CTIS Issues Spring Asthma and Allergy Season Alert for Pregnant Women and Breastfeeding Moms

SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwire - May 1, 2009) - Expectant moms are urged to seek treatment for asthma and allergies according to the medical staff and advisory board of the San Diego-based California Teratogen Information Service (CTIS). CTIS is a non-profit founded and directed by faculty and staff from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and serving the entire state of California.

Released in conjunction with the start of Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, the alert is targeted to women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or considering becoming pregnant and who suffer from asthma or allergies. This important information can promote a safe pregnancy and delivery, and a healthy baby.

Asthma affects almost seven percent of pregnant women and has become the most common potentially serious medical problem to complicate pregnancy. And, braving the outdoors can also be challenging for expectant moms who suffer from seasonal allergies, which are at their peak from April through October.

With spring in full swing, the good news is that asthma and allergies can be managed with medication, and when they are, the benefits have been found to outweigh the risks of potential side effects.

In fact, women should be encouraged to seek treatment for asthma and allergies according to Dr. Michael Schatz, Chief of the Allergy Department at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in San Diego and lead author of new management recommendations published in the current issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. The 12-year study directed by Dr. Schatz involved more than 1,900 pregnant women in San Diego.

"Control of asthma during pregnancy has been shown to minimize the risk to mom and baby," said Dr. Michael Schatz, a member of the CTIS Scientific Advisory Board. "For the latest and most comprehensive information on the issue, women and healthcare professionals should contact the team at CTIS. The breadth of knowledge and resource is unmatched in California."

The medical staff monitoring the CTIS Pregnancy Risk Information Line at 1-800-532-3749 is prepared to answer questions from expectant moms and clinicians who care for asthmatic women and those with allergies. Fact sheets on common asthma and allergy medications are also available at www.ctispregnancy.org.

"As we observe Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month from May 1-31, there is no better time to reach out to moms-to-be and get this important information in their hands," said Dr. Ken Lyons Jones, medical director of CTIS, faculty member in the department of pediatrics at UC San Diego School of Medicine and a world-renowned research physician, noted for his pioneering work on fetal alcohol syndrome. "While the use of any asthma or allergy medication needs to be discussed with your doctor, the latest research findings are encouraging."

Continued Dr. Lyons Jones, "Women who properly control and treat asthma and allergies, including regular visits with their doctor to evaluate and monitor symptoms and medication, can help promote a healthy pregnancy and baby."

Founded 27 years ago and housed at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, CTIS offers a free Pregnancy Risk Information Line at 1-800-532-3749 that fields questions (in both English and Spanish) about exposure concerns and where to find medical advice and referral resources to pregnant and breastfeeding women and their families.

Recently, CTIS launched a new web site (www.ctispregnancy.org) that provides links to the most current information about potentially harmful exposures -- from illnesses to environmental toxins and hazardous occupational materials -- before, during and after pregnancy. It also can lead women and their families and health care providers to other knowledgeable resources and teratology professionals that specialize in birth defects caused by exposures during pregnancy.

For more information about CTIS, its scientific advisory board or its free telephone and online services, call 1-800-532-3749 or log onto www.ctispregnancy.org.

Contact Information: CONTACT: Audrey Doherty/Jordan Cole (619) 236-8397