Fertility Treatment Use Higher for Women With Asthma

Follow Drugslib on

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Sep 12, 2024.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Sept. 12, 2024 -- Women with asthma have an increased risk for fetal loss and higher use of fertility treatment, according to a study presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress, held from Sept. 7 to 11 in Vienna.

Anne Vejen Hansen, from Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre in Denmark, and colleagues examined fertility in women with asthma, identified by treatment with anti-asthmatic drugs versus nonasthmatic controls. Data were included for 769,880 women who were followed for a median of 10.8 years.

The researchers found that 77 percent of women gave birth during follow-up, regardless of exposure to asthma. Compared with controls, women with asthma experienced a higher degree of fetal loss (17.0 versus 15.7 percent) and had more use of fertility treatment (5.6 versus 5.0 percent). Women with asthma had a significantly higher risk for fertility treatment (hazard ratio [HR], 1.12; 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.08 to 1.15). The highest risk for needing fertility treatment was seen for the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) step 4 to 5 (HR, 1.62; 95 percent CI, 1.43 to 1.83); the risk for needing fertility treatment was also increased for women with three or more prior exacerbations (HR, 1.38; 95 percent CI, 1.19 to 1.60).

"We found that women fulfilling the definition of asthma had a higher rate of fetal loss and an increased use of fertility treatment. The more severe the asthma and the more flare-ups the women experienced, the more likely they were to need fertility treatment," Hansen said in a statement. "Why this is, is not clear. It might be related to systemic inflammation throughout the body, including women's reproductive organs."

Abstract

More Information

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

Source: HealthDay

Posted : 2024-09-13 06:00

Read more

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Popular Keywords