European Respiratory Society

ERS 2024: Fertility treatment, miscarriage more common among women with asthma

September 13, 2024

Although women with asthma more often miscarry and require fertility treatment than those without, asthma doesn't seem to affect the number of live births. The findings were presented at the recent European Respiratory Society Congress …

• This nationwide cohort study investigated reproductive outcomes for all Danish women born between 1976-1999 (N=769,880) and followed them from 1997-2017. Asthma was identified by repeated use of anti-asthmatic drugs (eg, inhaled corticosteroids, long-acting beta agonists, short-acting beta agonists), with severity determined per the 2018 Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines.
• The proportion who gave birth in the 10.8 years of follow-up was 77%, irrespective of asthma exposure. However, women with asthma experienced a higher degree of fetal loss (17.0% vs. 15.7%) and more use of fertility treatment (5.6% vs. 5.0%) compared to controls.
• Risk of fertility treatment was significantly higher in women with asthma (hazard ratio [HR], 1.12), with the highest need among women in GINA step 4 or 5 (HR, 1.62). Women with ≥3 prior asthma exacerbations had an increased risk of needing fertility treatment (HR, 1.38).

Sources:

(2024, September 10). European Respiratory Society. Women with asthma are more likely to miscarry and need fertility treatment. [News release]. https://www.ersnet.org/news-and-features/news/women-with-asthma-are-more-likely-to-miscarry-and-need-fertility-treatment/

Hansen, AV, et al. Asthma and reproductive outcomes: A Danish nationwide cohort study. Abstract #OA5579. Presented at: European Respiratory Society Congress; September 7-11, 2024; Vienna, Austria. https://ers.app.box.com/s/4igukmne9oe8tpwt0xj8z0jli9flk7m3