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Allergy & Asthma Advocate: Spring 2003
Asthma affects 17 million Americans; it does not discriminate. It affects men and women, boys and girls of all nationalities. Most people are aware of the increased incidence of asthma in the inner city. However, when asked about the diseases that have a major effect on the lives of women, most would list breast cancer, osteoporosis and heart disease. Few are aware of the problems women have with asthma when compared with men. Some of the statistics about asthma as it affects women are staggering. Take a look below:
No one can explain these differences for sure. However, research is focusing on the role of hormones and the menstrual cycle. The hypothesis to explain the relationship between sex hormones and asthma is that the changes in estrogen and progesterone levels that occur during the menstrual cycle may cause constriction of the airways. For years doctors have recognized a definite change in the pattern of asthma from childhood to adulthood. In childhood, asthma is more common in boys than girls. At the time of puberty, asthma occurs in boys and girls equally. After puberty, women are more likely than men to have asthma. Therefore as a woman’s hormonal system matures it may play a role in the changing prevalence of asthma. Studies have shown that approximately one-third of women think that their symptoms are worse just before or during menstruation. For women with severe asthma, this association may be more pronounced. According to one survey, of the 180 women who visited five emergency rooms in Philadelphia, almost half of these emergency room visits occurred during the premenstrual phase of the cycle. Hormone replacement therapy may as much as double the risk of developing asthma in postmenopausal women. Using records from the Nurses Health Study that followed more than 120,000 women since 1975, researchers at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston discovered this hormone-asthma connection. However, they caution that the benefits of hormone replacement therapy far outweigh the increased risk of developing asthma.
Asthma and Pregnancy
Asthma that is well-controlled during pregnancy produces happy and healthy moms and babies. Many mothers-to-be are concerned about taking medication during pregnancy. Most medications prescribed to treat asthma are safe to take during pregnancy. It is much more risky to stop the medication and have a significant asthma attack. Allergy shots can also be continued during pregnancy. It is important to see your asthma/allergy specialist early in your pregnancy to discuss an appropriate asthma treatment plan. If you have asthma and are pregnant for the first time, your asthma may follow three courses. Asthma specialists refer to this as the rule of 3’s:
If this is your second pregnancy you will not need a crystal ball. In general, whatever happened with your asthma in the first pregnancy is likely to happen in the second and subsequent pregnancies. The most likely time that women with asthma have problems is in the late second early third trimester. Rarely, will asthma be a problem at delivery. If you are a woman and have
asthma you are not alone. There are many famous American women with
asthma whose example shows that there is nothing you cannot do if you
control asthma and don’t let it control you. |
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© 1996-2008 · All Rights Reserved · American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology |
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Asthma: A growing problem for women