Respiratory disease in pregnancy

Breathlessness in the absence of an underlying pathology is common in pregnancy. Asthma affects about 7% of women of childbearing age. Treatment is the same as for the non-pregnant population and most drugs are safe in pregnancy. Educating women to continue preventer inhaled corticosteroid therapy will reduce the risk of attacks. Respiratory infections are associated with a higher morbidity in pregnancy and should be treated aggressively. Most chronic pulmonary diseases do not alter fertility. Large reserves in respiratory function allow the fetus and mother to survive without compromise in most cases. The use of chest X-rays should not be avoided in pregnancy. Women with a chronic respiratory disease should receive pre-pregnancy counselling and education. Women should be managed in a multidisciplinary setting with the respiratory team. The presence of pulmonary hypertension and cor pulmonale is associated with a high risk of death in pregnancy.     

Respiratory disease in pregnancy

Breathlessness in the absence of an underlying pathology is common in pregnancy. Asthma affects about 7% of women of child-bearing age. Treatment is the same as for the non-pregnant population and most drugs are safe in pregnancy. Educating women to continue preventer inhaled corticosteroid therapy will reduce the risk of attacks. Respiratory infections are associated with a higher morbidity in pregnancy and should be treated aggressively. Most chronic pulmonary diseases do not alter fertility. Large reserves in respiratory function allow the fetus and mother to survive without compromise in most cases. The use of chest X-rays should not be avoided in pregnancy. Women with a chronic respiratory disease should receive pre-pregnancy counselling and education. Women should be managed in a multidisciplinary setting with the respiratory team. The presence of pulmonary hypertension and cor pulmonale is associated with a high risk of death in pregnancy.     

Chronic hypertension in pregnancy

Chronic hypertension in pregnancy is associated with increased rates of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes both acute and long term. These adverse outcomes are particularly seen in women with uncontrolled severe hypertension, in those with target organ damage, and in those who are noncompliant with prenatal visits. In addition, adverse outcomes are substantially increased in women who develop superimposed preeclampsia or abruptio placentae. Women with chronic hypertension should be evaluated either before conception or at time of first prenatal visit. Depending on this evaluation, they can be divided into categories of either "high risk" or "low risk" chronic hypertension. High-risk women should receive aggressive antihypertensive therapy and frequent evaluations of maternal and fetal well-being, and doctors should recommend lifestyle changes. In addition, these women are at increased risk for postpartum complications such as pulmonary edema, renal failure, and hypertensive encephalopathy for which they should receive aggressive control of blood pressure as well as close monitoring. In women with low-risk (essential uncomplicated) chronic hypertension, there is uncertainty regarding the benefits or risks of antihypertensive therapy. In my experience, the majority of these women will have good pregnancy outcomes without the use of antihypertensive medications. Antihypertensive agents are recommended and are widely used in these women despite absent evidence of either benefits or harm from this therapy. These recommendations are based on dogma and consensus rather than on scientific evidence. There is an urgent need to conduct randomized trials in women with mild chronic hypertension in pregnancy.     

Chronic hypertension in pregnancy

Pregnant women with chronic hypertension are at risk for maternal and perinatal morbidity. Careful assessment and management of these patients during pregnancy are the keys to reducing maternal and fetal complications. Antihypertensive treatment should be used in women with high-risk chronic hypertension, whereas drug therapy does not improve pregnancy outcome in women at low risk. Prophylactic low-dose aspirin started early in pregnancy in women with chronic hypertension is not effective in reducing the frequency of superimposed preeclampsia and should be avoided.     

Respiratory disease in pregnancy

The pregnant patient is at risk of several pregnancy-specific pulmonary complications, including amniotic fluid embolism, tocolytic-associated pulmonary oedema and pulmonary oedema complicating pre-eclampsia. In addition, the pregnant state increases the risk of other respiratory complications, particularly pulmonary embolism and gastric acid aspiration. Community-acquired pneumonia occurs in pregnant women at a similar incidence to the non-pregnant population, but the risk of varicella pneumonitis is increased. AIDS-related pulmonary infections should always be considered in this sexually active population.Management of the pregnant patient with pulmonary disease must take into account the anatomic and physiological changes affecting the respiratory system in pregnancy. Although management is similar to that in the non-pregnant patient, the welfare of the fetus must be considered in radiological investigations and pharmacological therapy.     

Respiratory complications of pregnancy.

The pregnant woman is susceptible to a variety of respiratory complications. When a pregnant patient presents with an abnormal chest x-ray or a pulmonary complaint, an understanding of the pathophysiology of pregnancy will guide the clinician in establishing a diagnosis. Pregnancy brings about many changes to a woman's body. One of the more intriguing is a decrease in the T helper cells, resulting in a state of relative immunosuppression. Despite this, the prevalence of infectious pneumonia is not increased in pregnancy. Complications from pneumonia, however, are increased in the pregnant host. Most notably are increases in both mortality related to influenza infection and the risk for dissemination of coccidioidomycosis.Other physiologic changes predispose the pregnant woman to certain disease processes. Hypercoagulability associated with pregnancy results in a marked increase in the incidence of thromboembolic disease. Although rare, pregnancy is also associated with other embolic phenomena including amniotic fluid embolism, air embolism, and trophoblastic embolism. Because of the increases in intravascular volume and cardiac output that occur in pregnancy, women with underlying structural heart disease will frequently present for the first time or have an exacerbation of their disease. This is especially true of mitral stenosis. Peripartum cardiomyopathy also can occur, and for the majority of patients, the heart remains damaged for life. Finally, although uncommon, lymphangioleiomyomatosis will often present or become exacerbated during pregnancy. Patients with this disorder need to be counseled concerning the increased risk associated with pregnancy. This paper reviews the various respiratory complications associated with pregnancy.     

Condyloma in pregnancy is strongly predictive of juvenile-onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis

OBJECTIVE: To assess the risk of juvenile-onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis conferred by a maternal history of genital warts in pregnancy, and to identify additional cofactors such as the method of delivery (cesarean versus vaginal) and procedures or complications during pregnancy. METHODS: A retrospective cohort design was used to evaluate maternal and infant characteristics associated with respiratory papillomatosis among Danish births between 1974 and 1993. Using data from Danish registries, we identified 3033 births with a maternal history of genital warts during pregnancy. Fifty-seven respiratory papillomatosis cases were identified by review of medical records from ear, nose, and throat departments. RESULTS: Seven of every 1000 births with a maternal history of genital warts resulted in disease in the offspring, corresponding to a 231.4 (95% confidence interval 135.3, 395.9) times higher risk of disease relative to births without a maternal history of genital warts. In women with genital warts, delivery times of more than 10 hours were associated with a two-fold greater risk of disease. Cesarean delivery was not found to be protective against respiratory papillomatosis, and no other procedures or complications during pregnancy were observed to increase the risk of respiratory papillomatosis. CONCLUSION: A maternal history of genital warts in pregnancy is the strongest risk factor for respiratory papillomatosis in the child. Future studies should examine the efficacy of genital wart treatment for the prevention of disease.     

Chronic renal disease in pregnancy

The purpose of this review was to examine the impact of varying degrees of renal insufficiency on pregnancy outcome in women with chronic renal disease. Our search of the literature did not reveal any randomized clinical trials or meta-analyses. The available information is derived from opinion, reviews, retrospective series, and limited observational series. It appears that chronic renal disease in pregnancy is uncommon, occurring in 0.03-0.12% of all pregnancies from two U.S. population-based and registry studies. Maternal complications associated with chronic renal disease include preeclampsia, worsening renal function, preterm delivery, anemia, chronic hypertension, and cesarean delivery. The live birth rate in women with chronic renal disease ranges between 64% and 98% depending on the severity of renal insufficiency and presence of hypertension. Significant proteinuria may be an indicator of underlying renal insufficiency. Management of pregnant women with underlying renal disease should ideally entail a multidisciplinary approach at a tertiary center and include a maternal-fetal medicine specialist and a nephrologist. Such women should receive counseling regarding the pregnancy outcomes in association with maternal chronic renal disease and the effect of pregnancy on renal function, especially within the ensuing 5 years postpartum. These women will require frequent visits and monitoring of renal function during pregnancy. Women whose renal disease is further complicated by hypertension should be counseled regarding the increased risk of adverse outcome and need for blood pressure control. Some antihypertensives, especially angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin-receptor blockers, should be avoided during pregnancy, if possible, because of the potential for both teratogenic (hypocalvaria) and fetal effects (renal failure, oliguria, and demise).     

Pulmonary disorders complicating pregnancy.

The pulmonary physiologic changes associated with pregnancy increase oxygen transport to the developing fetus. Because of these changes, the fetus is allowed an extra measure of protection against insults that would decrease blood or oxygen flow to the uteroplacental unit. The goal of treating a patient with pulmonary disease in pregnancy should be to maximize pulmonary function throughout gestation. Experts in pulmonary disease should be readily available for patients with significant pulmonary disorders or worsening disease during pregnancy. Pregnancy affords all providers the opportunity to address the major respiratory health problem in the United States, which is smoking. This concerns not only the patient's personal health, but also that of her unborn offspring.     

Maternal obesity and pregnancy outcomes

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The rates of obesity are increasing rapidly in the United States and other countries. Because obesity is a major factor in the development of many chronic diseases, it is an important individual and public health issue. This review focuses on the pregnancy complications associated with maternal obesity. RECENT FINDINGS: Maternal obesity adversely impacts pregnancy outcome primarily through increased rates of hypertensive disease (chronic hypertension and pre-eclampsia), diabetes (pregestational and gestational), cesarean section and infections. It is associated with a higher rate of venous thromboembolic disease and respiratory complications, and may be an independent risk factor for neural tube defects, fetal mortality and preterm delivery. Maternal obesity also increases the risk of delivering a large for gestational age or macrosomic neonate, who is in turn at an increased risk of subsequent childhood obesity and its associated morbidity. SUMMARY: Recommendations regarding the counselling of obese pregnant women and specific guidelines for the obstetrician, family physician, or midwife managing the pregnancy are presented. Cultural and political changes with the potential to decrease the epidemic of obesity in our society are discussed.     

Care of Women with Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Chronic IBD) During Pregnancy: Recommendations of the Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine Working Group of the DGGG

The incidence of chronic inflammatory bowel disease (chronic IBD) in persons of reproductive age is high. Chronic IBD does not typically lead to impaired fertility. Nevertheless, the percentage of women suffering from chronic IBD who have children is lower than that of the general population, due to self-imposed childlessness. Providing women with open, unbiased information and, if necessary, helping them to overcome baseless fears should therefore be an essential part of preconception counseling. With the exception of methotrexate, most standard drugs can and should be continued during pregnancy. If the pregnancy occurs during an inactive phase of disease, the rate of complications in pregnancy should, in principle, not be higher than normal. Nevertheless, pregnant women with chronic IBD are classed as high-risk pregnancies. Organ screening in accordance with DEGUM II criteria should be carried out in every case, and women must be monitored for the potential development of placental insufficiency. Any flare-ups which occur during pregnancy should be treated in full. Vaginal delivery can be considered if there is no perianal manifestation of disease; however, the individual risk must be carefully weighed up.Key words: chronic inflammatory bowel disease, Crohnʼs disease, ulcerative colitis, pregnancy     

Current management of thromboembolism in pregnancy and puerperium

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains the leading cause of maternal death. Today, various risk factors and conditions are known to increase the risk for VTE associated with pregnancy. Having identified the individual risk of a pregnant women, appropriate preventive measures can be taken. If VTE occurs during pregnancy, an appropriate immediate diagnostic work-up is essential in order to avoid further complications. For deep vein thrombosis (DVT) the diagnostic tool of choice is color-coded duplex-sonography, for pulmonary embolism (PE) perfusion/ventilation lung scan can be used. Integrating a detailed individual and family history, the presence of thrombophilia or other risk factors, a risk stratification can be undertaken. These risk categories are defined in the present paper and the appropriate treatment measures are described. As oral anticoagulants cross the placenta and may cause embryopathy in any trimester, oral anticoagulants should be avoided throughout pregnancy. Therefore, heparin is the anti-coagulant of choice for pregnant women, with low molecular weight heparins (LMWH) having distinctive pharmacological advantages over unfractionated heparins. Besides a potential for bleeding, the main side effects of heparin include heparin-induced thrombocytopenia which prompts for platelet monitoring, especially in the first weeks of heparin treatment, and, secondly, heparin-induced osteoporosis, which is a potential sequel of long-term heparin administration. Even though there are abundant reports in the literature on the use of LMWH in pregnant women, that show that they are safe and effective, LMWH are not specifically licensed for the use in pregnancy.     

Preconceptional counseling for women with heart disease

Preconceptional counseling is of paramount importance for the woman with heart disease. Although the majority of women with significant heart disease can undergo pregnancy with relative safety, some cardiac lesions such as pulmonary hypertension are associated with a maternal mortality of up to 50%. Moreover, women with heart disease may be on medications that are either teratogenic or potentially harmful to the fetus. Preconceptional counseling and evaluation provide an opportunity to use alternative medications less harmful to the fetus. Some forms of congenital heart disease in the mother are associated with significant risk of heart anomalies in the fetus. Although the majority of such lesions are multifactorial in nature with a 2–4% risk of recurrence (some as high as 20%), some are associated with autosomal dominant or recessive disorders with a 25–50% risk of recurrence. Following counseling, some women may choose not to become pregnant. For those who do desire to attempt pregnancy, preconceptional counseling can prepare them for the risk associated with their specific condition as well as a plan for minimizing such risk.     

Pregnancy outcomes in women with chronic hypertension: a population-based study

OBJECTIVE: To determine the pregnancy outcomes associated with maternal chronic hypertension. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective, population-based cohort study of maternal and infant discharge records linked to birth records in California from 1991 to 2001 were examined for demographics and pregnancy outcomes, and comparisons were made between those with and without chronic hypertension. One randomly selected pregnancy per subject was included. RESULTS: The number of women who delivered with chronic hypertension (0.69% incidence) was 29,842. As compared to non-chronic hypertensive patients, fetal and neonatal mortality and in-hospital maternal mortality were increased (ORs and 95% CIs 2.3, (2.1, 2.6); 2.3, (2.0, 2.7); and 4.8, (3.1, 7.6) respectively). Major maternal morbidity was increased: stroke, OR 5.3, (3.7, 7.5); renal failure, OR 6.0, (4.4, 8.1); pulmonary edema, OR 5.2, (3.9, 6.7); severe preeclampsia, OR 2.7, (2.5, 2.9); and placental abruption OR 2.1, (2.0, 2.3). Neonatal morbidity was increased as well: fetal growth restriction, OR 4.9, (4.7, 5.2); prematurity, OR 3.2, (3.1, 3.3); low birth weight, OR 5.4, (5.2, 5.5); very low birth weight, OR 6.5, (6.2, 6.8); and respiratory distress syndrome, OR 4.0, (3.8, 4.2). CONCLUSION: Pregnant women with chronic hypertension have significantly increased risks of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Women with this condition should be treated as high risk with appropriate maternal and fetal surveillance.     

Effectiveness of influenza vaccine during pregnancy in preventing hospitalizations and outpatient visits for respiratory illness in pregnant women and their infants

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends influenza vaccination for women who will be in the second or third trimester of pregnancy during the influenza season. We analyzed hospital admissions with principal diagnoses of influenza or pneumonia and influenza-like illness (ILI) outpatient visits to study the effectiveness of influenza vaccine during pregnancy in protecting women and infants from influenza-related morbidity. Estimates of influenza vaccine effectiveness across five flu seasons (Fall 1997 to Spring 2002) were calculated using Cox proportional hazards models for women and infant study populations in Kaiser Permanente Northern California. Outpatient utilization outcomes included physician visits with a diagnosis of upper respiratory infection, pharyngitis, otitis media, asthma, bronchial asthma, viral infection, pneumonia, fever, cough, or wheezing associated with respiratory illness. Inpatient outcomes included hospitalizations with principal diagnoses of influenza or pneumonia. Women who received influenza vaccine during pregnancy had the same risk for ILI visits compared with unvaccinated women, adjusting for women's age and week of delivery. When asthma visits were excluded from the outcome measure, we also found no difference in the risk of outpatient visits for vaccinated and unvaccinated women. Hospital admissions for influenza or pneumonia for women in the study population were quite rare and no women died of respiratory illness during pregnancy. Infants born to women who received influenza vaccination had the same risks for influenza or pneumonia admissions compared with infants born to unvaccinated women, adjusting for infant's gender, gestational age, week of birth, and birth facility. Maternal influenza vaccination was also not a significant determinant of risk of ILI (excluding otitis media) outpatient visits for infants, nor did it significantly affect the risk of otitis media visits. Influenza vaccination during pregnancy did not significantly affect the risk of cesarean section, adjusting for the woman's age. It also did not affect the risk of preterm delivery. Although the immunogenicity of influenza vaccination in pregnancy in mother and infant has been well documented, in this study, we were unable to demonstrate the effectiveness of influenza vaccination with data for hospital admissions and physician visits. One possible interpretation of these findings is that typical influenza surveillance measures based on utilization data are not reliable in distinguishing influenza from other respiratory illness. Hospitalizations for respiratory illness were uncommon in both vaccinees and nonvaccinees.     

Multiple sclerosis: management issues during pregnancy

Care of pregnant women with multiple sclerosis (MS) is challenging because of the multiple physiological changes associated with pregnancy and the need to consider the impact of any intervention on the foetus. Pregnancy is associated with clinical MS stability or improvement, while the rate of relapse rises significantly during the first three months post-partum before coming back to its level prior to pregnancy. Gestational history has no influence on long-term disability and MS does not seem to influence pregnancy or the child's health. Apart from methotrexate and cyclophosphamide, most drugs used regularly to treat MS can safely be used by pregnant women. Intravenous steroids may be used with relative safety during pregnancy. Maternal use of azathioprine is not associated with an increased risk of congenital malformations, though impaired foetal immunity, intrauterine growth retardation and prematurity are occasionally observed. Cyclosporin is not teratogenic, but may be associated with growth retardation and prematurity. Pregnancy should be avoided in women treated with methotrexate because of its known abortifacient effects and risk of causing typical malformations. Cyclophosphamide is teratogenic in animals, but population studies have not conclusively demonstrated its teratogenicity in humans. Until information is available regarding safety, glatiramer acetate, mitoxantrone, interferon-beta-1a and interferon-beta-1b should be discontinued before an anticipated pregnancy. Women with MS are no more likely to experience delivery complications than are women without MS and the mode of delivery should be decided strictly on obstetrical criteria. Spinal, epidural and general anaesthesia can all be used safely in MS patients. Young women with MS who desire children can be reassured that their infants are not at increased risk of malformations, preterm delivery, low birth weight, or infant death. The progressive nature of the disease may motivate affected women to start or complete their families as soon as possible.     

Myasthenia gravis: management issues during pregnancy

Myasthenia gravis (MG) often affects women in the second and third decades of life, overlapping with the childbearing years. The course of the disease is unpredictable during pregnancy; however, worsening of symptoms occurs more likely during the first trimester and postpartum. MG can be well managed during pregnancy with relatively safe and effective therapies. Anticholinesterase drugs are the mainstay of treatment, when MG symptoms are not satisfactorily controlled, corticosteroids, azathioprine and in some cases cyclosporin A can be used. Until information is available regarding safety, mycophenolate mofetil should be discontinued before pregnancy. Pregnancy should be avoided in women treated with methotrexate because of the risk of causing typical malformations. Plasmapheresis and intravenous immunoglobulins have been successfully used in the treatment of MG crisis during pregnancy. Caesarean section is recommended only for obstetric reasons; forceps delivery and vacuum extraction are sometimes required. Epidural anesthesia is advised to reduce physical and emotional stress. MG during pregnancy can lead to serious life-threatening conditions, including respiratory insufficiency; therefore, intensive checkups by a gynaecologist and a neurologist are necessary. Women with myasthenia gravis should not be discouraged from conceiving; however, they should discuss their plan for pregnancy with their neurologist and their gynaecologist.     

Acute and chronic respiratory diseases in pregnancy: associations with spontaneous premature rupture of membranes.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether acute and chronic respiratory diseases are associated with an increased risk of spontaneous premature rupture of the membranes (PROM). METHODS: We used the 1993-2004 National Hospital Discharge Survey data of singleton deliveries in the USA (N = 41 250 539). The International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision was utilized to identify acute (acute upper respiratory diseases, viral/bacterial pneumonia, and acute bronchitis/bronchiolitis) and chronic (chronic bronchitis and asthma) respiratory conditions and spontaneous PROM. All analyses were adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS: The incidence of PROM was 5%, and rates of acute and chronic respiratory conditions were 2.1 and 9.5 per 1000 pregnancies, respectively. Chronic bronchitis was associated with a reduced risk of PROM (RR 0.39, 95% CI 0.31, 0.48). Asthma was significantly associated with PROM at preterm (RR 1.15, 95% CI 1.14, 1.17) and term (RR 1.27, 95% CI 1.23, 1.30). Stratification by race showed that acute upper respiratory disease was associated with preterm PROM in whites (RR 1.90, 95% CI 1.71, 2.11) and blacks (RR 6.76, 95% CI 5.67, 8.07). Viral/bacterial pneumonia was associated with preterm PROM in blacks and term PROM in both races. Asthma was associated with term PROM in blacks but not whites. CONCLUSIONS: Acute respiratory diseases and asthma during pregnancy are associated with spontaneous PROM, with substantially stronger association among blacks than whites. We speculate that timely diagnosis and treatment, coupled with closely mentoring of pregnant women may help reduce the rate of PROM and associated complications.     

Viral diseases in pregnancy: a review of rubella,chickenpox, measles,mumps and 5th disease

Approximately 10–15% of women of reproductive age are susceptible to Rubella. Such patients should be vaccinated immediately postpartum to prevent concern about congenital infection in future pregnancies. More than 90% of women of reproductive age are immune to varicella. Susceptible patients who are exposed to varicella should receive immunoprophylaxis with varicella zoster immune globulin. When mothers acquire chickenpox in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy, the overall risk of congenital varicella infection is ≤2%. Measles infection during pregnancy is not associated with an increased incidence of fetal malformations. However, infected mothers are at risk for serious complications such as otitis media, encephalitis, and pneumonia. Mumps infection during pregnancy rarely poses a serious risk of maternal or fetal morbidity. In contrast, maternal parvovirus infection during the first 20 weeks of gestation may be associated with a 5–10% risk of fetal hydrops. This complication can be treated successfully with intrauterine transfusion.     

Viral respiratory disease in pregnancy

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Recently there has been an increased concern over viral respiratory infections and their potential for a pandemic. This concern makes it important to review the most current guidelines for the management of viral respiratory diseases in pregnancy. RECENT FINDINGS: The topics covered are influenza, avian influenza, and severe acute respiratory syndrome. SUMMARY: Pregnant women have an increased susceptibility to viral respiratory diseases. The most common respiratory virus to infect pregnant women is influenza. All women who intend to become pregnant or are pregnant should receive the influenza vaccine. If a pregnant woman develops influenza she should be treated with supportive care. Antiviral medications should be reserved for cases where the benefits outweigh the risks. Avian influenza (H5N1) is a new emerging virus usually contracted from direct contact with diseased birds. There is no commercially available vaccine at this time to prevent infection. Pregnant women should be treated aggressively with supportive care and antiviral medications, as the significant risk of maternal mortality outweighs the potential fetal risks. Pregnant women diagnosed clinically with severe acute respiratory syndrome should be treated empirically, as a serologic diagnosis can take weeks to confirm. The treatment of pregnant women with severe acute respiratory syndrome should be without ribavirin.