SYDNEY (Dispatches)-Women with asthma who only use short-acting asthma relievers take longer to become pregnant than other women, according to international research.
The study of more than 5600 women led by the University of Adelaide in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Ireland shows that women with asthma who use long-acting asthma preventers conceive as quickly as other women.
"Five to ten per cent of all women around the world have asthma and it is one of the most common chronic medical conditions in women of reproductive age. Several studies have identified a link between asthma and female infertility, but the impact of asthma treatments on fertility has been unclear," Dr Luke Grzeskowiak from the University of Adelaide's Robinson Research Institute says.
"Studying the effect of asthma treatments in women who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant is important as women often express concerns about exposing their unborn babies to potentially harmful effects of medications."
The researchers examined data from the international Screening for Pregnancy Endpoints (SCOPE) study, which recruited more than 5600 women expecting their first babies in the early stages of pregnancy.
Ten per cent of women in the study said they had asthma and, overall, these women took longer to get pregnant.