Lung Disorders During Pregnancy

Pregnancy causes a number of changes in a woman's breathing patterns. Due to the growing uterus, the shape of the chest cavity is changed. It is quite common for a pregnant woman to feel short of breath (for hints on ways to feel more comfortable when you are short of breath. There are certain lung disorders, however, that may cause changes beyond this common shortness of breath.

Asthma, a lung disorder that causes wheezing and breathing problems, is one of the more common problems. It has not been shown to worsen or improve during pregnancy, but it could pose problems it the fetus does not get enough oxygen. Most women with asthma can go safely through a pregnancy, continuing to use their inhalers or prescribed medicines to help them breathe and supply the fetus with enough oxygen. Most of the medicines used for asthma are sage during pregnancy, except those containing iodine or tetracycline. Therefore, your doctor needs to know which medicines you take. Women with severe asthma must have their problem carefully controlled and be watched closely, because their asthma attacks will probably continue during pregnancy.

Pneumonia is an infection in the lungs that may be more serious in pregnancy than it is at other times. It may result in the mother and fetus getting less oxygen, and so it should be diagnosed and treated promptly. A chest X-ray is usually and important step in finding pneumonia. The technician who takes the X-ray may place a lead apron on your abdomen to shield the fetus, This type of X-ray has not been shown to cause any harm to the fetus. A pregnant woman with pneumonia is often hospitalized to receive antibiotics, many of which are sate for the mother and fetus.