The first signs of a cold during pregnancy treatment. Pharmaceutical medicines for colds

A cold during pregnancy, in addition to significantly lowering a woman’s immunity, can cause serious complications in the development of the child. The greatest danger is from viral infections, and the degree of possible complications depends on the stage of pregnancy. According to doctors, the most dangerous thing is for a pregnant woman to get a cold in the first trimester of pregnancy. The danger is caused by the fact that the child is not protected by anything and the virus, penetrating his body, can cause the development of defects that are dangerous to his life. Often, it is a cold in pregnant women in the early stages that causes miscarriage.

In the second trimester of pregnancy, the child is already reliably protected by the placenta, which prevents the penetration of most viruses. However, the course of a cold, accompanied by a number of complications, can cause disruption of placental metabolism. This process can be caused by complications such as:

• gestosis;
• risk of miscarriage;
• exacerbation of chronic diseases.

Such complications can cause disruption of the normal course of pregnancy in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Until the middle of the second trimester, with the development of a cold, disturbances may occur in the process of formation of the organs of the central nervous system, damaging the brain and spinal cord. A cold during pregnancy can cause the development of an infectious and inflammatory process in some internal organs of the child, causing diseases such as meningitis, encephalitis, pneumonia, as well as deviations in the physical development of the child's fetus. Therefore, pregnancy and a cold are considered incompatible phenomena, because it is very difficult to avoid complications. But the most important rule of behavior for a future mother who has a cold is not to panic and not to start self-treatment. It is necessary to contact a specialist who will tell you what to do when a pregnant woman has a cold in order to avoid irreversible consequences.

What to do if you get sick?

With the right approach, pregnancy with a cold can be cured without the use of medications. It is imperative to observe semi-bed rest, increase sleep and rest time, and avoid walking outside in cold weather. It is important to increase the number of meals and drinks during the period of illness, because it is liquid that can remove infectious agents and toxins present in a woman’s body. You also need to eat more, but you must completely eliminate the consumption of fatty and excessively salty foods. give preference to vegetables and fruits, and other easily digestible foods - fermented milk products, cereals, chicken broth. When asked what a pregnant woman should drink when she has a cold, every specialist will say that the healthiest ones will be tea with honey, warm milk with honey, and rosehip tea. It is worth limiting the amount of cranberry juice and fruit drinks you consume, since cranberries are a rich source of vitamin C, which is dangerous for a pregnant woman, as it often causes miscarriage. It is also important to know that not all women can drink a lot of fluids, as severe swelling may occur.

It is very important to know what a pregnant woman can take for a cold, especially with regard to medications. It is worth categorically excluding the use of acetylsalicylic acid. This substance is not capable of causing defects in the development of a child; it cannot be used to treat a cold in an expectant mother for another reason. Like any other anti-inflammatory drug, acetylsalicylic acid puts a strain on the baby’s heart and kidneys, which after birth can cause the development of certain diseases of these organs.

It is better to take paracetamol as an anti-inflammatory drug, especially when a cold during pregnancy is accompanied by a fever. It is often prescribed by obstetricians and gynecologists to eliminate headaches during pregnancy. If you have a sore throat, the expectant mother can safely take Faringosept tablets, but it is best to use proven and safe folk remedies, under the influence of which a cold during pregnancy will go away within a few days of intensive treatment.

Traditional treatment

Typically, a cold is accompanied by symptoms such as a runny or stuffy nose, sore or sore throat, cough, and fever. A common runny nose does not pose a great danger to the normal course of pregnancy, except for the inconvenience that the pregnant woman’s well-being worsens. True, if copious mucus secretion or nasal congestion is observed for a long time, oxygen starvation of the fetus may often occur. For this reason, you should not prolong a runny nose, which, if not properly treated, can often lead to complications such as sinusitis, sinusitis and otitis media.

If you think about what to do for a cold during pregnancy, when the disease is accompanied by a runny nose, some effective methods of traditional medicine come to mind. If your nose is stuffy, you can massage your paranasal sinuses, which may improve your nasal breathing slightly. Inhalations have a beneficial effect on the nasal mucosa, in which medicinal solutions, herbal decoctions or essential oils can be used. You can use the following recipes:

1. Place a few drops of vegetable or essential oil into your nose - olive, menthol, sea buckthorn, rosehip or peach. These actions can relieve the inflammatory process of the nasopharyngeal mucosa.
2. You can drip a honey solution; to prepare it, you should dilute the honey with boiled water 1:1.
3. You should inhale the fumes of onions and garlic, which are rich in phytoncides that have antiviral properties.
4. Prepare nasal drops using carrot, beet or apple juice diluted with water.

Having chosen a traditional method of treating a runny nose, it is important to remember that only freshly prepared remedies can benefit the body; only some of them do not lose their beneficial properties during short-term storage in the refrigerator.

Help for a sore throat

If a pregnant woman is bothered by a sore throat, which often accompanies a cold during pregnancy, she should not tolerate it, thereby allowing the disease to progress. A good folk medicine is this: take a spoonful of rosehip syrup, 2 tablespoons of beetroot juice and kefir. Kefir should be at room temperature and should be drunk after meals. You can also drink a warm milk decoction of sage at night: pour a spoonful of the herb into a glass of milk, bring to a boil and leave for half an hour. If you have a cold without fever during pregnancy, you can take inhalations. To do this, you can use decoctions of chamomile, calendula and eucalyptus.

It is also useful to gargle a sore throat with a decoction of birch, sage and eucalyptus leaves taken in equal quantities. Pour 2 tablespoons of the herb into a glass of boiling water, leave for 15 minutes and gargle every 2 hours. Some women make the mistake of performing this procedure when their voice has disappeared. To do this, you need to use other procedures - put a warm compress on your throat or steam your feet.

In cases where the disease is accompanied by elevated temperature, there is no need to rush to use antipyretics, especially if the readings do not exceed 38 degrees. This process indicates that the body is successfully fighting a viral infection, and taking antipyretics in this case can only weaken its defenses.

If the temperature is 38, first of all, the pregnant woman should drink tea made from raspberry jam, or a decoction of dry berries or leaves. Raspberry is a powerful antipyretic, and it also effectively fights the development of inflammatory processes in the body of a sick person.

You can also prepare the following remedy from fir or pine buds to reduce the temperature:

• take 1 kg of young pine or fir shoots, 500 raspberry roots, 500 g of sugar;
• put a layer of pine or fir buds in a glass jar, then sugar, and a layer of raspberry roots on top, alternate until all the ingredients are gone;
• pour warm water to the top;
• simmer in a water bath for 6 hours, and then leave for 24 hours;

Take a tablespoon 5 times a day until your body temperature drops. The medicine can be stored for a long time in a cool, dark place.

Disease prevention

To prevent a cold during pregnancy from bothering a woman throughout the entire period of bearing a child, it is necessary to take actions aimed at preventing the disease. First of all, it is important to improve immunity, which is especially weakened in pregnant women. It is advisable to adhere to these recommendations.

It is dangerous for an expectant mother to get ARVI or flu in any trimester, especially in the first weeks, so colds during pregnancy require mandatory treatment. Otherwise, there is a risk of complications that will harm the unborn baby, disrupting the development of its vital organs. Even a slight runny nose poses a serious danger. During pregnancy, other treatment methods and certain medications are used that do not affect the health of the baby and mother.

What is a cold during pregnancy?

A cold is a disease caused by the influenza virus or ARVI. You can catch a cold at any time in a person’s life, including during pregnancy. The peak incidence is observed in the cold season: winter and early spring. A cold can also be the first sign of pregnancy. It all depends on how long the symptoms appeared. Each trimester is characterized by certain consequences of the disease. To avoid a cold, it is necessary to consult a specialist at the first symptoms. The doctor will prescribe adequate therapy depending on the diagnosis.

Symptoms

The symptoms of a cold in pregnant women are practically no different from the symptoms in other people. Initially, mild malaise, headache and fatigue appear. The condition gradually worsens over the course of the day. Further, colds in pregnant women are accompanied by symptoms such as:

• cough;
• sneezing;
• loss of appetite;
• pain and sore throat, swelling and redness;
• chills;
• state of fever;
• tearfulness;
• itching sensation in the nose, mucus discharge.

The cough is often dry and mild, and the temperature does not exceed 38 degrees if the disease is not too serious. Influenza causes more severe symptoms than the common cold caused by other viruses. After 2-3 days, the signs of the disease gradually regress. This is due to the end of the active period of the cold. Its symptoms are very similar to those of other diseases such as pneumonia, sinusitis or bronchitis. For this reason, it is important to consult a doctor at the first manifestations.

Causes

It is more difficult for pregnant women to protect themselves from colds. The reason is that the woman’s body perceives the fetus as foreign. To prevent it from being rejected by the body, the latter specifically reduces the functionality of the immune system. This prevents conflict between mother and baby. This process is called immunosuppression. It is absolutely normal, but at the same time it increases a woman’s vulnerability to viral diseases, so the main reason for their development is reduced immunity. Particular factors in the development of the disease are:

• stress;
• prolonged exposure to the street in cold weather;
• smoking;
• eating large amounts of fatty foods and sweets;
• contact with an already sick person.

Why is it dangerous?

A cold during pregnancy can affect the development of the baby's vital organs or lead to spontaneous miscarriage. Intrauterine infection and fetal death are considered dangerous consequences. With the flu, there is a high risk of bacterial infections, which in the future also causes malformations or miscarriage. There is still no need to panic, because according to statistics, 75% of pregnant women suffer from a cold, but serious consequences are observed only in a few patients. The main thing is to start treatment on time.

A cold is also dangerous for the pregnant woman herself. In the future, she may develop serious complications during or after childbirth. These consequences include:

• massive blood loss during childbirth;
• inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system;
• release of amniotic fluid ahead of schedule;
• chronic infections;
• complications of the postpartum period.

How does a cold affect the fetus?

Less dangerous is herpes on the lips. In the future, the child simply develops immunity to this virus. A cold can lead to serious complications. They depend on the woman’s health status before conception, the presence of concomitant somatic diseases and the duration of pregnancy. Among the most dangerous complications are:

• fetal death;
• developmental delay syndrome;
• intrauterine infection;
• fetoplacental insufficiency;
• serious developmental defects;
• oxygen starvation - hypoxia;
• addition of secondary infections.

Consequences

A cold is most dangerous in the first trimester. The reason is that during this period the most important formations of the egg occur with its transformation into a human embryo. At this stage, the nervous system, sensory organs, esophagus, limbs, and heart are formed. If before the 10th week of pregnancy a viral disease affects the embryo, then the risk of miscarriage is high. Also at this stage, fetal malformations occur.

Not only a cold is dangerous, but also treatment with antibiotics, hormones, immunomodulators, enzymes and other drugs. The expectant mother can use them without knowing about her situation. In the second trimester (from 12 to 24 weeks), the baby is already slightly protected thanks to the formed placenta. It is a shield from all dangers, but catching a cold during this period is still dangerous. Consequences include:

• fetoplacental insufficiency, which can cause a lack of oxygen and nutrients;
• birth of a child prematurely with a high degree of dystrophy and low weight;
• disruption of the development of the nervous and endocrine systems;
• miscarriage at 14 weeks;
• disruption of intrauterine oogenesis, which makes future girls infertile.

In the third trimester of pregnancy, colds are also dangerous, especially in the later stages. This increases the risk of the baby contracting a viral infection and premature birth. The baby is at risk of hypoxia and developmental delay. Other consequences of a cold in late pregnancy include:

• polyhydramnios;
• blood loss during childbirth;
• difficult postpartum period;
• early rupture of amniotic fluid;
• high risk of birth trauma;
• infectious diseases of the internal genital organs of women;
• threat of miscarriage.

How to treat a cold during pregnancy

The methods for treating colds during pregnancy are slightly different from the usual ones. Some traditional medications may not only not be beneficial, but also have a negative effect on the fetus. First of all, it is important to remain calm, lie down at home for a couple of days, and cancel all activities. Bed rest also involves giving up household chores. To speed up recovery, you must eat a balanced diet and drink enough fluids. Drug treatment for colds during pregnancy is determined depending on the stage of pregnancy.

Treatment in the 1st trimester

When the first signs of a cold appear, you should immediately call a doctor at home or go to the clinic. Only a specialist can prescribe safe and effective therapy. Colds in the first weeks of pregnancy are treated with the following methods:

1. Drink plenty of water. It is recommended to drink more tea with honey or raspberry jam.
2. Rinsing the nasal passages. To do this, you can use a saline solution or the drugs Aqualor and Dolphin. The use of vasoconstrictor drugs is possible no more than 2 times a day.
3. Antiviral immunomodulatory therapy. Pregnant women are allowed medications such as Grippferon and Alfarona.
4. Protecting the throat and pharynx from bacterial complications. For this, Hexasprey and Bioparox are used.
5. Antipyretic drugs. Paracetamol and Aspirin are contraindicated in pregnant women. You can only take Ibuprofen once. Instead of medications, it is better to use a cold compress and wiping with vinegar.

In the 2nd trimester

Almost the same methods will help cure a cold in the second trimester. Therapy against runny nose and cough is similar to that used in the first weeks of pregnancy. Instead of immunostimulating drugs, it is better to take echinacea. A large amount of vitamin C, which is contained in rosehip decoction, cranberries, citrus fruits and currants, will be useful. If your throat hurts, gargling with chlorophyllipt, calendula, chamomile, and saline solution will help. A severe runny nose can be easily treated with drops of aloe juice or honey diluted with water and menthol oil.

In the 3rd trimester

At 39-40 weeks of gestation, most expectant mothers with a cold are admitted to the hospital to avoid undesirable consequences. Therapeutic measures include rinsing the nose with herbal decoctions or saline solution, inhalation, and drinking plenty of fluids. At high temperatures (from 38 degrees), you can take Paracetamol, which will help the body fight the virus. Nazivin or Pinosol are allowed for a runny nose, and only homeopathic medicines for a cough:

• Doctor Mom;
• Gedelix;
• Mukaltin;
• Plantain Syrup;
• Lazolvan.

Cold medications during pregnancy

During pregnancy, you should not take any medications without consulting a doctor. The reason is that most of them are prohibited at this stage of life, because they can harm the baby. The following safer medications are available to treat certain cold symptoms:

1. From the fever. To reduce the temperature, Paracetamol, Viferon (from the second trimester), Panadol (at any stage of pregnancy) are allowed.
2. Against cough. You can take Coldrex broncho, ACC, Tantum Verde, Lazolvan, Stopangin or use Hexasprey.
3. From a runny nose. Dolphin and Aquamaris solutions will help to rinse the nose. For strong and thick nasal discharge, Sinupred in tablet form is suitable.
4. For sore throat. To eliminate this symptom, Hexoral, Ingalipt, Pinasol sprays or Miramistin and Chlorhexidine solutions help.

In the first trimester

In the first weeks of pregnancy, it is undesirable to take even the most harmless medications. Instead, it is worth using preventive measures and folk remedies. If your temperature rises, you can still take a Paracetamol or Panadol tablet. From the moment you feel the first symptoms of colds, it is recommended to use Oscillococcinum 2-3 times a day. It is allowed to be taken throughout pregnancy. The following medications are considered relatively safe during this period:

• Coldact;
• Bromhexine;
• Tusin;
• Coldrex broncho;
• Aqualor;
• Aquamaris.

Interferon

This drug is prescribed to pregnant women as a protective therapy, but it is approved only from the 7th month. In the first trimester, the medicine is strictly prohibited. If it is necessary to take Interferon, its analogue Viferon is previously used. It is allowed from the 14th week of pregnancy. In the third trimester, Interferon is used strictly according to doctor's indications. Until 35 weeks, half the standard dose is indicated, and from 36 weeks you can already take the usual amount for an adult.

Folk remedies

The main method of treating colds in pregnant women is folk recipes. At the first symptoms, they can easily cope with the disease, but they should not self-medicate. Effective folk remedies are:

1. With a runny nose. Rinse the nose with a saline solution consisting of 200 ml of water and 0.5 tsp. salt. The procedure is repeated 3-4 times a day.
2. From temperature. Rubbing the body with a mixture of water and vinegar, tea with lemon, raspberry leaves, currants or other medicinal herbs are effective.
3. Against cough. In this case, inhalation over boiled potatoes or water with essential oils helps.

What treatments are prohibited during pregnancy?

It is strictly forbidden to take hot baths, including for feet. You should not start taking antibiotics unless necessary. This is especially true for Levomycetin, Streptomycin and Tetracycline. Alcohol tinctures that increase blood pressure are prohibited. Under no circumstances should you take medications based on acetylsalicylic acid, because they thin the blood. Co-trimoxazole derivatives – Biseptol and Bactrim – are prohibited. The following drugs or treatments should not be used:

• Idomethacin, which sharply increases pressure in the pulmonary arteries;
• hormonal and sleeping pills, causing pathologies in the development of the child’s limbs and organs;
• vasoconstrictor drops, which have a negative effect on the cardiovascular system (allowed with caution only up to 1-2 times a day if necessary);
• insulation with woolen socks and other warm clothes, as this causes overheating.

Prevention

The best prevention of colds is boosting your immunity. A healthy lifestyle, eliminating bad habits and proper nutrition will help with this. It is recommended to spend more time outdoors, do light exercises, and avoid hypothermia in cold and rainy weather. It is necessary to ventilate the home more often and carry out wet cleaning. Garlic and onions have antiseptic properties, which should be included in your diet. It is also necessary to limit contact with people who are already sick.

Video

Cough, chills, sore throat, fever... Who is unfamiliar with these symptoms? Colds are one of the most common diseases among people of all ages. It is not considered dangerous and in most cases can be easily treated in a short time. But if an acute respiratory infection occurs in a pregnant woman, this requires special attention, because sometimes even a slight malaise negatively affects the baby’s intrauterine development.

The danger of colds during pregnancy

Pregnant women are especially at risk of contracting acute respiratory diseases, since during the period of bearing a child the body experiences significant stress, and immunity is significantly reduced. In healthy people with good immune protection, colds go away quite quickly: relief is usually observed within 2-3 days after the onset of the disease. But for expectant mothers, recovery can take up to 2 weeks, and symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, runny nose, sore throat and fever are often much more pronounced than in other patients. This condition affects not only the well-being and mood of the pregnant woman, causing discomfort and a constant feeling of weakness, but also the development of the child.

Colds are extremely dangerous during early pregnancy - up to 12 weeks. It is at this time that all the baby’s vital systems are formed, and the effect of pathogenic bacteria and viruses on the fetus can be extremely negative. The most common consequences of acute respiratory infections suffered in early pregnancy:

• miscarriage, intrauterine death of a child;
• hypoxia (oxygen starvation);
• developmental defects.

In the first weeks of pregnancy, colds are especially difficult to bear. It is often accompanied by a rise in temperature to 38˚C and above. Antipyretics are contraindicated in the early stages of pregnancy, so it is quite problematic to alleviate the patient’s condition. Meanwhile, an increase in temperature itself can negatively affect the fetus and cause developmental abnormalities.

A cold is also dangerous because there is a high risk of complications in the expectant mother herself, that is, the addition of a bacterial infection, the consequence of which will be, for example, the development of a purulent sore throat. This disease will have to be treated with antibiotics, which, of course, will not have the best effect on the baby.

In the second trimester, the likelihood of miscarriage and the occurrence of various developmental anomalies caused by exposure to viruses and bacteria decreases somewhat, so a cold at this time is no longer so dangerous. Nevertheless, it still needs to be treated: even at this stage it can have a negative effect on the fetus. The placenta suffers the most in this case; it is less well supplied with oxygen and nutrients, so there is a possibility of hypoxia and fetoplacental insufficiency. In addition, it is in the second trimester that due to a cold, premature rupture of water can occur.

In the later stages of pregnancy, when the fetus is already fully formed and ready for birth, a cold, it would seem, is not at all scary. In fact, the main danger of acute respiratory infections at this time is that a viral infection during childbirth can enter the child’s body. A cold in the later stages of pregnancy in some cases causes premature birth, which is often traumatic for the mother and causes large blood loss.

Treatment of colds in pregnant women

Treatment of respiratory diseases in pregnant women is complicated by the fact that they cannot take all medications against colds offered by the modern pharmaceutical industry. It is especially difficult to treat colds in the early stages: the 1st trimester of pregnancy is a contraindication to taking most medications. However, according to the doctor’s decision, some drugs can still be used during pregnancy, especially if the benefits of using such drugs for acute respiratory infections exceed the expected harm from treatment with them.

Treatment of colds in both early and late stages of pregnancy comes down to eliminating symptoms, so most often women are recommended to be treated with topical medications.

• A runny nose is best eliminated by rinsing. Pregnant women can rinse their nose with preparations based on sea water (Aqualor, Dolphin, Aquamaris) or with a simple saline solution. To relieve severe swelling, your doctor may recommend dripping vasoconstrictors into the nasal cavity 1-2 times a day. You should not use them for more than 3-4 days: they can cause a narrowing of the blood vessels of the placenta. However, completely abandoning such drugs is also dangerous: nasal congestion can lead to the fetus receiving less oxygen. When choosing vasoconstrictors, you should give preference to drops intended for the treatment of runny nose in children (Nazol Baby, children's Nazivin and others);
• pain and sore throat can be treated with safe sprays, for example, Hexoral, Ingalipt or Tantum-Verde. Miramistin spray has antiseptic properties and can be used already in the first weeks of pregnancy;
• cough. Cough treatment for each pregnant woman is carried out individually, since improper therapy in this case can lead to complications causing diseases of the lower respiratory tract. In the 1st trimester, it is extremely undesirable to use expectorants, therefore, in the absence of contraindications to inhalations, cough treatment is carried out using this method. At a later date, depending on the type of cough, the doctor may prescribe Linkas, Gedelix, Gerbion, Stoptussin, Bromhexine and other syrups that are safe for pregnant women;
• fever, increased temperature. It is not recommended to lower the temperature below 38.5˚C, so as not to interfere with the body’s fight against pathogens. But if a pregnant woman feels fever and headache, she can take Paracetamol (no more than 4 times a day). If you have a chill, you should not wrap yourself up in an attempt to keep warm: this can create overheating and worsen the condition. If the fever continues for a long time, you should urgently seek medical help.

If you have a cold, your specialist will definitely advise you to drink plenty of warm liquids, eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, and be sure to stay in bed.

Treatment of colds during pregnancy with folk remedies

Many pregnant women categorically refuse to take medications for colds, fearing their effect on the fetus, and prefer to use long-known folk methods of combating acute respiratory infections. To some extent, these fears are justified, but traditional methods of treating colds also have their disadvantages. Firstly, even herbal remedies can harm the mother and baby in her womb, and secondly, they are not always effective. Therefore, resorting to traditional medicine recipes is permissible only after consulting a doctor.

From time immemorial, women during pregnancy have used the following traditional methods of treating colds:

1. For pain and sore throat, gargles based on medicinal herbs (chamomile, calendula, eucalyptus) help well. You can also use saline solutions made from table salt or sea salt.
2. To treat a runny nose, use freshly prepared herbal drops from aloe, natural carrot or apple juice.
3. To soften a cough, you can drink warm milk with the addition of butter and honey. It is also recommended to do inhalations using a pan of boiling water, into which literally 2 drops of eucalyptus, chamomile or sage essential oil are added. You can breathe steam over a container of potatoes boiled in their jackets.
4. To reduce the temperature, you can use a decoction of dried raspberries. No less effective will be a special herbal tea made from raspberries, coltsfoot, oregano and plantain, taken in equal proportions. To eliminate fever and reduce temperature, traditional healers also recommend rubbing with a weak vinegar solution and applying cold compresses to the forehead.

If the treatment methods used do not bring results, the cold is accompanied by a high temperature for a long time, and your health worsens, you should urgently consult a doctor. The longer the disease lasts, the more it affects the fetus, and the higher the likelihood of complications for the pregnant woman herself.

How to avoid acute respiratory infections during pregnancy?

To prevent the consequences of a cold from affecting the baby, the expectant mother needs to follow simple preventive measures that will allow her to protect herself and the fetus from the harmful effects of pathogenic microorganisms.

Prevention of frequent colds should begin during the period of preparation for pregnancy. Exercise, walking in the fresh air, hardening and proper nutrition will help strengthen your immune system. However, a woman can increase the body’s defenses while carrying a child. To do this, it is necessary to maintain moderate physical activity. You can, for example, attend yoga for pregnant women, water aerobics, and take daily walks.

Prevention of colds is impossible without following a proper diet. A pregnant woman's diet should contain all the necessary microelements and vitamins. Not only how the fetus develops, but also the health of the mother herself depends on this. It is not always possible to obtain these substances in the required quantities from food, so doctors advise expectant mothers to take vitamin complexes. But it is not recommended to take widely advertised immunomodulators: it is unknown how the fetus and the immune system of a pregnant woman will react to them.

It is strongly recommended to avoid visiting crowded places during epidemics and avoid contact with sick people. If a woman had to be in a room with a large number of people, she should not neglect the use of a bactericidal mask. You can also use safe antiviral ointments (Viferon), which prevent dangerous microorganisms from entering the nasal mucosa. The house needs to be regularly ventilated and wet cleaned.

In addition, prevention of acute respiratory infections should be observed not only by the expectant mother, but also by people who live in the same apartment with her. Otherwise, the risk that a pregnant woman will become infected due to close contact is too great, even if all the rules for protecting against infection are followed.

Any illness during pregnancy should be treated very carefully, including a common cold. It can be very dangerous for the expectant mother and her baby. Therefore, you should not hesitate when noticing the first symptoms of the disease. In this case, the best solution would be to consult a doctor. It is the doctor who will determine what medications you need to take and will be able to help prevent the consequences of a cold.

Colds during pregnancy must be treated very carefully so as not to harm the baby!

Ideally, it would be better for the expectant mother not to get sick at all, but to avoid colds and flu during pregnancy in the cold season, rarely anyone succeeds. Even if you reduce contact with the outside world to a minimum, viruses can be brought into the house by an unattached family member.

Furthermore! Sometimes they attack us from the inside without any external infection, because they lie dormant in the genetic apparatus of cells, waiting for the right moment to make themselves known. Pregnancy is one of these conditions.

The protective system of the female body during pregnancy, due to physiological reasons, is in a state of forced oppression - immunosuppression. This is a guarantee that the mechanism for protecting the internal environment from everything foreign will not work against nascent life. Full tissue compatibility is possible only between two clones or identical twins, but not between a future mother and her baby!

However, the same immunosuppression that inhibits rejection reactions and helps maintain pregnancy makes a woman extremely susceptible to seasonal infections. If you catch one of them, act wisely so as not to cause harm.

Treatment of colds during pregnancy

No chemicals during pregnancy cannot be taken (and the vast majority of drugs from the pharmacy are powerless against viruses), but herbal medicine must also be approached with caution: herbs are sometimes more powerful than drugs!

Herbal medicines for the treatment of colds during pregnancy

Preparations containing alcohol are prohibited (even in small quantities it is harmful to the fetus!), especially tinctures of immunostimulants - licorice, echinacea, lemongrass, zamanikha, Leuzea, ginseng, Rhodiola rosea... They increase blood pressure and increase the pulse rate, increasing the load on the hard worker the heart of the expectant mother and the baby’s vascular system.

His tiny heart is already beating at a frantic rhythm, making more than 200 beats per minute.

To accelerate this pace means to wear out the developing heart muscle and lay the foundation for cardiac ailments.

Advice: use an immunostimulant that does not cause unwanted effects. This is horseradish, which has long been used from colds during pregnancy traditional medicine. Grate its root on a fine grater, mix with the same amount of sugar, leave in a warm place for 12 hours, strain and take 1 tbsp. every hour during the acute period of a cold.

Runny nose during pregnancy

Vasoconstrictor drops during pregnancy

Use drugs like galazolin and naphthyzin only at the peak of a runny nose, strictly observing the dosage (1-2 drops, not a quarter of a bottle at a time!) and frequency, which depends on the type of active substance. Some drugs are used 1-2 times a day, others - 4-5 times: read the instructions carefully!

The less you usevasoconstrictor drops during pregnancy, all the better. Why?

1. The vasoconstrictor effect can spread to the arteries of the placenta, disrupting the blood supply to the fetus if you drip the medicine too often, for a long time or in large quantities. Some of it is absorbed through the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx, and the other flows into the esophagus and enters the blood from the digestive system.

2. Such drops have the unpleasant property of causing spasm of not only adductor but also efferent vessels, increasing swelling of the nasal mucosa. The effect begins to manifest itself from the 3-5th day of illness, forming dependence on the drug. They dropped it in and it became easier to breathe, but an hour later your nose became even more stuffy and you reached for the drops again - it’s not for nothing that modern doctors call them drugs for the nose!

U pregnant women This type of addiction arises more easily than with everyone else: the hormonal background is such that nasal congestion is sometimes felt throughout the entire 9 months, and after childbirth, manifestations of vasomotor rhinitis magically disappear. This is another reason to be careful with vasoconstrictor drops - fortunately, modern science and traditional medicine know many other remedies for the runny nose!

Advice: rinse your nose with a weak saline solution from a syringe (table salt on the tip of a knife for a glass of water) and instill sea water-based products into your nose (Aquamaris, Salin).

Vitamins for colds during pregnancy

Colds-pregnancy-vitamins

The need for them among expectant mothers is already high, and during illness it increases. Do I need to take them additionally?

It all depends on the timing pregnancy and characteristics of the disease: consult your doctor! Without his permission, a dose of pharmaceutical vitamins don't increase it. Perhaps the doctor will advise supporting the body with ascorbic acid, which is intensively consumed during infections, or ascorutin (strengthens the walls of blood vessels and reduces the risk of bleeding during influenza).

The main thing is to keep a fine line: to compensate for the deficiency of vital substances caused by the disease, but not to create hypervitaminosis. Excess vitamin A in the early stages of pregnancy leads to malformations, and too much vitamin C and D in recent months is fraught with aging of the placenta.

Advice: Eat fresh fruits and vegetables and drink juices squeezed from them (except carrots). The body will absorb the vitamins it needs from them without excess.

Pregnancy and colds: treatment with honey

Honey and bee products

With their help, we usually save ourselves from respiratory infections. But it is better not to use this in the second half of pregnancy: an unborn baby may already develop an allergy, and the expectant mother may have gestational diabetes.

Warming up during pregnancy

Pregnancy and colds - thermal procedures

Many of them are contraindicated in your situation. You may be used to taking cold hot bath with salt and herbs. For a while pregnancy I'll have to forget about her! Soaring your legs is also undesirable: there is a real danger of reflexively stimulating the uterus, causing miscarriage or premature birth.

But even if nothing like this happens, the bad thing is that the blood will rush to the veins of the legs (stretch them and cause swelling), and at the same time flow away from the placenta: during the procedure, the baby will suffer from a lack of nutrition and oxygen.

Advice: The expectant mother can steam her hands under a hot water tap - this is an excellent remedy for a runny nose and sore throat! Dry heat won't do any harm either. If you feel that you are starting to come unstuck, wrap a warm scarf around your neck, put on woolen socks (you can sprinkle a little mustard powder in them or cut out insoles from mustard plasters), warm pajamas and go to bed: it is possible that by morning the cold will pass without a trace.

Pregnancy and colds: treatment with homeopathy

Unlike traditional medications, homeopathy does not harm pregnant women.

If you feel unwell, dissolve 5 grains of homeopathic (!) anti-grippin in your mouth every 15-30 minutes, or take a tablet of flu-heel, which has the same effect, every 15 minutes for 2 hours. To consolidate the effect, continue the same for at least another 5 days, taking antigrippin every 2 hours, and flu-heel - 3-5 times a day.

Contact your doctor if:

• We did not cope with the malaise in 2-3 days.
• The temperature is above 38 degrees, especially if it is accompanied by severe intoxication - a feeling of weakness, weakness, headache, vomiting.
• Plaques appeared in the throat, “plugs” on the tonsils.
• Nasal mucus or sputum has become yellow-green in color and/or has blood in it.
• A severe headache occurred in the forehead and eyes, aggravated by bending over.
• Worried about severe cough, wheezing, difficulty breathing.

Advice: It is better to invite a doctor in the morning, when the painful symptoms are more pronounced and it is easier for the doctor to make a diagnosis and select the correct treatment.

Pregnancy and colds: severe runny nose

Treatment of runny nose during pregnancy

It is difficult for mommy to breathe - and less oxygen reaches the baby. Moreover, with abundant mucus secreted from the nose, your body loses up to 2.5 liters of fluid. Drink more - losses need to be replenished!

• Place an additional pillow under the head of the head: this will reduce swelling and inflammation in the mucous membrane, and it will become easier to breathe.
• Massage the points at the outer base of the nostrils with the tips of your index fingers - nasal congestion will immediately decrease.
• Several times a day, apply a little “Star” balm to the bridge of your nose, temples and those places on your face where you feel discomfort.
• A hot infusion of plantain, wild strawberry leaves and St. John's wort helps with a runny nose and sinusitis: 2 tbsp. Pour a glass of boiling water over spoons of any herb, leave for 30 minutes, strain and drink half a glass 2-3 times a day.
• Soda-tannin drops clean the nasal cavity well, making breathing easier: brew a teaspoon of tea with a glass of boiling water, evaporate for 15 minutes over low heat, strain through cheesecloth and add a teaspoon of baking soda. Place 1-2 pipettes into each nostril 2-3 times a day, and then be sure to blow your nose.
• Herbalists recommend pouring 6-8 drops of fresh juices (carrot and apple) or herbal infusions into each nostril 3-4 times a day. The latter can also be used in the form of inhalations - 3-4 daily procedures for 5 minutes:
• 1.Mix St. John's wort, willow and oak bark, linden flowers and mint leaves (1:1:2:2:2). Pour 2 tbsp. collecting a glass of boiling water. Leave in a thermos for 3 hours, strain and add 3-5 drops of fir oil before use.
• 2.Take equal parts of yarrow and oregano herbs, sage leaves, tricolor violet root and viburnum bark. Pour 2 tbsp. collecting a glass of cold water, leave for an hour, bring to a boil, keep on fire for 5-7 minutes, cool and strain.
• 3.Make a collection of equal parts of pine buds, wild mallow flowers, coltsfoot leaves, willow bark and oregano herb. Prepare the infusion as in No. 2.

Pregnancy and colds: temperature

Treatment of temperature during pregnancy

• If temperature rises sharply, and at the same time you feel chills and cannot warm yourself up, your hands and feet are icy, cover yourself with a blanket, drink several glasses of hot diaphoretic tea and apply heating pads to your palms and soles. This will help expand the narrowed blood vessels of the skin, causing a rush of blood, and thereby increase heat transfer. When you warm up, begin to reduce the heat with your grandmother’s traditional remedies: rub your body with vodka or 3% vinegar half diluted with water (during the procedure, undress and do not rush to wrap yourself up right away.
• For fever, brew herbal tea: 2 tbsp. dried or extracted raspberries from jam. 4 leaves of coltsfoot, 3 plantain, 2 oregano. Another recipe: 1 tsp. Finely chopped white willow bark, pour 1 cup of boiling water, cool. Drink 1 tablespoon 4 times a day.
• Prepare a pine cocktail in advance. Grind 100 g of young fir shoots or pine buds and 50 g of raspberry roots. Place in a glass jar with 100 g of sugar. Add 1 tbsp. boiling water, leave for 24 hours, and then heat in a water bath for another 6-8 hours. Leave to stand for 2 days, drain off the resulting bright raspberry juice. Store it in a cool, dark place and take 1 tbsp. 4-5 times before meals.

Pregnancy and colds: sore throat

Treatment of the throat during pregnancy

• Take 1 teaspoon of pharmaceutical rosehip syrup, 2 tbsp. beet juice and kefir. Squeeze the juice of ½ lemon into this mixture. This drink is useful for those suffering from chronic pharyngitis and tonsillitis.
• Drink sage milk decoction at night (while already lying in bed). 1 tbsp. dry herbs, pour a glass of milk, bring to a boil, simmer for 10 minutes over low heat, then strain and bring to a boil again.
• It is better for expectant mothers not to use lozenges and pharmaceutical tablets for sore throats. Replace them with traditional remedies: hold a teaspoon of sea buckthorn oil or Vitaon in your mouth, a piece of aloe leaf cut across.
• Prepare an antiviral rinse mixture: birch leaf, eucalyptus and sage (1:2:3). 1 tbsp. pour a glass of boiling water over the mixture, leave in a warm place covered for 15-20 minutes, strain.
• Every 2 hours, gargle with warm boiled water with onion or beet juice (1:1) or a warm infusion of one of the herbs - St. John's wort, sage, chamomile, calendula, eucalyptus. Pour 1 tbsp. raw materials with a glass of boiling water, leave for 15-20 minutes, strain. Using the same recipe, taking the components equally, you can prepare a rinse from herbal infusions, only you need to infuse them longer - 1-2 hours: No. 1 - lingonberry leaves, St. John's wort herb, raspberry flowers, small-leaved linden and mountain ash; No. 2 - immortelle flowers, raspberry leaves and horsetail grass.

Pregnancy and colds: voice lost

Procedures for treating the throat during pregnancy

Do not try to talk, even in a whisper - this can be even more dangerous. Than loud speech. During laryngitis, when whispering, the vocal cords become tense, as if screaming. You might even lose your voice!

Inhale the fragrant steam every 30 minutes. Pour a glass of boiling water over the herbal mixture and leave it covered for an hour. Composition of infusions:

• 1/2 teaspoon of wild rosemary leaves, 1 tsp of great plantain leaves and 2 tsp. coltsfoot leaves;
• 3 tsp each pine buds or lavender herbs and chamomile flowers;
• 2 tsp tricolor violet herb and 1.5 tsp. herbs of the tripartite succession;
• 1 tsp each coltsfoot leaves. Mullein flowers and elder flowers.

Don't gargle! Still, not a drop will get into the larynx - during the procedure it is tightly covered by the epiglottis. And sounds when rinsing can cause damage.

Pregnancy and colds: cough (dry or wet)

Treatment of cough during pregnancy

At the beginning of the disease, when the cough is dry, drink and breathe over the steam of infusions and decoctions of chamomile, plantain, sage, trifoliate, and linden blossom. They soften the larynx and bronchi, soothe the irritated mucous membrane of the respiratory tract and have an anti-inflammatory effect.

After 2-3 days, after the cough becomes wet and sputum begins to disappear, switch to herbal decoctions with a drying, astringent and expectorant effect - snakeweed, lingonberry and eucalyptus leaves, wild rosemary, yarrow and string.

For persistent cough during pregnancy, which doesn’t “let you go” by the end of the week. You should be examined by a doctor to rule out pneumonia.

Pregnancy and prevention

It was not for nothing that we started the article with the fact that even if the expectant mother herself does not go out “in society,” members of her family may well bring a cold into the house. After all, they still go to work, buy groceries in crowded stores and use public transport. How to protect them - and therefore the expectant mother - from insidious colds, ARVI and flu?
Especially to protect against these seasonal troubles, Russian scientists have developed a drug that strengthens the immune system. This is a modern immunomodulator Derinat. It is applied simply - two drops of Derinat are instilled into the nose twice a day during the entire dangerous epidemiological period. Once in the body, Derinat enhances the production of a person’s own interferons. Interferons fight unfriendly viruses and bacteria, thereby protecting a person from the development of colds transmitted by airborne droplets. Derinat is very well tolerated, does not accumulate in the body, is not addictive and, if taken early, can reliably protect against ARVI.
However, if the disease is already overcoming, Derinat will also be useful. After all, it will significantly enhance the effect of antiviral drugs, alleviate the course of the disease and halve its duration.

Colds are the most common infection, which affects all groups and segments of the population. Symptoms of a cold begin to appear soon after one of several types of viruses that cause the disease enters the human body. Viruses invade the mucous membranes lining the nose and throat. After which the human immune system begins an active fight against them. Cold symptoms appear 1 to 4 days after infection and last about three days. During this time, a person can infect others with a cold. The disease usually goes away within a week without any special treatment, but in some cases it can lead to serious complications.

The enormous prevalence and frequency of colds is due to the fact that the viruses that cause them are very easily transmitted from one person to another and it is not difficult to become infected. The spread of the disease occurs very quickly, especially in crowded places in confined spaces (offices, banks, shops, theaters, etc.), as well as in public transport.

The source of infection for colds is other already ill people, starting from the first day of illness. Especially at the initial stage and mild form of the disease, since these people are not isolated and are in society, passing on the infection further. The cold is transmitted by airborne droplets and another person becomes infected by inhaling tiny droplets of saliva and phlegm into the air, released by the patient when coughing or talking at a distance of 2-3 meters. You should also not use personal hygiene items or utensils from a sick person.

Colds are especially dangerous during pregnancy. During this period, the female body is especially susceptible to viral diseases due to physiological (temporary) immunodeficiency, which is observed in most women during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Immune suppression is necessary to control fetal rejection. In addition to the fact that a cold adversely affects the health of the mother and fetus, it also leads to an even greater, additional weakening of the body's defenses and reduces its resistance to other diseases.

What are the main signs of a cold, and how to identify it?

Let's consider the main, most characteristic, cold symptoms:

• A cold can start suddenly against the background of good health, and the temperature can rise sharply to a high level.
• A runny nose, cough, sore throat, and dry mucous membranes of the nose and throat may occur.
• Severe intoxication, accompanied by headache, general weakness and fatigue, aches in muscles and joints, chills and fever.
• A severe runny nose and swelling of the mucous membranes of the nose and throat may occur, which makes breathing difficult. Dry cough and sore throat.

The child is susceptible to any changes in the mother’s health, and a pregnant woman catching a cold is no exception. The adverse effects of this disease are especially serious early in pregnancy (the first two months). The negative impact of a viral infection on the intrauterine development of the fetus can manifest itself in the form of complications such as:

• disturbance of the uteroplacental circulation with subsequent hypoxia (oxygen deficiency) of the fetus;
• hemorrhage into the fetus, which can cause spontaneous abortion;
• delayed growth and development of the fetus.

Therefore, if a pregnant woman gets a cold, it is necessary to take measures to treat it as soon as possible, and ideally try not to get sick at all during this period. Before starting to fight the disease, you must consult a doctor to take into account the peculiarities of the course of pregnancy and not harm the baby.

It is better to prevent any disease than to fight it and its consequences, so it is very important to carry out preventive measures to stimulate and strengthen the body’s defense mechanisms even during planning and throughout the entire period of pregnancy.

You can prevent contracting colds by doing things like:: vaccination, strengthening the body’s defense mechanisms and the use of preventive measures.

Vaccination of pregnant women against colds

Pregnant women are at increased risk of contracting colds, so they are recommended to be vaccinated before the onset of flu and cold epidemics. If the pregnancy is less than 14 weeks, vaccinations are not recommended. Modern flu vaccines do not harm pregnant women and are not dangerous to the fetus. Vaccination is not contraindicated for breastfeeding mothers, which is important, because during this period the body’s protective functions are also reduced.

General strengthening of the pregnant woman’s body to fight infections

A strong immune system is the best defense against all infections. To prevent colds, it is very important to stimulate and strengthen the body’s natural protective functions throughout pregnancy; for this it is necessary to follow a number of simple but effective recommendations:

• A correct and balanced daily routine, a rationally organized healthy lifestyle, and a correct diet taking into account the state of health and the individual characteristics of the body will help strengthen the natural resistance of your body.
• Develop a scheme and constantly carry out hardening procedures in combination with massage and physical therapy.
• Women with any chronic diseases, especially the nasopharynx, need to pay more attention and promptly treat all foci of chronic infection.
• During the cold season, and especially before the onset of epidemics of colds, it will not hurt to take various drugs and products of various origins that are not dangerous for pregnant women, helping to strengthen the immune system and increase the body's defenses.

Preventing cold infections during pregnancy

To the main preventative measures against infection For pregnant women, colds include:

• Pregnant and breastfeeding women are advised to minimize contact with sick people or at least not share personal hygiene items, dishes or drinks with them.
• Cold viruses can linger on doorknobs, money and other surfaces for hours, so it's important to wash your hands frequently, especially before eating.
• If possible, avoid large crowds of people and stay in public places and common areas as little as possible.
• Try to follow the rules of respiratory and personal hygiene. During the period of activation of viral infections, it does not hurt to wear a mask on your face and change it every two hours; before going outside and throughout the day, repeatedly lubricate the nasal mucous membranes with Oxolinic ointment or other means similar in action; In the evening, you can gargle with tincture of Calendula or Eucalyptus to wash away harmful microbes that have settled during the day.

What to do if a pregnant woman still has a cold?

If a pregnant woman’s illness from colds could not be prevented and infection occurs, it is necessary to put the patient to bed and immediately call a doctor at home, regardless of her well-being. Only a doctor can correctly assess the condition and severity of the disease and prescribe the correct and adequate treatment for a particular case. When treating colds, the main thing is peace and rest. When fighting an illness, sleep of 12 hours or more may sometimes be required. You should also not allow the body to become dehydrated; during illness you need to drink a lot of fluid, it is necessary to replace what is lost during sweating and a runny nose, and helps minimize the feeling of congestion in the chest and nose. If you observe a significant deterioration in your health (severe shortness of breath, heart failure, very high temperature), you must urgently call an ambulance to provide emergency medical care.

Various herbal infusions and teas help cope with the disease. However, during pregnancy they must also be used with great caution, because not all herbs are allowed to be consumed during this period.

Remember, the earlier medical observation and correct treatment of colds during pregnancy is started, the less danger there is for mother and child!