ORLANDO, Fla.--Pregnant women with asthma who are carrying a female baby are more likely to experience a worsening of their asthma than pregnant asthmatic women carrying a baby boy, according to a study presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference in Orlando on May 25.

While the reason for this difference is unknown, lead researcher Peter G. Gibson, M.D., says the female fetus may produce a substance in response to the inflammation of the asthmatic mother's airways that somehow worsens the asthma.

"The good news is that the vast majority of pregnant women with asthma can control their asthma with treatment," said Dr. Gibson, Professor in the Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine at Hunter Medical Research Institute at John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle, Australia.

The study followed 151 pregnant women; 33 did not have asthma, 38 had asthma but did not use inhaled steroids during pregnancy, and 80 had asthma and used inhaled steroids every day during their pregnancy. Steroids control the inflammation of the airways that occurs in asthma. "Inhaled steroids are generally considered safer for the fetus than oral steroids," Dr. Gibson said.

He found that 60% of asthmatic women who were pregnant with a male fetus were symptom-free throughout their pregnancy and did not report nighttime breathing problems from the 18th to the 30th week of pregnancy. In contrast, 61% of asthmatic women pregnant with a female fetus were symptom-free at 18 weeks, but at 30 weeks only 28% were symptom-free. Nighttime symptoms increased significantly from 18 to 30 weeks in women pregnant with a female fetus.

Use of inhaled steroids increased significantly in asthmatic women pregnant with a female fetus, but did not change in asthmatic women pregnant with a male.

It is very important for a pregnant woman to treat her asthma, Dr. Gibson said. "Asthma is dangerous to the mother and baby," he explained. "If a mother has a sev
'"/>

Contact: Jim Augustine/Bill Glitz/Cathy Carlomagno
medsci@earthlink.net
407-685-4098
American Thoracic Society
25-May-2004

Page: 1 2
Related medicine news :

1. Study of energy and health in Africa focuses spotlight on charcoal and forest management
2. Study shows promise in identifying kidney failure
3. Study shows patch therapy may be as effective as oral medications
4. Study shows soy is well accepted in school lunches
5. Study finds that coordinating care of chronically ill patients does not increase liability
6. Study provides new estimates of the causes of child mortality worldwide
7. Study finds factors linked to substance use disorder relapse among health care professionals
8. Study finds majority of women willing to accept cervical cancer vaccine for self and children
9. Study shows use of budesonide reduced the risk of asthma related events by 40% in children
10. Study shows risk of cardiac death after radiation for breast cancer has dramatically decreased
11. Study shows acrylamide in baked and fried food does not increase risk of breast cancer in women