Breathing can be hard enough when you enter the third trimester of pregnancy without having to deal with asthma on top of it. Yet many expecting mothers actually do have to deal with asthma because it is a very common condition.
Asthma, if left untreated, can be a very serious medical condition. About four to eight percent of all pregnancies are complicated by the presence of asthma.
Women who have asthma while they are pregnant are often worried that getting treatment will harm the baby because they will have to breathe in certain chemicals or take certain medications. However, if you do not get treatment, your baby is probably not getting enough oxygen.
Lack of oxygen could cause serious mental problems and birth defects. On top of it, the mother who does not receive treatment will struggle with breathing and chest pain until she delivers.
Most doctors say that it is much better for a pregnant woman to get treated rather than to take these other risks. When you go in to receive treatment for asthma, the doctor will first want to confirm the diagnosis to make sure that you are not dealing with another respiratory problem.
You may undergo subjective evaluations and pulmonary function tests in order for the doctor to properly diagnose you. If you are diagnosed, the doctor will treat you with the least toxic medications possible and with only enough to prevent hypoxic episodes and too little oxygen being delivered to the unborn child.
The doctor will start out with only a little medication and if that is not enough, he or she will increase or change the prescription. This is called the step-care therapeutic approach.
How much medication you need may change as your condition worsens or gets better. If you suffer from a consistent asthma problem, you will probably be given an inhaler with corticosteroids.
Budesonide is generally the safest corticosteroid to inhale during pregnancy. However, if your condition it too bad or if budesonide does not work, you will be given the albuterol inhaler.
If you recognize what triggers your asthma and are able to avoid it, you should be able to take less medicine. Minimizing the medication that you have to take is best for your baby when possible.
Some of the possible things that may trigger asthma include tobacco smoke, allergens, cold air, and exercising. Exercising can provide you with many benefits that assist you as the mother and your child.
Working out can help your delivery go much smoother and easier. It can also help you sleep better and feel more energized.
If you are used to doing rigorous exercise and you develop asthma, you may want to try doing something that is not so rigorous, such as riding a stationary bicycle. Many women simply quit exercising until their asthma goes away or lessens.
However, if you can still exercise even a little you should. On a stationary bike, you can lean back and go at the pace that does not excite your asthma.
It is also convenient to work out on a stationary bike because it is at home and you can go lay down whenever you feel the need or if your asthma kicks in. Continuing to work out when you can will also help to strengthen your lungs as they recover and get better.
Asthma can be a condition that is developed and stays around or it can develop with an illness, such as pneumonia, that when properly treated will go away. With either case, exercising can help strengthen your lungs.
Once you deliver, the baby will only receive small amounts of the asthma medication you take through your breast milk. If you are still dealing with a severe condition after delivery, your doctor may increase your prescription to help lessen the effects of the condition.
Of course, treating asthma falls mostly on you and your carefulness to regularly take your medication. You should monitor your condition at all times, know how to properly use the inhaler and other equipment you are given, and do the things that will help you get better.
If you notice that you condition is getting worse, be sure to see a doctor right away. Likewise, if you notice that there are things you can do, like holding your breath, when you are developing an asthma attack that will lessen its effects, do it as long as you clear it with your doctor as these things can all help relieve the asthma.
Author Resource:-
Jack R. Landry has been writing about the exercise and health industry for years. He recommends using a treadmill to stay healthy and fit.
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