Many women experience colds during pregnancy. After all, the period of bearing a child lasts about 40 weeks, which means that it is unlikely that you will be able to avoid the cold when everyone around you is sick. Reduced immunity due to hormonal changes makes the body of the expectant mother very vulnerable, which is why the risk of contracting the flu or cold increases significantly.

During pregnancy you need to dress for the weather

Cold symptoms in pregnant women

Before telling what pregnant women can drink when they have a cold, the doctor must find out what exactly is bothering the expectant mother. Usually this:

• severe headaches, general weakness;
• increased blood pressure (observed in women who are prone to hypertension);
• runny nose, swelling of the nose, difficulty breathing, frequent sneezing;
• sore throat, difficulty swallowing;
• hoarse voice;
• barking or wet cough (if this symptom is pronounced, you should seek medical help as soon as possible, since coughing overstrains the muscles of the uterus, which is undesirable during pregnancy);
• elevated body temperature.

You need to understand that these symptoms can indicate not only a cold, but also a serious viral infection, bronchitis, pneumonia, and acute pharyngitis. Therefore, you cannot postpone a visit to the antenatal clinic therapist.

If you feel unwell, a doctor should be called to your home

What should pregnant women take for a severe cough and sore throat?

Not all lozenges, sprays and aerosols for inflammatory diseases of the mouth, throat and cough are safe for expectant mothers. Many of them can cause harm to the health of the fetus, so you should consult your doctor about taking drugs in this group.

If the cough is productive, wet, expectorants should be used; if it is dry, barking, bronchodilators should be used to reduce the number of attacks. You can use medications such as:

• Sprays for sore throat Hexoral, Ingalipt. The first contains antiseptic compounds that reduce inflammation. It must be used for 3 days. The second contains oils that relieve sore throat. They are characterized by anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects.
• Spray Miramistin. It has a destructive effect on many viruses and bacteria and stimulates local immunity. A pregnant woman can treat her throat with medicine 3 times a day.

The best way to treat cough is inhalation. But when carrying out them, you can use only safe means, for example, Borjomi mineral water or saline solution purchased at a pharmacy. Pregnant women should not add herbs or hormones to the inhalation solution. The procedure is also contraindicated if body temperature is elevated.

For a runny nose and cough, you can take inhalations

Gargles are good for coping with a sore throat. Doctors allow them to be carried out in any trimester of pregnancy. You can gargle a sore throat with a solution of sea salt, soda, or herbal decoctions. It is important to prepare the composition shortly before the procedure. Its temperature should be about 36 degrees.

What medicines to take for colds and fever during pregnancy

If a pregnant woman's temperature rises to 37-37.5 o C during a cold, nothing needs to be done. It is important to drink a lot and stay in bed. If the thermometer rises higher, severe headaches or aches in the joints occur, you should immediately call a doctor at home. There is a high risk that the virus will penetrate the placenta and negatively affect the condition of the fetus. In addition, at high temperatures it is important to exclude the development of bronchitis, pneumonia, sore throat, and pyelonephritis.

There are very few medications for fever during colds that are allowed during pregnancy. Or rather, it is one thing - Paracetamol. Only this antipyretic is considered safe when it comes to treating expectant mothers. But doctors do not recommend taking it more than 3-4 times a day or for longer than 3 days.

If you have a fever, you need to drink a lot. Toxins are removed from the body with fluid. Due to this, recovery occurs faster. In addition, drinking plenty of fluids is the best method for preventing dehydration. But if, against the background of the disease, the kidneys begin to bother you, or swelling appears, you should immediately seek medical help. Before talking with your doctor, you should limit the amount of fluid you consume.

When there is a temperature, you should not wrap yourself up. Even if a woman suffers from chills, she should not cover herself with five blankets. This will make the fever worse. It is better to take a No-shpa tablet to normalize blood circulation.

The doctor should select an antipyretic for the expectant mother

At a temperature of 38.5 o C, you can wipe the body with vinegar. This will help reduce the temperature. If all attempts made are unsuccessful, you do not need to stay at home - you should call an ambulance and go to the hospital.

What can pregnant women use if they have a severe runny nose during a cold?

Due to severe and prolonged nasal congestion, the health of a pregnant woman worsens. She constantly complains that she doesn't have enough air. Cannot lie down for a long time or walk quickly. This situation also has a negative impact on the condition of the fetus - less oxygen may begin to flow through the placenta. Then the sensations experienced by the mother are transmitted to the baby. And this is unacceptable.

Therefore, there is no need to treat a runny nose during pregnancy as a symptom that does not require attention. For a speedy recovery you can use:

• Solutions for washing (Dolphin, Aqua Maris, Salin, saline solution). Their regular use accelerates the removal of mucus, eliminates its accumulation and stagnation, and reduces swelling of the mucous membranes.
• Ointments based on mint and eucalyptus for rubbing the bridge of the nose and wings of the nose. They should be applied with light massaging movements.
• Juices of medicinal plants. They can cause allergies, so you should first seek the opinion of your doctor. Aloe juice is good for a runny nose. It should be diluted with boiled water (1:1) and instilled into the nose, 2 drops 3 times a day.

To prevent sinusitis, you should warm the bridge of your nose. To do this, you can use hot sand placed in cotton bags, boiled eggs. The compress should not be very hot, otherwise you may get burned.

As for vasoconstrictor drops, they are prescribed to pregnant women only in extreme cases: if the cold is complicated by otitis media, swelling of the mucous membranes of the nasal cavity is pronounced. Taking into account the well-being of the expectant mother and the duration of pregnancy, the therapist can prescribe Nazol Baby, Nazivin for children, Tizin for children. Why is preference given to these drugs? It's simple: they contain a smaller amount of vasoconstrictor substances, which, with prolonged use, can lead to fetal hypoxia.

It is advisable to avoid using vasoconstrictor drops

Are colds and flu dangerous for a pregnant woman?

If colds and flu are not treated correctly during pregnancy, complications can occur. These diseases are especially dangerous in the first trimester, when the vital organs of the fetus are formed and any negative external influence can lead to serious pathologies.

A cold can cause intrauterine infection of the baby and provoke its death in the womb. But there is no need to panic: deaths from viral diseases are quite rare. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare yourself for a quick recovery and visit a qualified doctor. If the mother is treated correctly, no serious disturbances in the development of her child will arise.

Often colds and flu affect the health of the woman herself. So, she may develop sinusitis, pneumonia, bronchitis. For all these diagnoses, gentle antibacterial therapy is selected.

In the second and third trimester, viral infections are no longer so dangerous for mother and child. Nevertheless, against their background, polyhydramnios and intrauterine hypoxia may develop.

During cold season you need to eat more vegetables and fruits

Preventing colds and flu during pregnancy

In order not to have to think about what cold medicines are available during pregnancy, you need to pay special attention to preventive measures. Compliance with the following rules helps reduce the risk of contracting viral infections:

• It is advisable to prepare for conceiving a child in advance. You need to drink a complex of vitamins and minerals. If necessary, improve the functioning of the immune system with an immunostimulant. You should also give up bad habits and start leading a healthy lifestyle.
• As soon as a woman finds out that she is expecting a child, she should immediately reconsider her diet. You need to eat fresh vegetables and fruits, lean meat and fish, and cereals every day. Avoid baked goods, sweets, and fast food. As a result, the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract will be normalized, the symptoms of toxicosis (if any are disturbing) will become less pronounced, and excess weight gain will not be observed.
• A pregnant woman should dress taking into account the temperature and humidity outside. You cannot walk in windy or frosty weather in thin tights or without a hat. General hypothermia of the body creates favorable conditions for the spread of viral infection.
• If a pregnant woman is surrounded by people who have the flu or a cold, she should try not to come into contact with them. If this is not possible (for example, an older child, a spouse), you need to buy protective masks at the pharmacy and change them every three hours, ventilate the room in which the patient is located as often as possible.
• During the cold season, you need to avoid public places, travel on public transport, and wash your hands with soap as often as possible.

If the gynecologist prescribes a complex of vitamins and minerals, the pregnant woman should buy it and take it according to the regimen specified by the doctor. Expectant mothers should not self-prescribe immunostimulants and vitamin preparations.

2773 02/13/2019 6 min.

Expectant mothers are especially vulnerable to infection - nature has taken care to reduce the level of immunity during pregnancy so that the woman’s body does not reject the fetus as a foreign body. With the onset of cold weather, the danger of colds increases many times, and any disease is much easier to defeat at the very beginning. If we also take into account the fact that during pregnancy most drugs are prohibited, the importance of timely identification of the first symptoms becomes clear.

First signs

A pregnant woman should treat her health with special attention - after all, now she is responsible for two. You should protect yourself from the risk of colds most carefully in the first months of pregnancy. It is at the end of the 1st trimester that the formation of the placenta, the main protective barrier for the unborn child, ends.

Colds can be like... However, in most cases, colds are associated with banal hypothermia. All you have to do is dress inappropriately for the weather or ignore the body’s signals that it is cold (even indoors) - and a runny nose, as the initial symptom, is guaranteed.

Following a runny nose left unattended, other signs of a cold may very quickly appear:

• Temperature increase;
• Sore throat and even plaque on the tonsils;
• Signs of general intoxication: pain and aches in muscles and joints, lethargy, weakness, sleep and appetite disturbances.

It is still possible to contain these symptoms with minimal losses to the health of the pregnant woman and the fetus. However, complete treatment recommendations can only be given by the attending physician who is familiar with the health characteristics of a pregnant woman.

It is safe enough for pregnant women to independently treat only a runny nose, but even here it is necessary to use only approved drugs in compliance with dosages. Therefore, if you are not sure about the effect of drugs on your body, it is better to use regular rinses with drugs based on sea water - they do not give side effects, and their effect heals the nasal mucosa and prevents the spread of infection.

Often, preventative measures are the most effective remedy during pregnancy, especially in the 1st trimester. Avoid contact with infected people, limit visits to crowded places during epidemics, wash your hands after coming from the street, strengthen your immune system - and then not a single cold will be able to break through your protective barrier and harm you and your child.

Features of treatment

If you have not been able to eliminate the initial symptoms on your own, and the malaise has lasted for 2-3 days, you need to call a doctor at home (under no circumstances visit the clinic). During pregnancy, women are especially susceptible to nervous disorders, which negatively affects their overall health. Therefore, their psychological state is no less important than their physical health.

You should also know. It is undesirable to take even the most harmless medications and, if possible, avoid taking them, making do with preventive measures and traditional medicine.

Drug therapy

The choice of drugs necessary for treatment can only be determined by the attending physician, as well as the duration of their use with strict adherence to doses. Depending on the severity of the disease and the individual health characteristics of the pregnant woman, drugs from the following groups may be prescribed for colds:

• Antiviral: Grippferon, Oscillococcinum, (after 14 weeks), Anaferon. The drugs have the greatest effect in the initial stages of the disease - on the first day;
• For a runny nose: Aquamaris, Dolphin, Pinosol, Euphorbium Compositum, Evamenol ointment. If the use of nasal rinses or homeopathic medications do not have the desired effect, short-term use of vasoconstrictor drugs is possible: Galazolin, Naphthyzin, Nazol. Their use should not exceed 3 days with 1-2 times of use;
• Antipyretic:, Panadol, . The drugs are taken only when the temperature exceeds +38°C, the reduction effect is achieved by rubbing with alcohol or vinegar, cold compresses on the forehead;
• For sore throat: Inhalipt, Givalex, Cameton, Orasept, Faringosept. To increase the therapeutic effect, sprays and aerosols are applied after gargling;
• Rinse solutions: Chlorophyllipt, Givalex, Rotokan, furatsilin solution. The procedures are carried out several times a day with warm solutions. After taking medication, it is not recommended to eat or drink for 30 minutes. to maintain the therapeutic effect;
• Antitussives: Mukaltin, Eukabal. Only herbal preparations are allowed. Herbal preparations that have not been fully studied are recommended: Gedelix, Bronchicum;
• Antibiotics: penicillins (, Oxacillin, Ampicillin), cephalosporins (Cefazolin, Cefatoxime), macrolides (Erythromycin, Azithromycin). Drugs are prescribed only if the bacterial nature of the pathogen is identified; the type of antibiotic is selected taking into account the sensitivity of a certain group of bacteria to it.

Prohibited drugs

There is a list of medications that are contraindicated in the treatment of colds during pregnancy:

• , Analgin, Nuferon;
• Theraflu, Coldrex, vitamin C (in overdose);
• Citramon, Askofen, immunomodulatory drugs;
• Alcohol tinctures, estrogens, Androgens;
• Dietary supplements, Ambroxol, Ambrobene;
• Drugs from the tetracycline group.

ethnoscience

Products from the pantry of “grandmother’s” recipes become especially popular during pregnancy. After all, natural ingredients have a minimal risk of side effects, which is very important during the period of carrying a child.

In the treatment of colds and acute respiratory viral infections at the very beginning of the disease, the following remedies can be used:

• When treating a runny nose, rinse your nose with saline solution.(0.5 tsp per 200 ml of water). The procedures are carried out 3-4 times a day with warm water with careful adherence to the dosage. After rinsing, strong nose blowing is not recommended;
• Taking hot baths for your feet is strictly prohibited, but for your hands it is mandatory. You can also pour dry mustard into your socks at night - this will provide warmth for your feet throughout the night;
• At high temperatures, it is recommended to wipe the body with a mixture of equal parts of water, vodka and vinegar (wipe, but do not rub);
• For a sore throat, use gargling infusions made from medicinal herbs.(, calendula, sage). The solution is made at the rate of 1 tbsp. l. dry raw materials per 200 ml of boiling water and use warm and freshly prepared;
• Effective use of inhalations from boiled and crushed potatoes, infusions of medicinal herbs, solutions of essential oils (a few drops per 1 liter of water). Pregnant women are recommended to use a nebulizer;
• As an antipyretic drink tea from linden flowers and currant leaves;
• Grapefruit is used as a vitamin supplement - it is not a possible allergen, although it is a citrus fruit. Grapefruit is recommended for consumption during pregnancy due to its bactericidal and anti-inflammatory properties;
• In the absence of allergies, an effective remedy is used: Add 1 tsp to 200 ml of boiled and slightly cooled milk. honey and 0.5 tsp. cocoa butter Pork fat (1 tbsp per 200 ml of milk or tea) has no less anti-cold effect.

Use folk remedies in compliance with the recommended doses and timing of use, and always after consulting a doctor.

What is the risk for the child?

The greatest danger of abnormalities in fetal development during colds is the 1st trimester. When the formation of the placenta has not yet been completed, the fetus is especially vulnerable to possible damage from viruses and bacteria.

However, treatment with potent drugs carries no less danger to the health of the unborn baby:

• Tetracycline antibiotics, Levomycetin, Doxycycline, when used in later stages, cause a number of disturbances in the development of the fetus - from defects of the cardiovascular system to lesions of the skeletal system;
• causes changes in the composition of the blood not only of the fetus, but also of the expectant mother;
• Acetylsalicylic acid negatively affects the functioning of the baby’s heart and kidneys;
• Indomethacin causes neonatal pulmonary hypertension and even fetal death;
• Bactrim and when used in the early stages of pregnancy, it leads to the development of a cleft palate in the fetus;
• Vitamin A overdose(over 10 thousand IU per day) can cause deviations in the development of the cardiovascular system and hearing organs.

The use of any drug during pregnancy, even from the list of approved or herbal remedies, should only occur after consultation with your doctor.

Before the doctor arrives, you should follow a number of general measures that are mandatory for all pregnant women when treating a cold:

• Bed rest. It is especially dangerous for expectant mothers to endure an illness “on their feet” - all the body’s strength must be devoted to fighting the illness. In addition, bed rest is indicated for all colds to prevent complications;
• Drinking regime. Drinking at least 2 liters of liquid per day is a recommendation during all colds. The body must replenish the loss of fluid that invariably occurs with elevated temperature and sweating. In addition, consuming large amounts of fortified drinks helps remove decay products from the body that occur when pathogenic microflora are activated;
• Humidity conditions. Regular wet cleaning, maintaining room humidity, and ventilation create conditions in the patient’s room that are unfavorable for the life of microbes. Increased humidity helps maintain the nasal mucosa and respiratory organs in working condition. As a result, optimal conditions are created for removing pathogenic mucus from the body;
• Balanced diet. During illness, you should not overload the body with fatty and heavy foods - maximum protective forces will be required to overcome the disease. However, it is impossible to leave future life without food. Therefore, it is better to give preference to dairy and plant products, dietary meats.

General measures cannot replace the necessary treatment, so it is better to play it safe and call a doctor if the symptoms do not disappear after the measures taken.

Video

conclusions

Pregnancy is not the right time for colds, just like for any other illness. That is why, if you are planning a pregnancy before the epidemic season, take preventive measures: take, take immunostimulants, change your lifestyle towards health improvement. Get rid of bad habits - they weaken the body, and, therefore, the immune system. You don't want to give birth to a sick child, do you?

During pregnancy, do not forget to eat properly, giving preference to natural foods. However, if you want something salty or sweet, don’t deny yourself, because it’s not your body that requires it, but the future baby.

If it starts, don’t panic, but try to eliminate the disease in the bud, without neglecting any sources of information: doctor’s consultations, instructions in medications, recommendations on medical websites. Then you can do everything possible to maintain your health and not harm your unborn child.

No matter how hard a pregnant woman tries to take care of her health, no matter how much her family and loved ones protect her, few women can boast that during the entire nine months they carried their child they never got sick. Colds during pregnancy happen quite often, but if you are armed with knowledge, consider that you are protected.

And it may well happen that you will become one of the lucky few who will avoid coughing, runny nose, and fever.

Colds at the beginning of pregnancy

Accurate knowledge of your pregnancy period (and in general the knowledge that you are already, as they say, pregnant) is a great thing, because a cold is most dangerous during early pregnancy.

At the same time, you need to understand that by cold we often mean absolutely all diseases of the respiratory tract, and we treat them with the means and methods that are already known.

A more accurate diagnosis can be made by the doctor whom you call when your cold symptoms become frankly serious.

Why are colds so dangerous at the very beginning of pregnancy?

1. The woman’s body at this time is in a state of precarious balance. The birth of a new life immediately triggers many complex mechanisms and reactions, the purpose of which is to rebuild the entire body for the main task: to safely bear and then give birth to a child (read more about what happens at the initial stage of pregnancy in the article 1st trimester of pregnancy >>>) ;
2. During pregnancy, the muscular system and the circulatory system are rebuilt (now two people will need to be supplied with blood at once), but the main restructuring is hormonal.

Know! This system is the most delicate, and interference with it is fraught with both intrauterine abnormalities in the development of the child and spontaneous abortion. Therefore, you need to choose very carefully how to treat a cold in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Therefore, if you feel unwell, it is better not to delay and call your local physician at the first symptoms of a cold:

• sore throat;
• cough;
• increase in temperature, etc.

Self-treatment of colds during pregnancy is quite normal, but taking any medications before visiting a doctor is not recommended because:

1. During pregnancy, it is generally not recommended to take medications unnecessarily;
2. By taking the pill, you may “lubricate” the symptoms of a cold, and the doctor will not be able to recognize the disease in time;
3. self-medication is generally a harmful thing: what helped your friend will not suit you, and during pregnancy, the proven remedy that you took before for a cold may not be suitable for you.

The best folk remedies for colds during pregnancy:

• rinsing with the addition of decoctions of medicinal herbs, soda, sea salt;
• hot drink with vitamin supplements (lemon, black currant);
• diaphoretics (teas with raspberries, linden);
• hot hand baths (for runny nose and nasal congestion), etc.

Important! During pregnancy, it is prohibited to use hot foot baths or steam your feet.

A hot bath or soak can cause bleeding or even miscarriage.

Mid-pregnancy and a cold

The first three months of pregnancy have already been lived, you have become accustomed to your new status, but in this case the cold becomes even more insidious, since you are less worried about any ailments and are in no hurry to see a doctor. And this is sometimes fraught with complications.

Therefore, when you have entered the second trimester of pregnancy, you should already know how to treat a cold during pregnancy so as not to harm your baby, which methods are suitable for you and which ones should be avoided.

Important! Did you know that a cold can happen to you not only in the cold season, but also in the hottest weather if you go straight from the street into an air-conditioned room?

During pregnancy, it is especially undesirable to be directly under a stream of cold, air-conditioned air: in addition to a cold, you can also get myositis or radicular radiculitis - in other words, a cold will affect not only your respiratory tract, but also your muscles and nerves.

If you feel unwell, you can resort to proven neutral cold medicines during pregnancy:

1. paracetamol;
2. lazolvan and ACC (for cough, especially dry);
3. Miramistin, Lugol's solution (for sore throat).

Temperature during colds during pregnancy

About temperature. Pay attention to this point, because you can rush to take the medicine allowed for colds for pregnant women as soon as you see on the thermometer that the temperature has risen to 37.2°C.

• Don't rush to lower the temperature! Its increase means that the body is fighting a cold on its own: when the blood temperature rises, many pathogenic microorganisms die. Therefore, do not interfere in this internal struggle with a cold, it is better to drink tea with raspberries and go to bed;
• But when the temperature rises to 37.7°C and climbs higher, we already need to fight this.

When the birth gets closer

1. The last leg of the journey, the last three months before the birth of the child. During this period, you need to be especially careful, because your body begins to rebuild again: just as in the first trimester of pregnancy you were restructuring directly for pregnancy, now preparations for childbirth are in full swing. Read more about this in the article 3rd trimester of pregnancy >>>;
2. During the next hormonal changes, your immune system weakens again, and you become especially vulnerable to infections. Therefore, it is not enough to know how to treat it, because a cold during pregnancy in the third trimester is no less (and maybe more) dangerous than at the very beginning of pregnancy.

It is during this period that there is the greatest likelihood that a cold can affect the health of an unborn baby. In the last months of pregnancy, a cold on your feet can cause many complications, including the birth of a premature fetus, so pay attention to a nutritious diet with vitamins: this will support your immunity.

If you still have a cold, choose the mildest and most gentle means of treating a cold.

• The advice is mostly the same as for the first trimester of pregnancy: no hot baths and drinking plenty of fluids;
• Drug treatment is the same as in the second trimester;
• If you have a runny nose, do not use naphthyzine and other vasoconstrictors, this can cause disturbances in the child’s cardiac activity;
• If you experience swelling before giving birth, you can drink light diuretic herbal decoctions.

By the time you are close to giving birth, not only you yourself know how to cure a cold in a pregnant woman, but everyone around you also has complete knowledge in this area (well, at least they think so). Still, don’t rush to follow all the advice.

And sometimes just refuse. For example, from advice to take a steam bath so that a cold goes away, or to drink some kind of tincture. Leave a steam bath or alcohol as a means of fighting colds until better times.

The price of risk

We will not list all the risks - after all, you are shown only positive emotions. But you need to know what the consequences of a cold during pregnancy can be. This can include bleeding, miscarriages, premature rupture of amniotic fluid, and premature birth itself. If the cold turns out to be the flu, intrauterine developmental disorders of the fetus are possible. Therefore, be smart, take care of yourself and your baby. And to end on a positive note, a little about how not to catch a cold.

Prevention of colds: useful and pleasant

1. First, live a full life, spend time in the fresh air more often, do special exercises for pregnant women in the morning;
2. But during flu-risk periods, try to walk in uncrowded places;
3. Be sure to ventilate your home;
4. Eat well;
5. Try to take fresh vegetables and fruits, and be sure to take onions and garlic daily;
6. Try not to eat very cold foods, even if it’s summer outside and you really want ice cream.
7. If someone in the family gets sick, you should reduce your contacts with the sick person to a minimum, and the room should be regularly wet cleaned by adding a weak disinfectant solution (not bleach) to the water;
8. Try not to walk barefoot on cold floors;
9. As for hardening, do it without fanaticism. Forget any contrasting procedures, and especially swimming in an ice hole (even if you were previously into winter swimming). In your situation this is very dangerous. Just shower at room temperature and vigorously rub your body with a terry towel after the shower.

And most importantly, the better your mood, the lower the risk of getting sick. Therefore, positive emotions and good mood to you.

Pregnant women have lowered immunity, so the body does not perceive the fertilized egg as a foreign body. Thus, the embryo gets the opportunity to develop calmly in the mother’s womb. But the woman herself becomes vulnerable to most viruses and bacteria. If you are hypothermic or during a flu epidemic, a pregnant woman can easily get sick. During this period, most medications are prohibited from taking. A woman should know how to cope with the disease and not harm the unborn child.

You can guess about pregnancy by some symptoms. They are more like signs of a cold. With an increase in hormone levels, a woman’s body temperature rises to 37.5 degrees, a runny nose, body aches, drowsiness, and lethargy appear. This condition is observed only in the early stages. Later, the pregnant woman’s health returns to normal.

First symptoms

When a person has a cold, their health worsens, their appetite disappears, weakness and drowsiness appear. The disease can be caused by viruses or bacteria. Pregnant women can get the flu, acute respiratory viral infections, and acute respiratory infections. When you have a cold, your respiratory system suffers. A sick woman may develop rhinitis, sinusitis, laryngitis, tracheitis, bronchitis, pneumonia.

Symptoms of colds:

• lethargy;
• redness of the eyes;
• runny nose;
• a sore throat;
• cough;
• heat;
• headache;
• body aches;
• diarrhea;
• dizziness.

In the 3rd trimester, the edema period begins. A pregnant woman's legs and arms swell, and snot flows from her nose. Such a runny nose can accompany a woman throughout her pregnancy. It does not require treatment.

Sometimes a runny nose appears due to allergies. Symptoms can be caused by food, detergents and cosmetics, plant pollen, cat or dog hair. To get rid of allergies, you need to identify the irritant and try not to contact it anymore. If food was the cause of your poor health, you need to eliminate food allergens from your diet.

How can pregnant women avoid getting the flu?

To protect yourself from infections, you need to lubricate your nose with Oxolinic ointment before going outside. This remedy can protect you from the flu in the 1st trimester, when the use of any medications is undesirable.

In the midst of an epidemic, the following recommendations should be followed:

• do not communicate with sick people;
• do not visit public places;
• when coming home after a walk, gargle and rinse your nose;
• take vitamins and antiviral drugs.

Women should take care of their health. Dress warmly and appropriately for the weather. Eat regularly and nutritiously, eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.

What to do if the first signs of a cold appear

If a woman discovers that she is sick, she needs to go to bed. You should not exercise or move too much while you are sick. It is necessary to conserve strength.

Rules for the treatment of colds:

• do not take any medications without the advice of a doctor;
• call a therapist to your home;
• regularly ventilate the room and do wet cleaning;
• drink as much fluid as possible;
• gargle and clear your nose more often;
• take Paracetamol for high fever;
• apply traditional methods of treating the disease.

You can take an antipyretic only after 38 degrees. If the temperature is above 37 degrees, you need to make linden tea and eat raspberries or blueberries, grated with sugar. If there is no such dessert, you can treat yourself with jam. True, it contains few vitamins. Raspberries and blueberries are good diaphoretics that help relieve fever and remove toxins from the body.

The disease must be treated under the guidance of a doctor. The expectant mother should remember that uncontrolled use of medications during this period can negatively affect the health of the unborn child.

What not to do:

• take Aspirin - it can lead to defects in the development of the fetus;
• take a hot bath;
• hover legs;
• breathe cold air;
• walk barefoot;
• use antibiotics at your own discretion.

What you can do for a cold during pregnancy:

• take Paracetamol if the thermometer shows above 38 degrees (no more than three tablets per day);
• make a cold compress on the forehead (moisten a towel in running water);
• wipe hands and feet with diluted vinegar;
• drink linden tea with honey.

During a cold, you should try to drink every half hour, but little by little. You need to drink 70 ml of water at a time. Herbal teas, juices, and compotes are used as drinks.

What can pregnant women take for a cold?

You should not take medications during the first month or week of pregnancy. In the 2nd and 3rd trimester, the doctor may prescribe cough tablets or runny nose drops. During this period, the fetus has already formed, and the use of medications will not harm it.

Treatment of colds during pregnancy:

• interferon-based drugs - Viferon suppositories;
• antipyretics – Paracetamol;
• anti-inflammatory – Ibuprofen;
• antihistamines – Zyrtec;
• vasoconstrictors – Nazivin;
• mucolytics – Linkas, Mucoltin, Gerbion;
• vitamins C, A, E, PP;
• antibiotics - benzylpenicillin, erythromycin.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Ketanal, Diclofenac, Ibuprofen) can be used in the 2nd trimester. The use of these drugs can lead to complications: the duration of pregnancy increases, blood clotting decreases, and the amount of amniotic fluid decreases. In the 1st and 3rd trimester, it is prohibited to use NPPs.

Treatment of a runny nose

Pregnant women should not use vasoconstrictor drops in the early stages. Nazol, Naphthyzin, Tizin are prohibited from being instilled during this period. Drops may cause fetal heart palpitations. This may subsequently affect his health.

Methods for treating a runny nose in the early stages:

1. Preparation of ointments. Melt honey in a water bath, add a few drops of vegetable oil and garlic. The ointment is impregnated with the ointment and inserted into the nasal passages.
2. Homemade drops. Squeezed aloe or Kalanchoe juice is instilled into each nostril. You can add a couple of drops of honey. Beetroot juice is used for the same purpose. Drops relieve swelling and inflammation, remove mucus from the nose.
3. Washing. The nose is washed with a decoction of chamomile, propolis, and celandine. Saline solution can be used.
4. Steam inhalations. Boil water, add essential drops of eucalyptus and tea tree. Before the procedure, you need to clean your nose and drink a decoction of licorice root to thin the mucus.
5. Massage. To relieve congestion, massage your nose for 10 minutes.
6. Rinsing. Herbal tinctures are prepared from calendula, sage, and chamomile. You need to rinse your nasopharynx with warm infusion several times a day.

It is useful to rinse your nose with saline or soda solution. You can add a couple of drops of iodine to salted water. Take one teaspoon of salt or soda per glass of liquid.

To rinse the nose, use a teapot. The water should be warm, but not hot. The procedure is done 2 or 3 times a day. At the pharmacy you can buy ready-made washes, for example, Aquamaris, Aqualor, Dolphin.

In the 2nd and 3rd trimester, the nose can be instilled with drops of Pinosol, Sinupret, Nazivin. During this period, it is allowed to use antibiotics if the pregnant woman has purulent sinusitis. The safest are Azithromycin and Spiramycin.

Cough treatment

Once ill, a woman must take all measures to recover. The most dangerous symptom of a cold during pregnancy is a cough. Because of it, the tone of the uterus increases, premature birth, miscarriage, uterine bleeding may occur, and the child may experience oxygen starvation or develop an intrauterine infection.

Medicines for colds during pregnancy and coughs:

• Mucoltin, Althea root syrup, Herbion - for dry cough in the 1st trimester;
• Bronchipret, Doctor Theis - for wet cough in the early stages;
• Eucabal, Gedelix, Bronchicum - for dry cough in the 2nd and 3rd trimester;
• Stoptussin Fito, Doctor Theis, Gerbion, Linkas - for wet cough in the 2nd and 3rd trimester.

What drugs should not be taken by pregnant women:

• ACC;
• Codelac;
• Influenza;
• Pertussin;
• Ascoril.

Cough is especially dangerous in early pregnancy. During this period, the laying of the organs of the unborn child occurs. Infection or medications can cause problems with fetal development. Cough can lead to hypoxia, placental abruption and miscarriage. In the 2nd trimester, it is difficult for viruses to cross the placenta. However, frequent coughing attacks can increase the tone of the uterus. In later months, the placenta ages, and dangerous toxins and medications that the mother uses can pass through it.

How to treat a sore throat?

During pregnancy, the throat is treated with frequent gargling. The procedure is carried out every 30 minutes. Gargle with a runny nose and cough. This procedure helps to soften the mucus that has formed there and soothe the throat irritated by frequent attacks.

If a woman has a sore throat, you can use medicinal herbs for rinsing. For a glass of liquid, take one tablespoon of sage or chamomile, calendula, St. John's wort. If you have a sore throat, you should not gargle with solutions containing soda and salt. The liquid should not be too hot.

In addition to gargling, the throat can be lubricated with tea tree or sea buckthorn oil. During this period you need to drink milk with butter. You should avoid drinking honey; it will irritate the mucous membranes.

For sore throat, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, alcohol-containing medications should not be used during pregnancy. It is forbidden to smear the throat with propolis. Stop sore throat and Jox sprays should not be used.

Some medications can be prescribed to pregnant women. Chlorhexidine is used for gargling. For angina, Miramistin spray is prescribed. In the 2nd trimester, the throat can be lubricated with Lugol. For severe pain, you can suck on Lizobact or Laripront lozenges.

Treatment of cough with folk remedies

At home, colds can be treated with inhalations, herbal tinctures, compresses, and gargles. Not all physiotherapeutic procedures are allowed for pregnant women.

What not to do:

• place jars;
• warm up the lungs with mustard plasters;
• soaring legs.

Inhalations during pregnancy are best done using a nebulizer. Mineral water (Borjomi, Narzan) can be used as a solution for the procedure. If prescribed by a doctor, you can use Lazolvan, Mucaltin.

If you don’t have a device, you can breathe in the steam. To do this, pour 2 liters of water into a saucepan, bring it to a boil and dissolve a spoonful of soda in it. The steam should not be too hot. The solution temperature is 40 degrees. In addition to soda, you can add medicinal herbs (sage, chamomile, St. John's wort) to the water. You need to breathe steam for about 5-10 minutes once a day, preferably before bed. You don't have to cover your head with a towel. Inhalations should not be performed if a woman has a fever.

Gargling is a must. For one procedure, take 1 glass of liquid. It is advisable to gargle after eating. This procedure can be performed 4-7 times a day. Gargle with soda, a decoction of chamomile, linden, and plantain. Take 1 teaspoon of herb per glass of water.

Honey is good for coughs. You can add it to milk. Add butter to the prepared solution. This mixture soothes an irritated throat.

Before going to bed, you can make a cough compress from a cabbage leaf and honey. The leaf is boiled in water for 5 minutes, then applied to the chest. It must first be lubricated with honey. The compress is left overnight. The next morning you may notice that the mucus has become easier to cough up. The compress promotes faster removal of mucus accumulated in the bronchi.

Black radish juice and honey help with cough. Prepare the product before use. To thin the mucus in the bronchi, you need to take a spoonful of the mixture three times a day.

A folk remedy such as milk with sage also helps to cope with colds. The mixture is prepared before bedtime. Add one tablespoon of herb to 300 ml of milk. The mixture needs to be boiled for about five minutes, but no more, strained and drunk when it has cooled to room temperature.

Onions and garlic will help kill the infection. You can grate vegetables, add honey and take one teaspoon three times a day. Onion or garlic pulp can be placed on a saucer and placed on the nightstand near the bed. During sleep, it is useful to breathe in the vapors of these plants.

Ginger tea with lemon helps with cough. To prepare it, boil water (200 ml), add a teaspoon of grated ginger root, a slice of lemon and honey.

It is useful to eat chicken broth during illness. It reduces cough symptoms and improves the condition. You can add more onions, peppers, dill, and garlic to it.

Consequences and dangers of colds

No doctor can say how a cold will affect the unborn child. If a woman becomes ill in early or late pregnancy, the infection can cross the placenta and affect the development of the fetus. Medications are no less dangerous during this period. The use of certain medications can lead to hormonal imbalance. Metabolic disorders in the mother's body sometimes lead to the development of pathologies in the child.

If a woman is worried about complications, she can do tests. You can check the condition of the amniotic fluid and whether there are any pathologies in the fetus. True, after such an analysis you will need to make a choice - keep the child or have an abortion. Not all women are ready to decide the fate of their baby. Not always identified violations can lead to problems with the child’s health.

Nature itself knows when to terminate a pregnancy. If something goes wrong, the woman has a miscarriage. If there is no threat, and a general blood and urine test is normal, you can leave the fetus alone and let it develop quietly. After all, any intervention in a newly born life can have consequences.

Prevention

Colds will not occur during pregnancy if you take precautions. During a flu epidemic, you should not visit public places or have contact with sick people. When you come home, be sure to wash your hands with soap and rinse your mouth and nose with saline solution.

If sick relatives live in the house, you need to regularly ventilate the room and try not to talk to them. The room can be “quartzed” with a UV lamp. At the first symptoms of the disease, you should consult a doctor. A cold is only dangerous if left untreated.

During an epidemic, it is advisable not to visit a gynecologist. After all, you can become infected while waiting for an appointment in the corridor of the antenatal clinic. There may be sick women nearby. In such cases, it is better to call your doctor and reschedule the appointment for another day.

Some doctors recommend getting a flu shot. In the early stages, vaccination is not recommended. There is always a possibility that a vaccinated person will still “catch” the virus. To avoid getting sick, it is better to boost your immune system.

You can strengthen your immune system in the following ways:

• be outdoors every day, walk in a park or garden where there are many trees and plants;
• eat fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, milk, nuts;
• try not to worry about trifles;
• react calmly to a stressful situation;
• rest more, sleep at least 8 hours a day.

If a woman gets sick, she should immediately go to bed and call a doctor at home. During illness, you need to drink as much water as possible. It is better to be treated with folk remedies. The use of pharmaceuticals should be postponed until after birth.

How to cope with a cold during pregnancy, what medications and folk remedies can be used to relieve symptoms of the disease and quickly alleviate the condition of the expectant mother? You will find answers to these questions in our article.

The period of waiting for a baby is associated with significant physiological and hormonal changes in a woman’s body, as well as a decrease in its immune protective functions. Such processes are aimed at creating comfortable conditions for the preservation and development of the fetus, but at the same time they cause vulnerability to viral diseases (acute respiratory infections, ARVI, tonsillitis, influenza, sinusitis, etc.)

Medicines for colds during pregnancy: which ones are possible, which ones are not?

During a sharp increase in the spread of viruses, the expectant mother should take additional measures to increase immunity. Treatment of colds in pregnant women is complicated by a strict ban on the use of most medications.

Contrary to existing opinion, such diseases are not safe and are subject to mandatory treatment. The fight against the virus and the inflammatory process caused by the infection is aimed at protecting the mother and fetus from negative consequences and serious complications.

Timely treatment is especially important in the early stages of pregnancy, when the formation of the main organs and systems of the fetus occurs. Therefore, most women are concerned about the question of what medications and preparations can be used for colds by pregnant women in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy?

Any treatment should be carried out under the supervision of the attending physician, who will prescribe the necessary drugs in acceptable doses and express an opinion on the safety of using natural remedies and the use of herbal medicine.

During pregnancy, treatment of any disease should be under the supervision of a doctor.

What can you take to reduce your temperature?

An increase in body temperature is the immune system's response to an infectious infection. Heat activates the body's protective functions - increasing blood flow, accelerating restoration processes in tissues, and also creates an unfavorable environment necessary to suppress the growth of bacteria and viruses.

• Artificially lowering the temperature reduces the body's own resistance to the influence of the virus. It is necessary to lower the temperature only if the thermometer rises above 38°C.
• When the temperature rises, it is important to monitor your well-being, maintain rest and bed rest. During active movement, the body produces more heat.
• It is necessary to ventilate the room where the patient is. The optimal air temperature is 18-20ºС. The cooler the air in the room, the faster the heat transfer process will occur.
• You should provide plenty of warm fluids - you can drink warm tea with honey, rose hips or raspberry jam. Heat transfer from the body increases with the active evaporation of sweat from the surface of the skin.
• For the same purpose, you can apply a cotton napkin moistened with cold water to your forehead.
• Linden blossom decoction is useful for colds, regardless of the nature of the course. To prepare, brew 2 tbsp in a thermos. l. raw materials per 1 liter of boiling water, take 1 glass warm 2-3 times a day.
• If you feel chills, you should not wrap yourself up, take a hot shower or bath, or steam your feet.

The temperature should not be lowered artificially to 38º

If the temperature rises above 38ºC, there is fever, redness of the skin, you can do the following:

• Carry out a cold wipe with vodka or a 5% vinegar solution - to do this, dilute it 1:1 with water at room temperature. Lightly rub the body in the area where the main vessels are located (groin area, neck, back of the head, inner bends of the elbows and knees).
• You can also soak a towel or napkin in this solution and apply it as a compress to your forehead or chest.
• If the body is not hot and there is no redness, the use of cold compresses and rubbing is not recommended, as this can cause spasm of the vessels of the subcutaneous layer.

If a pregnant woman’s temperature rises above 40.5ºC, fever, numbness of the extremities, or a state of clouded consciousness (incoherent speech, delirium), it is necessary to immediately call an ambulance.

If the temperature rises, the patient should be kept in bed and her condition monitored.

Tablets for colds for pregnant women

Drugs approved and recognized as safe for mother and fetus include:

• Paracetamol and products from various manufacturers based on it - Efferlgan, Panadol, Panadol-Extra. These drugs do not have a significant negative effect on the development of the baby, so they can be used at any stage of pregnancy. The dose of the drug should not exceed 3 tablets per day with a duration of administration of up to 3-4 days.
• No-spa (Drotoverin) - the drug has a relaxing effect on muscle tissue, including relieving tension and tone of the uterus, has a mild analgesic effect, and is safe for the expectant mother and fetus.

Paracetamol is not prohibited for use at any stage of pregnancy

The following group of medications is not recommended for use during pregnancy due to the risk of negative effects on the development of the child. In some cases of therapeutic necessity, drugs can only be used as prescribed by a doctor:

• Products containing Ibuprofen (Ibufen, Ibu-Lysine, Ibuflam, Nurofen, Dolormin) are indicated for cold viral diseases complicated by inflammatory processes. In late pregnancy, taking these drugs is contraindicated, as they can lead to pathological impairment of renal function in the fetus.
• Preparations based on Acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin, Citramon, Citrapar, Acenterin) are especially dangerous in the early stages of gestation due to the impact on the cardiac activity of the fetus, up to the risk of developing heart defects. In the third trimester, the use of such drugs is also contraindicated, as it increases the risk of bleeding during childbirth.
• Drugs containing Metamizole sodium (Analgin, Baragin, Spazmalgon) are considered toxic and, when taken for a long time, can cause persistent addiction and changes in blood composition.
• Soluble antipyretics (Fervex, Rinza, Coldrex, Grippostad, Theraflu, etc.). Such preparations contain a high content of vitamin C and additional substances that can cause allergic reactions and other negative consequences.

The need to take pharmacological drugs during pregnancy should be determined by the attending physician

How to treat a runny nose during pregnancy?

Local drugs that have a vasoconstrictor effect, for example, Oxymetazoline, Nazivin, Naphthyzin, Nazol, are not recommended for use by pregnant women. This is due to the risk of these drugs affecting the fetal cardiovascular system.

If you have a severe runny nose, you can use the following methods:

• Rinse the nasal passages with a saline solution - to do this, dissolve 1 teaspoon of table salt in a glass of warm boiled water and carry out the procedure 3-4 times a day.
• When completely filled, you need to use a more concentrated solution (2 teaspoons of salt per 200 ml of water). This rinsing helps remove accumulated fluid from the nasal cavity, relieve swelling of the mucous membrane and clear the respiratory canals.
• Pharmaceutical preparations based on natural sea salt (Aquamaris, Dolphin) - effectively cleanse the nasal passages and make breathing easier.
• Morenazal Immuno is a drug containing sea salt components and a dipeptide to increase local immunity. The product is natural and safe for mother and fetus. The use of this drug is also recommended for the prevention of viral diseases and strengthening the protective functions of the respiratory mucosa.

Nasal rinsing will help relieve nasal congestion.

How to relieve a severe cough during pregnancy?

Cough is one of the most dangerous symptoms of colds. A pregnant woman needs to consult a doctor, since coughing attacks can be caused by various reasons.

To alleviate a woman’s condition and reduce coughing, the following general recommendations must be followed:

• be at rest more or provide bed rest;
• try not to go out into the cold air for a while;
• keep your legs, chest and back warm at all times;
• do not eat cold foods;
• provide plenty of warm fluids;
• rub the chest and back area with warming ointments;
• prepare tea with the addition of the medicinal herb parmelia, take 2-3 times a day, 1⁄2 cups
• Before going to bed, drink warm milk with 1 teaspoon of butter.

Severe coughing attacks during pregnancy can be dangerous

If necessary, in case of severe coughing attacks, the following drugs are recommended for use:

• Lazolvan (starting from the 2nd trimester) - in pharmacies you can find this drug in the form of tablets, syrup or solution for inhalation. The most preferred method of use during pregnancy is treatment in the form of inhalations using a special inhaler (nebulizer).
• ACC is a drug for liquefying and removing mucus; it can be used at any stage of pregnancy in the dosage specified by the therapist.

Treatment with inhalation is the most effective and safe method

How to cope with sore throat during pregnancy?

Prohibited medications for treating sore throats while expecting a baby include alcohol-based sprays, preparations and tinctures, and general antibiotics.

To relieve pain from sore throat, tonsillitis, and pharyngitis, you can use the following pharmaceuticals:

• Chlorhexidine, Miramistin - in the form of rinsing solutions. The active ingredients of these drugs do not enter the blood or placenta, therefore they are safe for the fetus.
• Lugol is an antiseptic that is effective for infectious diseases of the oral mucosa and throat. The solution contains iodine and glycerin.
• Bioparox is a local antibacterial drug in the form of a spray. Indicated for infectious and inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract. The use of this product is possible only as directed and under the supervision of the attending physician.

To treat a sore throat, you can use traditional medicine methods

Folk remedies for treating sore throat are:

• Rinse with a solution of tea tree or eucalyptus oil (2-3 drops of essential oil per 250 ml of warm water).
• Rinse with chamomile decoction. To prepare 2 tbsp. spoons of dry herb should be poured with 1 glass of boiling water, boil for 5 minutes in a water bath, let steep for 15-20 minutes, strain.
• Tea with lemon or warm milk with honey, as well as chamomile decoction will be useful throughout the illness, regardless of the symptoms and severity of the disease.

Video: Treating pregnant women - Doctor Komarovsky