Allergies and Asthma

Allergies

For some of us, breathing easy is easier said than done. About 10 percent of women of childbearing age have allergies, and about 4 to 7 percent have asthma. If you're one of them, you're probably wondering how your condition -- or the medications you take to treat it -- will affect your unborn baby. Fortunately, there are lots of safe ways to ease your sneezing and wheezing during pregnancy without harming your fetus. Here's how:

What are allergies?

When your immune system senses a threat, such as harmful bacteria or a virus, it responds by releasing powerful chemicals such as histamines to attack and destroy it. An allergy develops when there is an immune system response to an otherwise harmless substance, such as pollen or animal dander. The result is allergy symptoms -- sniffling, sneezing, itching, or wheezing, just to name a few.

What could I be allergic to?

If you suffer from nasal congestion, sneezing, a runny nose, coughing, or watery eyes between the months of April and October, you're probably allergic to the wide variety of plant pollens that fly through the air during these months. Misery loves company: at least 10 percent of all adults and children in the U.S. suffer such symptoms when pollen is in the air.

But even if the so-called sneezing season is over, you may have many allergens lurking in your home too, leading to year-round distress. Common culprits are mold, dust, dust mites, roaches, and pet dander. While allergies will not harm you or your unborn baby, they can add to your discomfort at a time when you may not be feeling great to begin with -- especially if you're in your first trimester or late third trimester.

How can I prevent these allergies?

Your first line of defense against allergy symptoms should be to try and avoid contact with the allergens themselves. For example, if you're allergic to pollen, you should keep your windows closed and avoid outdoor activities in the morning, when the pollen count is usually at its highest.

If your symptoms stem from sources inside your home, use a mask when vacuuming, keep your bedroom free of pets, and encase pillows and mattresses in plastic covers to avoid dust mites. Dust mites flourish when your home is humid. To control their numbers, use a dehumidifier to keep the humidity in your home below 50 percent.

If avoidance isn't enough, you can try using a saline nasal spray to help ease congestion. But if your allergies are severe enough to interfere with your eating or sleeping, you may want to talk to your doctor about using medication, as there are a number of allergy medications that can safely provide relief during your last six months of pregnancy.

What kinds of medicines are okay during pregnancy?

Commonly prescribed medications include antihistamines and decongestants. Many doctors believe that chlorpheniramine, the active ingredient in Chlor-Trimeton, is among the safest antihistamines.

If you need a decongestant, many doctors recommend oxymetazoline, which comes in nasal spray or drop form, such as Afrin. Your system absorbs little, if any, of the drug when you take it nasally, making it a good choice for pregnant women. Nasal sprays containing cromolyn sodium (Nasalcrom) are also safe.