Abstract
Objective To evaluate the effect of asthma severity and disease
exacerbation on pregnancy outcomes.
Materials and Methods Pregnancies were classified into 3 groups as
mild (n=195), moderate (n=63), and severe (n=26)
according to preconceptional asthma severity. Demographic features, clinical
characteristics, and perinatal outcomes were compared between the groups.
Delivery characteristics and pregnancy outcomes were also compared between
the pregnancies with or without asthma exacerbation (43 and 241 pregnancies,
respectively).
Results Worsening of symptoms during pregnancy was higher in moderate
and severe asthma groups (p<0.001). Rates of spontaneous abortion,
fetal structural anomaly, preterm delivery, preeclampsia, fetal growth
restriction (FGR), oligohydramnios, gestational diabetes, and intrauterine
fetal demise were higher in moderate and severe asthma groups (p-values were
< 0.001, 0.01, 0.008, 0.02, 0.01, < 0.001,
< 0.001, and 0.007, respectively). Admissions to neonatal
intensive care units and neonatal complication rates were higher among
moderate and severe asthma groups (p=0.035 and
< 0.001). Spontaneous abortion, preterm delivery,
preeclampsia, FGR, oligohydramnios, and neonatal complication rates were
higher (p<0.001) in the group with exacerbated symptoms.
Conclusion Moderate to severe asthma before pregnancy and the
exacerbation of asthma symptoms during pregnancy may lead to increased rates
of perinatal complications.
Key words
antenatal care - high risk pregnancy - maternal risks - perinatal
