For any woman, pregnancy is a real test both for the psyche and for the whole organism as a whole. During this difficult period, all internal organs are subjected to an enormous load, in response to which the body responds with a bouquet of diseases, including an allergic reaction.
It often happens that a person from birth is predisposed to one or another allergy at the genetic level, but in order for this disease to manifest itself, a number of conditions are necessary, such as the allergen itself and a mixture of factors that reduce immunity and allow develop allergies.
In this article we will try to figure out what factors affect the appearance of allergens, how allergies can be treated during pregnancy, how to behave, and what are the consequences of the disease.
As a rule, a woman knows what she is allergic to even before pregnancy, and her appearance will not be unexpected. Bearing a fetus only exacerbates the situation, reducing immunity and activating factors for the spread of allergens. The situation is also complicated: how allergies are treated during pregnancy is not always suitable foreach specific mother, and therefore sometimes it is impossible to do without consulting a doctor.
Factors causing allergies
Pregnancy completely rebuilds the entire female body to meet the needs of the unborn baby. Reactions to even your favorite flowers during pregnancy can be unpredictable, so you should always be careful with cosmetics, cleaning products, nutrition, etc.
Even changeable weather outside the window can be a significant factor and an additional headache - seasonal allergies during pregnancy. Rather than treat the allergy itself and spend impressive amounts on it, it is better to take care of excluding, if not all, then at least most of the allergens.
Food
The group of risky foods that, if not easily, in most cases, cause allergies in pregnant women include: citrus fruits, some types of fish, vegetables and fruits tested for the first time, and chocolate.
Don't tempt fate and include this list in your diet while you are carrying your baby, try to get by with your usual dishes, without any culinary experiments, otherwise you will have allergies during pregnancy. How to treat and stop food allergens, we will consider a little later, but for now let's name the next and probably the most dangerous factor that causes allergic reactions - stress.
Stress and the environment
Strong stress and anxiety, coupled with an unfavorable environment, which is located near you in the facechemical industry or metallurgy, with 100% probability will reward you with one of the types of allergies.
Even if you are in an idyll with nature and have your own suburban housing, it is extremely difficult to avoid allergens. Insects can be a source of real trouble. It often happens that even a bee sting, which was previously completely harmless to you, causes severe tumors, fever, and in some cases anaphylactic shock.
Animals
The hair of cats and dogs, the fluff of birds are factors that can cause not only allergies, but also other equally unpleasant diseases. So if you have a pet, the best option for him and for you is to separate for the duration of the pregnancy.
Let it be better to live with friends and acquaintances, otherwise you face a constant runny nose or skin allergies during pregnancy. How to treat this type of allergy, what are the consequences and manifestations, we will consider below.
Manifestations and consequences of allergies
All allergic reactions can be mild or severe. They differ from each other not only in places of localization, but also in the involvement of other organs in the allergic process and in indicators of well-being.
Easy form
- Rhinitis. The main symptoms are runny nose, frequent sneezing, nasal congestion. In some cases, sinusitis, sinusitis and polyps occur.
- Conjunctivitis. conditionedphotophobia, corneal redness, lacrimation, and, as a result of conjunctivitis, rhinitis occurs.
- Hives. As a rule, this is an allergy to flowering during pregnancy. Rather than treat this ailment and suffer from constant itching, it is best to avoid contact with any wild vegetation. Urticaria is localized in the hands and abdomen, and in its appearance it resembles a burn with small blisters.
Severe form
- Quincke's edema. Places of localization - face, neck and shoulders. Especially dangerous is the edema of the larynx and trachea, which greatly complicates breathing. How to treat allergies during pregnancy during Quincke's edema, you need to find out from a competent allergist, so in this case you should not self-medicate.
- Anaphylactic shock. This manifestation of an allergic reaction is accompanied by a sharp drop in blood pressure and bronchospasm. A form of shock involves loss of consciousness, and therefore the lack of prompt assistance is fraught with very sad consequences.
- Generalized urticaria. This form is a bit similar to the urticaria described above, but, unlike the mild form, the generalized one has a chronic course and most often occurs in the second half of pregnancy, when the body begins to actively rebuild all its hormones. As in the first case, the whole process is accompanied by itching and blisters, coupled with weakness, irritability and impaired well-being.
The impact of allergies on pregnancy
Both mild and severe allergies do not affect the fetus in the second and third trimester, because allthe above allergens cannot cross the placenta.
But nevertheless, taking some antihistamines can adversely affect both the general condition of the woman herself and the he alth of the unborn baby. In addition, an allergic mom is more likely to be in a bad mood and more irritable.
Allergies during pregnancy: how to treat?
The basis of the treatment of any allergic reaction is prevention, i.e. prevention of any contact with a possible allergen that can provoke the whole chain of diseases. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to determine the source of the allergen and avoid it in every possible way.
Allergy symptoms and their subsequent elimination are directly related to the severity of the allergy itself, therefore, with a mild course, you can choose ointments, solutions and creams, i.e. those drugs that are applied topically, in other cases, the intervention of an allergist is necessary or a therapist.
So, let's look at how allergies are treated during pregnancy and how.
Traditional medicine
The most common traditional drugs for symptomatic relief and treatment of allergies are ointments. The herbal extracts contained in them perfectly cope with inflammation and stop allergic reactions.
With rhinitis, you can use special sprays and drops that will eliminate nasal congestion and almost relieve a runny nose (for the duration of the action). You can use the usualvasoconstrictor drops in children's dosage without harm to the fetus.
Pills will help to cope with allergies, but will also have a negative effect on the baby, so be careful while taking any medication.
So, you are in trouble - an allergy during pregnancy. What to treat and subsequent risks are outlined below.
- "Dimedrol" with its chemical composition can provoke excitability of the uterus, as a result of which it will cause premature birth.
- "Pipolfen" has toxic ingredients, so it is not recommended during breastfeeding.
- "Terfanadin" may affect fetal weight with frequent use.
- Allertec is more or less safe in the second and third trimester of pregnancy.
- "Suprastin" and "Tavegil" are recommended to be used only on the basis of vital signs, i.e. when the effect of taking may exceed the potential risk inflicted on the fetus.
Allergy during pregnancy: how to treat (folk remedies)
Traditional medicine will help eliminate local allergy symptoms, through which you can prepare ointments, talkers and healing decoctions at home. They are considered quite reliable and have stood the test of time.
Chatters consist of an active substance such as starch, talc or clay, mixed with water, alcohol or oil. Mixed components are applied to the problem area of the skin and provide a soothing,anti-inflammatory and softening action.
Local decoctions of celandine, string, nettle, chamomile and calendula help perfectly, that is, everything that treats allergies during pregnancy without the risk of aggravating it.
Proper nutrition during pregnancy
A balanced and proper diet is one of the most important factors in the prevention and treatment of allergic diseases. There are foods that, due to their composition, can easily provoke an allergic reaction and its further development: chocolate, chicken, fish, citrus fruits, eggs, etc. For some women, this list is individual, so it all depends on the predisposition to the type of allergen.
If you do not know which food component you are allergic to, then the best way out is to start a food diary, which will reflect your diet and reaction to certain foods. The exclusion of such harmful products from the diet will greatly facilitate the course of pregnancy and the well-being of the woman as a whole.
But even if a woman does not suffer from food allergies, she is recommended to follow a hypoallergenic diet starting from the 6th month of pregnancy in order to avoid the development of diathesis in the unborn baby.
Treatment for severe allergies
In this case, the use of antihistamines alone cannot be dispensed with, especially since they are effective only for topical application.
If there are all symptoms of Quincke's edema or anaphylactic shock, then you should immediately consult a doctor or call"ambulance" in order to avoid extremely unpleasant consequences.
Summing up
Without a doubt, we can say that the only reliable adviser for any manifestations of allergies should remain a specialized doctor. Careful adherence to all his recommendations and self-care during pregnancy will significantly reduce the risk of allergic reactions, which will positively affect both the mother and her unborn child.
Do not abuse self-medication, at the first sign of a serious allergy, consult a doctor without delay. Remember, your he alth and the he alth of your child is priceless!
