Health Tip: Pregnancy and Asthma

(HealthDay News) -- Asthma can cause serious complications during pregnancy if the condition is uncontrolled. About 8 percent of women in their childbearing years are asthmatic, the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology says.

When women who have asthma become pregnant, their symptoms could well change, the ACAAI says.

• Women who have severe asthma are likely to have worsening symptoms. Women with mild asthma may actually see an improvement or no change in symptoms.
• Symptoms that asthmatic women have during their first pregnancy are likely to resurface during subsequent pregnancies.
• The most severe asthma symptoms are most likely to surface between weeks 24 and 36 of pregnancy.
• A woman's asthma symptoms usually revert to pre-pregnancy symptoms within three months of giving birth.