Introduction to respiratory disease
This tutorial costs £10.00
While respiratory failure is a rare complication of pregnancy, respiratory diseases, especially asthma, are one of the more common problems affecting women of reproductive age. Asthma, with a prevalence of between 3–5%, is a chronic inflammatory disease of the bronchial airways.
Asthma
Pathologically, it is characterised by desquamative eosinophilic bronchitis. It is clinically defined by reversible airway narrowing and increased airway responsiveness to non-specific provocative stimuli.
The majority of women with asthma are managed successfully during pregnancy by their general practitioner. However, there are a small number in whom either their asthma is uncontrolled prior to pregnancy or becomes uncontrolled during pregnancy who, therefore, require hospital admission.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia in pregnancy is no more common than within the general population; however it does require prompt recognition and treatment as its sequlae can be worse with pregnancy.
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is increasing within the inner city areas of the UK; this partly due to the increase of people with HIV and immigrant populations. Untreated TB represents a greater health hazard to the woman and her unborn fetus than does the treatment.
Learning objectives Upon completing this tutorial you will be able to: - understand the physiological changes that occur within the respiratory system with pregnancy
- request and interpret investigation of respiratory disease
- understand the impact that pregnancy may have on respiratory disease, especially asthma
- understand the medical treatment of asthma in pregnancy
- understand patient factors for compliance
- understand the medical treatments of respiratory infection during pregnancy.
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Last updated: 22/01/10 (anatomy image replaced with a new, higher quality image)
03/03/09 (BJOG paper added in the 'Tuberculosis' section).