Allergies are a pain at the best of times, let alone when we are pregnant and want to provide the most healthy and calm environment for our growing baby. For expectant mothers suffering from asthma, doctors will often prescribe them a drug called Singulair pregnancy can continue safely with. If you have been prescribed this drug or are worried about how your asthma could affect your pregnancy if you don't take it then read on...

Firstly, it's important to know that Singulair is a relatively mild medication with a range of mild side effects. The majority of people taking it will experience no side effects whatsoever but a few may experience headaches, stomach cramps, heartburn or indigestion, dizziness, coughs, colds, rashes or tiredness. These are all things that your doctor can help you with and are likely to be so mild that they are much more desirable than having the risk of asthma during pregnancy.

Asthma is an immune response to allergens in the sufferers environment and while many cases of asthma can be eased by removing the allergens (E.G. pets or pollen) there are other cases where this is simply not possible (e.g. for those allergic to cold air or traffic fumes). Because asthma is an immune response and the immune system is weakened naturally during pregnancy it's important to treat it with care. Not taking medication for asthma during pregnancy can result in pre-eclampsia and even premature labor amongst many others which are, obviously, very harmful to your baby. The only major complications that can occur from taking Singulair are worsening of asthmatic symptoms, hallucinations, depression, swelling, dark rings around the eyes (indicating liver damage) and stomach cramps. What you should remember, however, is that these symptoms are very rare indeed and weighed up with the much higher risks of suffering pre-term birth or pre-eclampsia from asthma, taking Singulair is a far safer option.

If you feel that your asthma is very mild then it is best to have a good discussion with your doctor about it. If you are at the stage before pregnancy when you are trying for a baby then it's a very good idea to try taking Singulair now, so that if you do have a bad reaction then you won't harm your baby. The most important thing when taking Singulair pregnancy wise is to keep a very close eye on the symptoms of pregnancy and how your pregnancy progresses. Always attend your scans and appointments with the midwife as these will reassure you that taking Singulair is not harming you or your baby at all.

While Doctors deem Singulair pregnancy safe and will prescribe it to pregnant women suffering with asthma, it is still like any other medication to be taken during pregnancy and must be taken with caution. Never take more than the dosage suggests, or less for that matter. If you do accidentally take too much then contact your doctor immediately or seek other professional medical advice. When taken properly, Singulair helps to keep pregnancy safe from the harmful conditions caused by asthma and is the best choice for expectant women suffering from it.

Stan Tian

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