A team of experts with clinical expertise in the management of asthma is at the core of the Asthma in Women program. We will collaborate with your primary care physician and your OB/GYN, if needed, to develop a diagnosis and treatment plan that addresses your individual needs.
Why do we offer a program dedicated to the care of women with asthma?
Research has shown that men and women are affected by asthma differently. Across a lifetime, the risk of developing asthma varies greatly with the age and sex of a patient. It’s well-known that boys have more asthma than girls prior to adolescence.
However, after puberty and into adulthood, women have more asthma than men. No one knows why this is true, but it appears to be more than just hormonal differences. In addition, women with asthma may experience asthma symptoms in ways that are very different from men.
Consider this:
- Women with asthma may experience more asthma symptoms and may describe a poorer quality of life related to their asthma than men with the same level of lung function.
- Women may be more susceptible to the effects of tobacco smoke than men.
- A subset of women experiences an increase in asthma symptoms related to menstruation.
- Pregnancy may directly influence a woman’s asthma control. It is difficult to predict who will experience a worsening of asthma during pregnancy.
Candidates
Any woman with asthma or pulmonary symptoms is welcome to seek care in our program. In addition, we have a special interest and expertise in the care of asthma patients during pregnancy. We also provide preconception counseling and care for women with asthma who are planning a pregnancy.
Services
Your initial visit to the Asthma in Women program will include a comprehensive history and physical examination. The appropriate diagnostic tests will be scheduled based on the needs of each individual woman. This may include specialized pulmonary function testing, allergy testing, an evaluation for vocal cord dysfunction, a bone density scan or nutritional counseling.
At the second visit, the results of diagnostic testing will be reviewed and a treatment plan will be developed. A thorough review of options for treatment will be reviewed with you, placing a particular emphasis on using the safest medications for women who are or are planning to become pregnant.
We’ll communicate treatment plans to your primary care physician and OB/GYN (if applicable) after each visit. In addition, we provide access to our multidisciplinary team of health care providers including asthma educators, allergists, endocrinologists and otolaryngologists.