Abstract
Allergic diseases like asthma, allergic rhinitis, or food allergy have a
high prevalence in women of childbearing age and may affect up to 30%
of this age group. A multitude of immunological changes characterizes
pregnancy to create the optimal milieu for the unborn child. Both these
immunological changes and pre-conceptional, sub-optimal disease control
may affect the severity of the respective allergic disease
manifestations during pregnancy and pose a risk for mother and child.
Due to apparent limitations in conducting clinical trials, safety data
on anti-allergic drugs during pregnancy are limited. This lack of
clinical evidence demands to counsel between potential and known risks
and benefits of anti-allergic drugs. This includes the potential of
disease aggravation in the absence of treatment. By doing so, informed
decisions and shared decision-making is facilitated. In particular, in
patients with severe asthma, education about the risk of uncontrolled
asthma for mother and child should be part of regular care. This review
focuses on the management of allergic diseases during pregnancy,
maternal counseling, and available information/evidence regarding
allergic diseases’ management and treatment during pregnancy.
Furthermore, we discuss the challenges of treating patients with
allergic diseases and covid-19 during pregnancy.