title: Asthma in pregnancy.
abstract: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airway system that is characterized by bronchoconstriction and bronchial hyperresponsiveness that are triggered by a host of stimuli. Asthma is the most common respiratory disease in pregnancy and affects approximately 4% of pregnant women. This article reviews asthma as a public health concern, the normal physiology of pregnancy,the pathophysiology of asthma in pregnancy, the effects of asthma on pregnancy and pregnancy on asthma, objective lung function testing, goals for the pregnant woman who has asthma, and treatment of chronic and acute episodes of asthma.
authors.affiliation: Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center, 6431 Fannin Street, MSB # 3.430, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Michael O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.forename: Nora M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Doyle
mesh_terms: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents