Sex Hormones can Worsen Your Asthma

“Females are hospitalized for asthma twice as frequently as males, and their mortality is twice as high,” says pulmonologist Neha Solanki, MD. Is this true? Research shows that sex hormones can affect the functioning of the lungs. But how is it possible? How can your hormones affect your respiratory functions? 

Thirty percent of women who are fertile report that right before their period, their asthma symptoms worsen. Your sex hormones can trigger symptoms of asthma. Estrogens and progesterones can cause inflammation in the airway. Especially during puberty, pregnancy, and perimenopause, your sex hormones are at an all-time high and can make adult women prone to asthma. Other than just triggering asthma, your hormones can cause food allergies, fever, and colds too, and can cause stress and anxiety, which again are triggers of asthma.

Asthma and its effects on the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and the use of oral contraceptives.

Perimenstrual asthma, or PMA, is a fatal condition in which, just before or during the menstrual cycle, women can experience worsening asthma symptoms. These symptoms can sometimes lead to hospitalization. 

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Women with irregular periods or pre-menstrual syndrome experience a lot of changes in their bodies, like hormone fluctuation, mood swings, and soreness in the breasts. 

PMA can be noticed in various ways in your body. While you are still struggling with pre-menstrual syndrome, you might be weighed down with tightness in the chest, problems with breathing, and coughing.

Asthma can also be affected by oral contraceptives. Contraceptives are nothing but synthetic forms of hormones like estrogen and progesterone. Now, various studies have come to multiple conclusions. Some say that contraceptives can help with the exacerbated effects of asthma, while others suggest that they can worsen it due to their inflammatory properties. Here, the amount of oral contraceptives, individual body response, severity of the disease, and other health situations matter the most.

Asthma can be complicated to manage during pregnancy. Four to twelve percent of women in their reproductive years suffer from asthma, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Bronchial asthma is considered the most common chronic disease in pregnancy and can complicate 4% to 8% of pregnancies.

There has not been much research about how to cope with asthma and your hormones. If you have been prescribed medicines, take them on time. You can keep track of what exactly triggers your asthma. For some, contraceptives might work to control the severe symptoms of asthma. It is, after all, a trial-and-error process to get to know what exactly triggers and keeps your lungs functioning.

We are an information-gathering blog. For all medical interventions, please consult a registered medical practitioner.