| Asthma is a lung disease caused by increased | | | | Immunology (AAAAI). Due to a decreased amount |
| reaction of airways to stimuli and can be | | | | of oxygen in the asthmatic mother's blood, there is a |
| life-threatening. Asthma is a chronic disease, with | | | | direct relationship between low birth weight and |
| symptoms that may come and go and is often | | | | uncontrolled asthma. Since a fetus requires a |
| related to allergies. Symptoms occur when the | | | | constant supply of oxygen for the pregnant women |
| airways become inflamed, mucus production | | | | have to be ensured.. |
| obstructs the airways and the muscles around the | | | | Asthma among children is rising - affecting an |
| airways become constricted. The most dangerous | | | | estimated 390,000 youngsters in Los Angeles, San |
| symptoms may include: marked chest tightness, | | | | Bernardino, Riverside and Orange counties. The |
| wheezing, persistent coughing, shortness of breath, | | | | exhaust from a growing number of cars and trucks is |
| difficulty speaking, etc. | | | | among the suspected causes. Air pollution is known |
| Asthma affects 25 million Americans, with minorities | | | | to hinder lung development, increase asthma among |
| having the greatest risk of dying from, or being | | | | athletes and cause coughs and runny noses, but |
| diagnosed with the disease. African Americans are | | | | experts say many other factors could be causing the |
| particularly at risk and research shows they're four | | | | asthma epidemic, which includes decreased ozone |
| times more likely to be hospitalized and five times | | | | layer and global warming conditions. |
| more likely to die of asthma than non-African | | | | Asthma appears to be a "sleeper" disease waiting to |
| Americans. Studies published in the February 2006 | | | | be diagnosed in thousands of wheezing children |
| Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI), | | | | throughout North Carolina, according to a UNC |
| reveal this unique asthma statistics. | | | | research study published Monday in a leading children |
| Asthma affects up to 8% of pregnant women and | | | | medical journal. Contrary to popular belief, the chronic |
| can get worse during pregnancy in approximately | | | | lung disorder also strikes as frequently in rural |
| 30% of women, making it a very serious medical | | | | youngsters as in their city cousins, causing symptoms |
| problem to complicate pregnancy, according to the | | | | ranging from mild wheezing to fatal suffocation. |
| American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & | | | | |