Providing a Safe Nest for Improved Health Care Outcomes in Pregnant Women With Asthma.

Abstract

There is a large unmet disease burden arising from asthma in pregnancy. Pregnant women affected by moderate to severe asthma have an increased risk for adverse perinatal outcomes. This can be worsened by social determinants of health, which are social and environmental conditions that affect health and the quality of life. Here we present the case of a medically complex pregnant woman with worsening asthma and challenges in optimizing positive outcomes for both the mother and baby during the perinatal period. This case captures several elements of social determinants of health that affect health outcomes most notably in non-White patients, including chronic exposure to air pollution contributing to asthma severity and reduced access to health care specialists.