title: A descriptive study of women's perceptions of their asthma during pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the impact of asthma during pregnancy from the perspective of the pregnant woman.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive survey using the Internet for subject recruitment and data collection was conducted using an adaptation of the Cancer Survivors Survey Questionnaire. Women with asthma who were pregnant or who had recently given birth (n = 166) were the sample. Women responded from the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. Physical symptoms, emotional responses, and coping strategies to deal with the asthma were queried.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women reported a variety of respiratory difficulties including wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. They were concerned about avoiding triggers leading to acute asthma, the effect of the asthma medications on the fetus, and losing their jobs due to absenteeism. They wanted to know more about how to prevent an asthma attack and what effect their disease could have on their unborn infants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women need education and support to help them deal with asthma during pregnancy. Nursing can have an important role in teaching these women and helping them monitor their asthma status during pregnancy.
authors: University of Missouri Kansas City School of Nursing, 64108, USA. Beckmannc@umkc.edu
authors: Claudia Anderson
authors: CA
authors: Beckmann
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001208:Asia; D001249:Asthma / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology*; D002170:Canada; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States