The asthma burden among women of childbearing age, 1990-2021, with projections to 2035

Asthma is a significant health concern for women of childbearing age (WCBA), yet a detailed global analysis focusing specifically on this group remains limited. This study applies the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) burden framework, age-period-cohort (APC) decomposition analysis, Socio-demographic Index (SDI) stratification, and projections of disease burden up to 2035 to examine asthma disparities among WCBA. Using data from GBD 2021, we evaluated the asthma burden in WCBA at global, regional, and national levels. We analyzed disparities by SDI and correlation between SDI and age‑standardized rates. We characterized temporal trends using Joinpoint regression to calculate average annual percent change and APC analysis to assess cohort and period effects. We then used Bayesian APC models to project the burden from 2022 to 2035. From 1990 to 2021, global age‑standardized rates of incidence (ASIR), mortality (ASMR), and disability adjusted life years (DALYs) (ASDR) for asthma in WCBA generally declined (EAPCs: –1.20, –1.60, and –1.49, respectively). Our correlation analysis indicated that a lower SDI was associated with a higher ASMR. Joinpoint regression further revealed average annual percentage changes (AAPCs: –1.07, –1.43, and –1.36). APC analysis showed that the 45–49 age group had the highest mortality risk. Projections suggest a potential continuation of the declining trends in ASIR, ASMR, and ASDR by 2035. Despite the overall declining trend, the asthma burden varies by region. Strengthening primary healthcare in high-risk areas and implementing age-specific interventions may be essential to reducing incidence and mortality.