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So my asthma has been HORRENDOUS for the past month. I've been using my oral inhaler (albuterol) 1-3x a day, until I just read something that says its very dangerous to use during pregnancy. This alone has me freaked out, so I researched asthma in the first trimester. It says that women that have uncontrolled asthma in their first trimester have a 48% MORE LIKELIHOOD that they wil have a baby with congenital defects! YIKES! I went to my regular doctor a week ago (last Monday) and she wouldn't treat me because I'm pregnant.
I'm now coughing and wheezing to the point where I ALMOST throw up, and then I start having BH contractions. Should I make an appointment at my regular doctor today? I have been wheezing for the past month and nothing seems to be making it better. And now this article has me truly freaked out.
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Thank you Babydoll13 for my wonderful siggy!
Wow - I have asthma and I've never heard that before, but for one thing, mine isn't terribly bad and two, about 100 new studies come out every single day so it could just be THAT new.
If I were you I'd go to your OB about it - and be sure to print out the article and bring it with you. They'll be able to do a little research and make the best decision for you and the baby.
Well called my doctor..first they told me there is no way I'm having BH contractions from the coughing fits. She says it's "too early". I'm sorry, but this is my 3rd pregnancy, I know what BH feels like!
on top of that, they told me to use my inhaler (which isn't helping) and he will call me something in. He's not even going to give me an appointment.
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Thank you Babydoll13 for my wonderful siggy!
I also have severe asthma and my OB told me if I ever use my Albuterol more than TWO TIMES a week to call them immediately. They also referred me to a pulminologist to get me on some maintenance meds. The pulmonary guy told me that the safest medications for asthma in pregnancy are the inhaled ones (not pills like Singulair) and put me on Asthmanex. Ever since I started that, I have been doing pretty well. I strongly recommend seeing a pulmonary specialist if that is safe for you. After all, if you can't get oxygen to baby, it can be SUPER dangerous for both you and baby!
__________________ Thank you Heather (Mom2*Lauryn*Jacob*) for my gorgeous siggy!!
Just found this on Proventil's Website, which is one brand name for Albuterol... basically it states that there was evidence in mice that 4.5% of their fetuses developed cleft palate when using less than the recommended daily dosage and 10% had it when using 8 times the daily recommended dose, but they also cite that in humans using less than the adult dose has not shown any effect of cleft palate development. Aside from that it seems like you've got to use a TON of it to cause a severe problem, and the last paragraph really sums up where the company is at least at in it's regard to the safety of the drug.
Pregnancy: Teratogenic Effects: Pregnancy Category C
Albuterol sulfate has been shown to be teratogenic in mice. A study in CD-1 mice given albuterol sulfate subcutaneously showed cleft palate formation in 5 of 111 (4.5%) fetuses at 0.25 mg/kg (less than the maximum recommended daily inhalation dose for adults on a mg/m2 basis) and in 10 of 108 (9.3%) fetuses at 2.5 mg/kg (approximately 8 times the maximum recommended daily inhalation dose for adults on a mg/m2 basis). The drug did not induce cleft palate formation at a dose of 0.025 mg/kg (less than the maximum recommended daily inhalation dose for adults on a mg/m2 basis). Cleft palate also occurred in 22 of 72 (30.5%) fetuses from females treated subcutaneously with 2.5 mg/kg of isoproterenol (positive control).
A reproduction study in Stride Dutch rabbits revealed cranioschisis in 7 of 19 (37%) fetuses when albuterol sulfate was administered orally at 50 mg/kg dose (approximately 680 times the maximum recommended daily inhalation dose for adults on a mg/m2 basis).
In an inhalation reproduction study in SPRAGUE-DAWLEY rats, the albuterol sulfate/HFA-134a formulation did not exhibit any teratogenic effects at 10.5 mg/kg (approximately 70 times the maximum recommended daily inhalation dose for adults on a mg/m2 basis).
A study in which pregnant rats were dosed with radiolabeled albuterol sulfate demonstrated that drug-related material is transferred from the maternal circulation to the fetus.
There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of PROVENTIL HFA Inhalation Aerosol or albuterol sulfate in pregnant women. PROVENTIL HFA Inhalation Aerosol should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus.
During worldwide marketing experience, various congenital anomalies, including cleft palate and limb defects, have been reported in the offspring of patients being treated with albuterol. Some of the mothers were taking multiple medications during their pregnancies. Because no consistent pattern of defects can be discerned, a relationship between albuterol use and congenital anomalies has not been established.
There are other asthma medications that are safe. Talk to you doc about some of the alternatives. I have asthma also and have used my inhalers through all of my pregnancies. I only had to have one of them changed.
I had to ask my OB about this last week because we give my daughter breathing treatments every night. So the person giving her the treatment inhales the medicine as well, its almost impossible not to. Obviously its way less than an adult dose, but doing it every night had me worried. My OB said not to worry about it, unless we started needing to give her the Albuterol every night(normally she gets Pulmicort daily and Albuterol as needed), then we would need to have her dad give it to her instead of me. So if he didn't want me getting a secondary dose of a child's dose of Albuterol each night, that makes me concerned for you taking an adult dose. He could just be being cautious, but if I were you I would definately check with a pulminoligists or someone who will know. I hope you get to feeling better soon!
You shouldn't be using an albuterol inhaler that often even if you aren't pregnant. Sounds like you need a maintenance inhaler or to switch the dose or type if you already have one. In acute situations its ok, but over the long-term it can be damaging.
I use my albuteral regularly and back with my last pregnancy at 1 month, I got a bad cold which always results in bad asthma and I was on my nebulizer and inhailer non stop around the clock and they told me albuterol is safe and my daughter is perfectly fine. I never heard it was bad med to take while preg.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ElizabethS
So my asthma has been HORRENDOUS for the past month. I've been using my oral inhaler (albuterol) 1-3x a day, until I just read something that says its very dangerous to use during pregnancy. This alone has me freaked out, so I researched asthma in the first trimester. It says that women that have uncontrolled asthma in their first trimester have a 48% MORE LIKELIHOOD that they wil have a baby with congenital defects! YIKES! I went to my regular doctor a week ago (last Monday) and she wouldn't treat me because I'm pregnant.
I'm now coughing and wheezing to the point where I ALMOST throw up, and then I start having BH contractions. Should I make an appointment at my regular doctor today? I have been wheezing for the past month and nothing seems to be making it better. And now this article has me truly freaked out.
I have asthma too and have never heard this. Personally what I have read is that albuterol is very safe and shouldn't cause any harm to your baby. It is more important that your baby is breathing and YOU are breathing. I even had to go on a steroid for a time with my first and she is just fine. My asthma has been a little irritating recently, but not the worst ever. Talk to your doctor. You need to be breathing for the health of your baby!!
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Married 7 years to my wonderful Dh
So I went ahead and asked my dh if he could find out any info about albuterol use during pregnancy. He asked one of the pulmonologists in his unit that he trusts very highly and she told him that while there have been some studies that have just come out about it, no one is sure at this point whether it's the actual medicine or the sheer fact that your body is oxygen-deprived enough to actually need it, which they KNOW is bad for a developing fetus. So in a quick word, it's sort of a "chicken or the egg" theory. I told dh that I use my inhaler 3 to 4 times a day, 3 days per week while I do my workout, and he said he didn't realize that I didn't have my asthma under control. I didn't think that having to use it solely for the purpose of a cardiovascular workout meant it was that bad, but apparently it is... hmm, never knew.
I take Advair for my asthma (it is an oral powder that is inhaled). It is a maintenance inhaler. I asked my doc when I went to my first appt last month about if if is safe to use and she said definitely keep using it. I use it 2-3x week. I trust my doctor and I would hate to not be able to breathe properly (which happens if I don't take it).
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Kylie (37), DH (35) Married since September 5, 2009
DD Chloe born at 28 weeks on April 10, 2010.
I take Advair for my asthma (it is an oral powder that is inhaled). It is a maintenance inhaler. I asked my doc when I went to my first appt last month about if if is safe to use and she said definitely keep using it. I use it 2-3x week. I trust my doctor and I would hate to not be able to breathe properly (which happens if I don't take it).
You might want to get a second opinion on that... Advair's a steroid and is a Class C medication, which anything other than Class A and B are generally not acceptable for regular use during pregnancy. Your doctor knows what's best for you, but as with anything it's always better to have a second opinion.
You might want to get a second opinion on that... Advair's a steroid and is a Class C medication, which anything other than Class A and B are generally not acceptable for regular use during pregnancy. Your doctor knows what's best for you, but as with anything it's always better to have a second opinion.
Thanks for that. I had read that before my first prenatal check up so I had been avoiding my Advair....so I was kind of surprised when she said to go ahead, but I figured "she's the doctor". I have taken it less than ten times this pg so hopefully I haven't caused birth defects in my baby. I might hold off until I see the maternity doctor in January I guess
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Kylie (37), DH (35) Married since September 5, 2009
DD Chloe born at 28 weeks on April 10, 2010.
