Anyone asthmatic and pregnant?

[jwiggles]

Hi Ladies,

I am 27+4 and I have asthma. I have had it since birth quite badly and have been hospitalised due to a fair few asthma attacks over the years...

Just recently I have been getting more and more breathless and I just wondered if anyone else out there is experiencing the same?

I am taking much more Ventolin, and im on Seretide also morning and night which I have upped also.... Is this safe for the baby?

Any advice greatly appreciated, from the breathless bump...thanks

Hi Jwiggles,

I too am asthmatic and 36+6 with baby #4. I too find my asthma worse when pregnant, especially in the later stages of third trimester when baby is taking up alot of room. I generally up my inhaled steriods, use at least two pillows to sleep, sleep on my left side, and try to sit upright with my legs supported in the evenings when my breathlessness is at it's worse. I haven't had any side effects from using my meds and it must be better than having low oxygen levels and baby being compromised. Best of luck, I hope this helps. xx

talk to midwife and doc but on the whole they say benefits of taking medication mean you should take it rather than not plus not much absorbed from inhalers into rest of body. Do talk to midwife though

Am seeing midwife next week, so will ask her then, thanks yellowflowers.

cmutter - I also sleep only on my side, and with more pillows, plus one between my legs due to SPD..feel like im in a pillow castle, my poor husband has to fight with them to get any bed space!

Just think that im going to get worse and am really scared of having an asthma attack as I have read that this CAN affect the baby and cause them to have v low oxygen levels too... eeeek

Jwiggles, I'm 26 weeks and asthmatic. It's been grumbling on for a while but recently been terrible - couldn't lie down in bed and had to be propped up on all the pillows, and if I did nod off the whistling and rattling woke DH up! Went to GP two days ago and he said:

Asthma does sometimes get worse during pregnancy
Much worse for baby to have uncontrolled asthma than to use proper meds
There's a scale of treatment they use and people do sometimes need to go up a level while pregnant, and be monitored for it.

I've now got new stronger steroid and reliever inhalers, plus a new 12 hour bronchodilator, and it's gradually bringing things under control. I suggest you go to your doc now (MW likely to tell you you need to see doc anyway), get the right meds and have some peace of mind. Good luck!