Asthma - Women

Asthma - Women in United States

United States

Asthma is a chronic disease that affects the lungs and can cause wheezing, difficulty breathing and coughing. In 2019, an estimated 25 million adults in the United States had asthma. It causes just over 3,500 deaths each year. Risk factors for asthma include exposure to common triggers, such as tobacco smoke, air pollution, dust and mold, as well as having allergies, frequent respiratory infections or a family history of asthma. 

The prevalence of asthma is higher among women than men. Changing levels of hormones during the menstrual cycle may worsen asthmatic symptoms. Pregnant women with asthma have a higher risk for various pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, placental abruption, premature birth and low birthweight.

The prevalence of asthma is higher among:

• Women ages 18-24 compared with women ages 25-34. 
• Multiracial and American Indian/Alaska Native women compared with Asian women, who have the lowest prevalence. 
• Women with some post-high school education compared with those with less than a high school education, those with a high school degree or GED diploma and college graduates.
• Women with an annual household income less than $25,000 compared with those with higher income levels; women with incomes of $75,000 or more have the lowest prevalence of asthma. 

While there is no cure for asthma, asthma can be controlled by following your doctor’s advice and avoiding asthma triggers. Having a professional perform a healthy home environment assessment can reduce exposure to allergens, improve air quality and improve asthma management. Sometimes an asthma specialist or allergist can help people with asthma better manage symptoms and prevent attacks. The American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) has a tool to help find an allergist near you.

Healthy People 2030 has multiple objectives related to asthma, including reducing asthma-related emergency department visits, hospitalizations and deaths among children, older adults and the overall population.

Mendola, Pauline, S. Katherine Laughon, Tuija I. Männistö, Kira Leishear, Uma M. Reddy, Zhen Chen, and Jun Zhang. “Obstetric Complications among US Women with Asthma.” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 208, no. 2 (February 2013): 127.e1-127.e8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2012.11.007.