Center in Recent Hyde Park, N.Y.

What's most substantial, she said, is that expectant mothers with asthma don't just halt their medications. "That's really a problem, as well as then they end up needing more medication," she said.

Findings from the study were published online Jan. 16, ahead of February print publication in Pediatrics.

Between 4 percent as well as 12 percent of expectant mothers possess asthma, according to background information in the article. Current guidelines recommend that women keep using their asthma medications during pregnancy.

There are two main types of asthma medications: bronchodilators (also known as rescue medication) as well as anti-inflammatories, which include inhaled as well as oral steroids, as well as several other medications. Anti-inflammatory medications are usually used extended term to help control asthma symptoms.

For the study, the researchers compared nearly 2,900 infants born with birth defects to more than 6,700 babies born with no birth defects. Mothers of these infants were asked to recall their medication take one month before as well as during pregnancy.

For most birth defects, the researchers found no statistically significant associations between asthma medication take as well as the development of birth defects.

They did, but, find a positive association between asthma medication take as well as certain rare birth defects. The risk of isolated esophageal atresia -- an abnormality of the esophagus -- was more than doubled in women who used bronchodilators. The risk of isolated anorectal atresia -- a malformed anus -- was more than doubled with maternal anti-inflammatory take. As well as, the risk of omphalocele -- a defect in the abdominal wall -- was more than quadrupled for either class of asthma medication.

But, the authors wrote, the "observed associations may be chance findings or may be the result of maternal asthma severity as well as related hypoxia rather than the medication take."

They added that it's as well as substantial to keep these findings in context. The rate of these birth defects ranged from 1.2 to 4.6 per 10,000 births. So, even a four-fold increase in the risk of having one of these defects results in far less than a 1 percent chance for any individual woman as well as her child.

"As obstetricians, we need to pay attention to this, but it's really substantial to oxygenate mom. We really need to make sure that there's oxygen flowing freely between mom as well as baby," said Dr. Mary Rosser, an obstetrician with Montefiore Health examination Center in New York City.

Also, Rosser pointed out that there was a lot that wasn't known about the expectant mothers. The authors weren't capable to assess the severity of their asthma. They as well as didn't know anything about the medication doses.

Asthma expert Dr. Jennifer Appleyard agreed with Rosser as well as Meirowitz. "They really couldn't tease apart what was the medicine as well as what was the asthma," she said.

"You need to treat the asthma. There's more risk to uncontrolled asthma than a slight likely risk of a rare birth defect," said Appleyard, the essential of allergy as well as immunology at St. John Hospital as well as Health examination Center in Detroit.

"No matter what class of patient you're treating -- expectant mom or not -- the goal is to treat patients with the minimum amount of medication essential," she added.

Rosser as well as Meirowitz said that, ideally, women should visit their obstetrician/gynecologist before getting pregnant to review their medication take as well as to make sure that their asthma is well controlled.

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