Link between asthma and fertility explored
Monday February 15th, 2016
A Danish study highlights the difficulties women with asthma may face in becoming pregnant.
A
new clinical observation study published today (12 February, 2016) in
the European Respiratory Journal adds further
weight to the growing association between asthma and fertility.
Experts said women with asthma should try for pregnancy at an earlier age and should optimise their treatment for the condition before they conceive.
The current study, led by Bispebjerg University Hospital, Copenhagen, examined 245 women aged between 23 and 45, all of whom had unexplained fertility problems.
Ninety-six had either an existing doctor’s diagnosis of asthma or were diagnosed with asthma when they entered the study. The women underwent asthma and allergy testing and questionnaires during their fertility treatment and were monitored during their fertility treatment for a minimum of 12 months, until they had a successful pregnancy, stopped treatment or the observation ended.
The median total time to pregnancy was 32.2 months in women without asthma and 55.6 months in those with asthma.
Asthmatic women also had fewer successful conceptions, with 39.6% becoming pregnant compared with 60.4% women without the condition – and this problem was exacerbated the older the women became.
Lead author Dr Elisabeth Juul Gade, said: “This finding in a clinical trial setting adds new weight to the epidemiological evidence suggesting a link between asthma and fertility. We have seen here that asthma seems to have a negative influence on fertility as it increases time to pregnancy and even more so with age.”
She said that causal relationship remains unknown but that different types of asthma, psychological well-being, asthma medication and hormones could each play a role.
“Given this new evidence, we believe that clinicians should encourage women with asthma to become pregnant at an earlier age and optimise their treatment for asthma pre-conception,” continued Dr Juul Gade.
“Patient education is also of paramount importance as adherence to treatment may be enhanced if patients are informed of this link.”
Juul Gade E, Thomson S, Lindenburg S at al. Fertility outcomes in asthma: a clinical study of 245 women with unexplained infertility. European Respiratory Journal 12 February 2016; doi: 10.1183/13993003.01389-2015
Tags: Allergies & Asthma | Childbirth and Pregnancy | Europe | Women's Health & Gynaecology
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