A large study of over 6,000 pregnancies found that women with asthma can safely continue using inhaled corticosteroids during the first trimester without increasing risks of complications for themselves or their babies, providing important reassurance for expectant mothers concerned about medication safety.
- Inhaled corticosteroids showed no increased risk of maternal complications including gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, or preterm birth.
- Babies born to mothers continuing asthma medication had no higher rates of low birth weight, birth defects, or oxygen-related complications.
- Poorly controlled asthma poses greater risks to both mother and baby than continuing medication, making effective disease management essential during pregnancy.
Women with asthma who continue using inhaled corticosteroids during the first trimester of pregnancy do not appear to face higher risks of major pregnancy or newborn complications. That’s according to the paper, “Inhaled Corticosteroids Continuation in the First Trimester and Pregnancy Outcomes in Women With Asthma,” recently published in JAMA Network Open.
The results, which are from a large South Korean study involving more than 6,000 pregnancies, provide important reassurance for expectant mothers concerned about the safety of asthma medications during pregnancy, the authors noted.
Researchers analyzed health records from South Korea’s National Health Information Service, examining pregnancies between 2010 and 2022 among women who had used inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) before becoming pregnant. The study compared outcomes of women who continued their medication during the first trimester to those who stopped treatment after conception.
The results showed no significant increase in maternal complications, such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, preterm birth or premature rupture of membranes, among women who continued therapy. Likewise, the results indicated that babies born to mothers who remained on inhaled corticosteroids were not at increased risk of low birth weight, birth defects or oxygen-related complications compared to babies whose mothers’ discontinued treatment.
Among the 6,105 pregnancies studied, only about one-third of women continued their inhaled corticosteroid treatment during the first trimester, while nearly two-thirds stopped using the medication. Researchers said this high discontinuation rate mirrors trends seen in previous studies, suggesting that many women remain concerned about medication safety once they learn they are pregnant.
Researchers noted that poorly controlled asthma has been linked to a range of complications for both mothers and infants, making effective disease management a key priority during pregnancy. The study’s authors also noted that women who continued ICS appeared to have more severe asthma before pregnancy, yet their outcomes remained comparable to those who stopped treatment. This suggests, they said, that maintaining asthma control through continued therapy may help offset potential risks associated with the underlying disease.
According to the study’s authors, medical guidelines already recommend most women continue inhaled corticosteroid therapy during pregnancy, and the new findings add substantial real-world evidence supporting that approach. Researchers emphasized that treatment decisions should remain individualized and be made jointly between patients and healthcare providers.
