Abstract
Background and Objective: Female asthma has been linked with a reduction in fertility. However, our knowledge of the impact of allergy on need of fertility treatment is limited. In asthmatic women with life births, our aim was to explore a possible difference in need for fertility treatment in women with perennial allergy compared to women with no allergy/seasonal allergy. The primary outcome of interest was fertility treatment.
Methods: Since 2007 all pregnant women referred to give birth at Hvidovre Hospital, DK, have been offered participation in the prospective Management of Asthma during Pregnancy (MAP) program. Women were included in the present analysis if they fulfilled the following criteria: 1) diagnosed with asthma and 2) had the first outpatient visit at the Respiratory Out-Patient Clinic within the first 18 weeks of pregnancy. Enrolled women were divided into two groups according to the allergic status (perennial allergy (cases) vs. seasonal/no allergy (controls).
Results: Among asthmatic women with perennial allergy (n=544) and seasonal/no allergy (n=388) 13.8% (n=75) and 10.1% (n=39), respectively, had had fertility treatment (OR 1.43, 95% CI 0.95-2.16, p=0.087), with no change in findings after adjusting for confounders, incl. BMI. In women ≥35 years, it was 30% (n=42) and 21% (n=19) in cases and controls, respectively, (OR 1.52, 95% CI 0.87-2.94, p=0.183), and still insignificant after adjusting for confounders (OR 1.37, 95% CI 0.69-2.70, p<0.369).
Conclusion: A trend towards an association between perennial allergy and need for fertility treatment compared to seasonal/no allergy, possibly statistical insignificant due to the relatively small sample size.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2019; 54: Suppl. 63, PA2745.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2019