Maternal asthma: pregnancy course and outcome

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the association between maternal asthma and perinatal outcome.

Study design: In this retrospective population-based cohort study, all pregnancies between 1991 and 2014 in a tertiary medical center, were included. Multiple pregnancies and congenital malformations were excluded. Pregnancy course and outcomes were compared between women with and without asthma, and multivariable generalized estimating equations were used to control for confounders.

Results: During the study period, 243,363 deliveries met the inclusion criteria, 1.35% of which (n = 3283) occurred in women diagnosed with asthma. Multiple perinatal complications were found to be associated with maternal asthma, including hypertensive disorders, preterm delivery, and cesarean delivery. However, no significant differences between the groups were noted in neonatal outcomes, including perinatal mortality rates and low Apgar scores. In the regression model, maternal asthma was noted as an independent risk factor for preterm delivery, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and cesarean delivery (aOR = 1.21, 95%CI 1.1–1.4, p = .007; aOR = 1.35, 95%CI 1.2–1.6, p < .001; and aOR = 1.27, 95%CI 1.2–1.4, p < .001, respectively) while controlling for multiple confounders.

Conclusions: Maternal asthma is associated with an increased risk for adverse pregnancy outcome. This association remains significant while controlling for variables considered to coexist with maternal asthma. Nevertheless, perinatal outcome is generally favorable.

Keywords:

• Maternal chronic disease
• neonatal outcome
• perinatal mortality
• perinatal outcome
• pregnancy complications

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest. Einat Shaked wrote the first draft of the manuscript. No honorarium, grant, or other form of payment was given to anyone to produce the manuscript. The study was performed as part of the MD requirements. This is a database study and as such has no clinical trial registration number.