Colds are the most common ailments for people of any gender and age. They do not pose a threat to life and are treated within a few days. Another thing is if a cold appears in a pregnant woman. Malaise, even mild, adversely affects the intrauterine development of the fetus. In addition, during this period, many medicines are not recommended for use so as not to harm the baby. This article will discuss the treatment of colds during pregnancy and its prevention.
Danger of colds during pregnancy
Colds are considered to be acute viral infections (ARVI) that affect the upper respiratory tract: nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea and bronchi. During pregnancy, there is a hormonal restructuring of the female body. The immune system is severely weakened. The fetus receives half of its genetic information from the father. The fetus and its mother represent two organisms that have different genetics, so throughout the pregnancy there is a struggle between them. Against the backdrop of weak immunity, the likelihoodcolds are on the rise. Infections can cause the following pathologies in each of the trimesters:
- In the first - cause the threat of spontaneous miscarriage, the death of the embryo inside the uterus or severe fetal malformations.
- In the second - premature birth, minor violations of the development of the embryo.
- In the third - low or polyhydramnios, placental disorders, delayed formation, infection of the fetus in the womb.
The source of colds is a sick person, personal hygiene items and the pregnant woman herself due to the increased reproduction of pathogenic microbes in the body against a background of weakened immunity.
First trimester cold
The whole period of pregnancy is divided into three trimesters, each of which is three months. Each of them has its own characteristics in the development and growth of the fetus, and the state of the mother. Colds pose the greatest danger at the very beginning of pregnancy, when the expectant mother sometimes does not even know about her interesting situation. During this period, all the internal organs and systems of the future baby are laid, and by the end of the first trimester they are already formed. Treating a cold during pregnancy in the 1st trimester creates a lot of problems. Many medicines are completely undesirable, while others should be used with extreme caution. The entire selection of medications should be done by a doctor and they must be taken under his supervision.
Cure colds in the first 12weeks
Experiencing even a slight malaise from a cold, you should immediately contact your doctor for advice. It is advisable to limit physical activity and, first of all, start washing the nasal passages with a ready-made physiological or saline solution (using a teaspoon of table s alt in a glass of water). This simple procedure will help mechanically get rid of the virus that has settled in the nasal cavity. Often used to treat a cold in the first trimester of pregnancy:
- For prevention and treatment. Antiviral drugs are prescribed: Grippferon, Derinat, Viferon.
- To relieve fever. In this case, it is not recommended to use medications. With a viral infection, the temperature sometimes rises above 38 degrees, you can use a rubdown with cool water, to which a weak solution of vinegar is added. Provide plenty of drink, give preference to lingonberry and cranberry juice, rosehip decoction and infusions of lemon balm and sage. At night, drink warm milk with butter, and in the absence of allergies, add a spoonful of honey or raspberries. During the day, tea with lemon will do.
- When you have a cold. The treatment of a cold during pregnancy in the 1st trimester, manifested by nasal congestion, consists in frequent washing. In addition, the use of "Aqua-lora" and "Aquamaris" will lead to the rapid release of nasal passages from mucus. With a severe runny nose and shortness of breath, apply "Nazivin" for children.
- During sore throat and sore throat. Recommended rinsing with decoctionsherbs and soda-s alt solution prepared at home (soda and s alt in a teaspoon per glass of warm boiled water) or ready-made saline. With a sore throat and a slight cough, inhalations with soda, herbal decoctions should be done, breathing over the steam of boiled potatoes. And it is best to use a nebulizer, a special device for inhalation. At elevated body temperature, the procedure is not recommended.
After the treatment of a cold in the first trimester of pregnancy and complete recovery, a pregnant woman needs to donate blood for a general and biochemical analysis, urine and an ECG. After a ten-day break, repeat urine and blood tests to make sure that the disease did not cause any harm to the mother and fetus.
Use of folk remedies for the treatment of colds
During pregnancy, most women prefer to be treated with long-proven remedies, rather than using medications. In some cases, this is justified, but before using herbs, vegetables, plants and bee products, you should consult your doctor. It must be remembered that these methods do not always bring the desired effect. For the treatment of colds during pregnancy in the 1st trimester, folk remedies can be used:
- Freshly squeezed juices from carrots, beets, apples and aloe, diluted in equal parts with boiled water. They are instilled into the nose to treat a runny nose.
- You can soften the cough with warm milk with soda and butter. In the absence of allergicreaction, honey is added to warm milk.
- Pain and sore throat are eliminated by rinsing with decoctions of eucalyptus, calendula and chamomile. You can also use a solution of sea or edible s alt.
- For inhalation take essential oils of eucalyptus, sage or chamomile.
- Treatment of a cold during pregnancy with folk remedies involves drinking plenty of water using a decoction of rose hips, green tea with lemon and ginger, dried fruit compotes, lime blossom infusion, lingonberry and cranberry fruit drinks.
- Antiviral effect is exerted by inhalation of vapors of garlic and onions.
- Increased body temperature is reduced with a decoction of dried raspberries or herbal tea, which includes in equal amounts: oregano, plantain, coltsfoot. Rubbing with a weak vinegar solution helps well.
It should be remembered that the same remedies for treating colds during pregnancy have different effects, so do not use the advice of friends and acquaintances, but seek help from a doctor.
Features of the development of the child in the second trimester of pregnancy
This period starts from the 13th week of pregnancy and lasts until the 28th inclusive. By this time, the formation of the internal organs of the baby is completed. He begins to distinguish light from darkness, hears the sounds uttered by his mother. There comes a time when parents can communicate with the baby, sing lullabies, turn on good music. The fetus spends most of its time in sleep, but during wakefulness there is a lotmoves, moves arms and legs, smiles. Starting from the 24th week, the parts of the brain that influence the development of creativity begin to develop.
Good he alth and mood of the mother has a positive effect on the baby. During this period, you should eat fully, consuming a minimum of fat and s alty foods. In the diet, you need to increase the amount of foods containing calcium to form the baby's skeleton and preserve the mother's teeth and bones.
Treatment of colds during pregnancy 2nd trimester
During this period of pregnancy, a cold is no longer as dangerous as in the first trimester, but in any case, it must be treated thoroughly in order to prevent serious consequences for the development of the fetus. A mother's cold can provoke premature birth when the fetus is still small in weight. In addition, on the 20th week, the formation of eggs in girls takes place, and complications of a cold nature can affect the childbearing function of a future woman. When symptoms of acute respiratory viral infections appear, it is necessary to observe bed rest, refuse to walk, increase fluid intake. These simple measures will help stop the development of the virus and prevent the development of complications. Treatment of a cold during pregnancy with the appearance of individual symptoms is carried out as follows:
- Rise in temperature. Do not bring down the temperature below 38 degrees. If possible, it is better to do without medical treatment. In the most extreme case, the doctor will advise you to take a certain dose of Paracetamol. With chills and a sharp risetemperature, diaphoretic tea is recommended, after which you need to cover yourself with a blanket. It is recommended to wipe with an alcohol or vinegar solution. While the liquid evaporates from the dermis, do not dress or wrap yourself in a blanket. A cold compress on the head will also relieve the condition.
- Rhinitis. Watery discharge from the nose, inability to breathe freely, itching and sneezing cause a lot of trouble for mommy. But for the baby, this phenomenon is extremely dangerous. Oxygen starvation of the fetus leads to serious consequences. During pregnancy, the treatment of colds with folk recipes in the fight against a runny nose is necessarily used. Frequent washing of the nose with saline and soda solutions gives a good effect. The nasal passages are also cleaned from the vapors of onion and garlic cut into slices. To wash the nose, use solutions of honey, yarrow and beets with water. In addition, nose drops are also prepared from them, dissolving with the same amount of water. The ancient balm "Asterisk" can still be used by pregnant women to ease breathing. Of the medical preparations for the treatment of colds during pregnancy, Pinosol is used.
- Pain and sore throat. Treat by rinsing with saline, calendula or chamomile. Pain is relieved by inhalations with violet, plantain and pine buds.
- Cough. To relieve symptoms, an infusion of apple peel and honey is made, warm milk with butter and soda is drunk. Coughing attacks are relieved by frequent use of warm decoctions of linden, fig, plantain, thyme.
It should be remembered that all treatment mustcarried out under medical supervision.
Danger of a cold during third trimester pregnancy
The third trimester begins at 24 weeks of pregnancy and continues until delivery. The final formation, development and maturation of the fetus occurs. The child during this period is completely protected by the placenta, but the mother's colds can still have a negative impact on him. Therefore, a woman needs to be very careful about her he alth. In recent months, with the growth of the fetus, it already becomes difficult to walk, shortness of breath appears, and coughing, runny nose and sneezing further aggravate the situation. There is very little time left before childbirth, and the child is able to become infected from the mother. In addition, the woman herself will not have time to restore her strength and immune system, therefore, sick women in the later stages are always hospitalized, and the newborn is isolated to prevent infection with viruses. This situation is very undesirable, because the mother cannot breastfeed the baby and constantly see him. The birth process itself is also aggravated. It is dangerous to give birth with a high body temperature, so doctors try to remove the symptoms of a cold with the help of potent drugs, and this negatively affects the child. In addition, premature birth or stillbirth is possible.
Treatment of a cold during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester
With symptoms of a cold, a pregnant woman needs to limit the load on the body, observe rest and bed rest. You should immediately consult a doctor and strictly follow all instructions during treatment. Not allmedications are toxic to the baby in late pregnancy. You can choose effective and safe means, they are the following:
- for the treatment of colds during pregnancy use "Rotokan", "Stop Angin", "Tantum Verde";
- solutions for washing and nasal drops - "Dolphin", "Aqualor Forte", "Salin", "Aquamaris", "Pinosol";
- antipyretic - "Paracetamol";
- immunomodulators - Grippferon.
All of the listed drugs are approved for the treatment of colds during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester. They are considered safe for the he alth of the child and mother, but consultation with a doctor is necessary before use. In addition to drug treatment, folk remedies are widely used for gargling with soda solution, washing the nasal cavity with s alt water, and relieving fever with herbal teas.
Cold lips
A cold sore or herpes is a viral disease that infects a large part of the population. During the normal functioning of the body, it does not manifest itself in any way, and when immunity is weakened, it is found in the form of rashes, most often on the lips. For the fetus, it does not pose a danger, because the mother's body has developed antibodies to it and protect the embryo. Herpes during pregnancy is dangerous for the fetus only if it appeared in a woman for the first time, and then she should be under the strict supervision of a doctor who will conduct the appropriate treatment. Infection of a pregnant woman for the first time with the herpes virus is verydangerous for the unborn baby. He may be born with serious abnormalities, or the birth will end in the death of the baby. In usual cases, the treatment of colds on the lips during pregnancy is carried out with an oily solution of vitamin E, fir oil, the use of vitamin preparations and trace elements, lotions from a decoction of oak bark, and the use of antiherpetic lipsticks.
Prevention of colds during pregnancy
With a weakened immune system, a pregnant woman should take all precautions so as not to get a cold. For this you need:
- dress for the season;
- beware of drafts;
- keep housing clean, do wet cleaning and airing more often;
- use a respirator in the presence of a sick family member;
- constantly consume vitamin teas;
- take vitamin complexes for prevention purposes;
- systematically rinse the nose and gargle;
- eat foods containing vitamins and minerals;
- walk a lot in the fresh air.
In the case when preventive measures did not help, you should immediately seek help from a doctor, do not try the treatment of a cold during pregnancy on your own and do not carry it “on your feet”.
