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Women undergoing treatment for asthma are at an increased risk of miscarriage and may require fertility treatment to conceive, according to a significant study presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Vienna, Austria. Despite these challenges, the study highlights that most women with asthma are still able to have successful pregnancies.
The research, presented by Dr. Anne Vejen Hansen from the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark, examined fertility outcomes on a national scale. Dr. Hansen noted, “Asthma is prevalent among women of reproductive age. While prior research has indicated that it takes women with asthma longer to conceive and that they often require fertility treatment, our study aimed to include those who might not become pregnant at all.”
The study analyzed reproductive outcomes for 769,880 Danish women born between 1976 and 1999, tracking them from 1994 to 2017. Women who regularly used anti-asthma medication were classified as asthmatic. The findings revealed that women with asthma experienced a higher rate of fetal loss (17.0%) compared to those without asthma (15.7%) and had a higher usage of fertility treatments (5.6% vs. 5.0%). Despite these findings, the proportion of women who ultimately gave birth was similar in both groups—77% for those with asthma and 77% for those without.
Dr. Vejen Hansen commented, “We observed that women with asthma experienced more frequent fetal loss and required more fertility treatments. The severity of asthma and the frequency of flare-ups were associated with increased need for fertility interventions. The reasons behind this are unclear but may relate to systemic inflammation affecting reproductive organs.”
However, Dr. Vejen Hansen also reassured that “women with asthma who manage their condition effectively can still have the same number of live births as those without asthma. This suggests that, despite the challenges, most women with asthma will be able to conceive and have healthy babies.”
The study also underscores the importance of managing asthma in reproductive-aged women. Professor Lena Uller, Chair of the ERS group on Airway Pharmacology and Treatment and Head of the Respiratory Immunopharmacology Research Group at Lund University, Sweden, who was not involved in the study, emphasized the findings’ implications. “It’s reassuring that the live birth rate remains consistent regardless of asthma status. However, women with asthma should be aware of potential reproductive challenges and discuss fertility concerns with their healthcare providers.”
The research highlights the need for ongoing efforts to manage asthma effectively in women of childbearing age to mitigate its impact on fertility and pregnancy outcomes. Dr. Vejen Hansen and her team also plan to explore the potential effects of male asthma on fertility in future studies.
The findings reinforce the importance of controlling asthma to improve reproductive health and encourage women with asthma to seek appropriate medical guidance when planning a family.
