Asthma and pregnancy

[Lou0808]

Any other mums to be have asthma?

I’m 19+3 weeks pregnant and so far haven’t taken any of my inhalers.
I know this isn’t a good idea so I’ve booked a review with the asthma nurse next week.

My main concern is taking medications when I’m pregnant.

I have a brown inhaler (preventer which contains a steroid) and a blue inhaler(reliever)

Just really hate the thought of taking them.
Dr said it’s fine to take and they are safe in pregnancy, but I feel really paranoid. 😔

But surely if you are asthmatic this means that if you have a chest infection your oxygen saturation will drop (and that if you are on a regular inhaler that your saturation will drop if you don’t take the blue inhaler regularly but I am not a medic). Which will mean less oxygen to your baby which could be really dangerous. I would assume that it’s fairly important that your baby that you take your medication.

*for your baby

My DD is almost 2 now so haven’t been pregnant for a while, but I also didn’t take any asthma medication in pregnancy. My biggest fear was getting a chest infection and needing heaps of drugs, but I was lucky and it didn’t happen. Actually my asthma seemed to improve in pregnancy and I haven’t had a major problem yet since having her. Sorry that’s probably not very useful but I wanted you to know that I understand where you’re coming from (and I’m a HCP so really should have known better haha). I guess it depends how bad your asthma is though, as mine is fine unless I’m ill or exercising.

Hi OP. I have recently been diagnosed with pregnancy induced asthma. Never had it before, and it hit me like a truck. I have two inhalers which in am having to use and the GP said they are perfectly safe for baby. I am currently signed off while I wait for them to kick in as I cannot even make it up the stairs atm.

Have a chat with your nurse but I would hope that they are safe based on the advice I have had.

Would you mind me asking what the inhalers are? I thought I might have to change to something different that’s more suitable for pregnancy but the Dr didn’t say I had to.

I have Quvar50(Beclometasone) - brown
and salabutamol - blue

I haven’t had any asthma symptoms so that’s why I stopped taking them, but this past week I’ve had a bit of a cough, could just be season related, but I’ve been worrying now that it’s asthma and I should start taking my inhalers.

Hence my appointment with the nurse next week.

In my first pregnancy I was taking exactly the same inhalers for you and was told by the asthma nurse they were absolutely fine to take.

This pregnancy I'm taking duoresp spiromax and have again been told it's safe to take

Taking the medications are far safer than the potential repercussions of an asthma attack. If you have already started with a cough you need to be especially careful

Hi thought I would offer you advise based on my own experience.

I am severley asthmatic. Have been all my life. It it currently controlled via a (brown) pulmicort turbo haler as I cant get on with any of the aerosol steriod based inhalers, this is taken every morning and evening. I also have a blue ventilin inhaler that I take anywhere between 1-3 times a day and through the night. When I found out I was pregnant the first thing I asked my doctors was out of all my medication which were safe to take. The doctor said they were all fine. The pulmicort they said the risk to my life out weighed the risk of losing a baby so they consider that a greater risk and I was fine to continue.

I am currently 19 + 4 and am and will be continuing to take all of my asthma medication baby is growing really well and giving me plenty of reminders they are in there kicking and wriggling away and making my HG almost unbearable.

If your really worried you need to be ringing the doctors and asking if there is any medication that isnt safe. they will let you know what you can and cant have. Hope this helps xx

I have the same inhalers as you op , I took them through all of my pregnancies and as far as I'm aware the only side effect was that I stayed well and was able to breathe.

I'm not a doctor , but i'd be concerned about my health if I were to stop taking my meds.

Hey, currently 22 weeks and I only have mild asthma but have been classified 'high risk' (in combination with my mum having pre-eclampsia with me) but it means I have been having appointments with the obstetrician for the asthma. She's been totally great and has confirmed that less than 10% of each puff reaches the baby.

I have changed to Bricanyl as I found ventolin really setting my heart racing. She has also put me on baby dose aspirin and has told me to use my inhaler 2 times twice a day, even if I don't feel like I need it. So far, baby is all measuring totally average (at 20 week scan) but I know the concern is the baby will be small if they don't get enough oxygenated blood flow.

As well as pre-eclampsia my mum had asthma with both me and my brother and we were both 8lb14oz when we arrived so that is putting my mind at ease for mine having any issues.

Just speak to your GP, as soon as I found out I made an appt with them to discuss the asthma medication and there are alternatives if you are specifically worried about one you have now.

Never had asthma before pregnant but almost as soon as I became pregnant I really struggled with breathing. Had my iron levels tested numerous times and always came back perfect. I’d previously been prescribed a blue inhaler for other reasons so found I was going through them on an almost 3 weekly basis. Finally got a dr appointment and was prescribed a brown preventer which has honestly been a game changer - I can breathe again!

Hi OP,

I have asthma and it has got worse with pregnancy. It sounds like yours is better with pregnancy. It can go either way and it sounds like yours is for the positive, which is great.

I've recently moved to a combined preventer/reliever and a spacer, which I take twice a day, as well as having my blue Salabutamol on hand if I need it. I've found that in pregnancy my triggers are practically everything. If someone walks past me in the street and they've used scented fabric softener on their clothes, it sets me off.

Great that you're seeing your asthma nurse. Mine told me that your lungs need to be in the best shape possible for labour and that all the inhalers they prescribe are safe for the entire pregnancy and beyond.

Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy and fingers crossed that your asthma continues to behave itself.