Morning sickness, fatigue, increased bathroom breaks, just some of the things women expect when they become pregnant. But there’s another issue that could come unexpectantly.

“Asthma is one of the most common medical conditions we run into in pregnant women,” says Dr. Paul Joslyn, an OB/GYN on the medical staff of Lee Memorial Health System.

He says the odds of a pregnant woman developing asthma is unpredictable. “About a third of women do have worsening of their asthma during pregnancy. Another third stay about the same, and another third, it gets a little better,” Dr. Joslyn explains.

Staying away from potential triggers is key to making sure expectant moms are taking in the air that their baby needs. “The most common things are things like say, cats. Another big offender: cigarette smoke, dustiness, things like that,” he adds.

Asthma is both genetic and environmental. Doctors do prescribe some inhaled steroids to help. “Obviously, not getting enough oxygen is bad for a mother and bad for a pregnancy.”

Currently, researchers are conducting studies to see how asthma medications may affect the fetus. But Dr. Joslyn says one thing is for certain. “With medicine, a lot of things you to have to look at are risks versus benefits and the benefits of keeping asthma under control vastly outweigh the risks.” Treatment is also based on whether or not the expectant mother has a mild or severe case.