Respiratory diseases in pregnancy bullet 2: Pneumonia and pregnancy

Community acquired pneumonia (CAP) is recognised as a common problem that carries a substantial morbidity and mortality. The burden of disease falls mainly on people at the extremes of age and the occurrence of CAP in young adults is uncommon. Nevertheless, pneumonia in young adults can be severe and fatal. oncern that pneumonia occurring in a pregnant patient may be more frequent, exhibit atypical features, run a more severe course, or be more diYcult to treat than in a nonpregnant patient is not unusual. Underlying these concerns are the recognised physiological and immunological changes that occur during pregnancy which may compromise the mother's ability to respond to an infection. Added to this are concerns for the health of the fetus.