Association between bronchial asthma in pregnancy and shorter gestational age in a population-based study.
OBJECTIVE
To study the association between bronchial asthma during pregnancy and gestational age/birth weight, and also preterm birth and low birth weight.


METHODS
In the population-based large data set of the Hungarian Case-Control Surveillance System of Congenital Abnormalities, 1980-1996, controls without congenital abnormalities were analysed.


RESULTS
Of 38,151 newborn infants, 757 (2.0%) had mothers with bronchial asthma during pregnancy, 88% were medically recorded prospectively. Mothers with bronchial asthma in pregnancy had 0.6 week shorter gestational age and a higher proportion of preterm births (14.1% vs. 9.1%). These findings were reflected with a lower mean birth weight (3,102 vs. 3,279 gram) and higher proportion of low birth weight newborns (9.0% vs. 5.6%).


CONCLUSIONS
The old fashioned anti-asthmatic drugs were not able to prevent the bronchial asthma-related preterm birth, thus there is an urgent need to use modern inhaled therapies.
Acs
Nándor
N
Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Semmelweis University, School of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary.
Puhó
Erzsébet
E
Bánhidy
Ferenc
F
Czeizel
Andrew E
AE
D000328:Adult; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D001724:Birth Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D047928:Premature Birth; D011446:Prospective Studies
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents