Pregnancy outcome in asthmatic patients from high altitudes.
OBJECTIVE
To compare pregnancy outcome in asthmatic and non-asthmatic patients from high altitudes.


METHODS
A prospective case-control study over a 4-year period. The setting was: Abha Maternity Hospital, south-west region of Saudi Arabia. Eighty-eight asthmatic pregnant patients were followed up on during their pregnancies and deliveries (cases). The control subjects were 106 non-asthmatic patients who delivered during the same period.


RESULTS
There were no statistically significant differences in the mean age, parity and gestation at delivery between the cases and control subjects (P>0.05), while there were statistically significant differences in the mean birth weight, placental weight and number of abortions between the two groups (P<0.05). Antenatal complications occurred in 12.5% of the asthmatic patients and 1.9% of the control subjects. Pre-eclampsia was diagnosed in 7.9% of the asthmatic group but in none of the control subjects. Induction of labor, cesarean section rate, perinatal mortality, congenital malformations and Apgar score <7 at 5 min were significantly higher in the asthmatic patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Asthma occurring in pregnancy was associated with increased antenatal complications, increased perinatal loss and congenital malformations in our study population.
Sobande
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Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia. lekunle@hotmail.com
Archibong
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Akinola
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D000328:Adult; D000531:Altitude; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011446:Prospective Studies