Infectious diseases during pregnancy are not uncommon. The body's work for two and hormonal changes lead to a decrease in defenses. Most antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal drugs are contraindicated for expectant mothers, so doctors focus on immunomodulatory agents.
Anaferon is often used during pregnancy as a means to help the female body more easily tolerate the disease or prevent its development.
The drug stimulates humoral and cellular immunity, therefore it is effective against various infectious diseases. However, it is considered relatively safe.
Children's dosage is approved for the treatment of babies over one year old, and no negative effect on pregnancy has been identified.
Anaferon: instructions for using the drug during pregnancy
Anaferon is a representative of homeopathic remedies. Opinions regarding the effectiveness of this group of drugs are contradictory, so let’s take a closer look at its composition and properties.
Composition of Anaferon
The therapeutic effect of the drug is provided by 3 mg of a complex of homeopathic dilutions - purified antibodies to human interferon gamma, such as:
- C12,
- C30,
- C200 - if we are talking about Anaferon for adults whose age has exceeded 18 years, and C50 - if the drug is intended for the treatment of very young patients (but older than 1 month).
The auxiliary components are microcrystalline cellulose, lactose and magnesium stearate (in the “adult” Anaferon) or calcium stearate (in the children's form of Anaferon).
Anaferon dosage
Depending on the severity of the patient’s condition, 3 to 6 pills are prescribed during the day. If antipyretic drugs are also taken simultaneously with Anaferon therapy, the dosage of the antiviral agent can be reduced. The optimal time to start therapy is the period when the first symptoms of the disease first appear. After the condition improves, the dosage of the drug is reduced to 1 tablet per day and the course is continued for about 8-10 days. If we are talking about a herpes infection, the dosage and duration of therapy may be different. The exact treatment regimen is prescribed by the doctor.
Anaferon release form
The product is produced in the form of tablets, regardless of the category of patients for which it is intended - children or adults. The package for adults contains 20 pills, and the box for children contains 20 such tablets. or 40 pcs. Medicinal pills should not be chewed or swallowed immediately. Administration is carried out sublingually - the tablet must be placed under the tongue and wait until it is completely dissolved. This point is very important from the point of view of the effectiveness of Anaferon therapy. Antibodies to human interferon, which are intended to have a therapeutic effect, when they enter the gastrointestinal tract, disintegrate (digest) without having any effect on the body. By placing the drug under the tongue, the medicine completely dissolves and enters the blood immediately without loss of activity, providing the necessary therapeutic effect.
Pharmacological action of Anaferon
Anaferon is a homeopathic remedy with a pronounced immunomodulatory and antiviral effect. The action of human interferon is similar to the work of its antibody cells - the fight against potentially dangerous and foreign microorganisms. The lack of its own interferon leads to low resistance of the body to viral attacks. The action of the drug components is aimed at strengthening one’s own defenses - the production of antibodies and human interferon gamma.
The properties of the drug determined its effect:
- Effective relief of symptoms of respiratory illnesses, such as runny nose, cough, sore throat.
- Reducing the manifestations of general intoxication of the body - headache, fever.
- The likelihood of secondary bacterial infection is reduced.
Characteristics of the drug
Anaferon is an immunomodulator. In other words, it acts in a targeted manner, stimulating weakened immunity. As a result, the body’s protective functions are normalized, directly affecting the healing process.
Composition and mechanism of action
Preventive and therapeutic use of the drug helps fight the causative agents of certain infectious diseases.
Its effectiveness has been established in the treatment of influenza, parainfluenza, herpes simplex (labile and genital), chickenpox, infectious mononucleosis, tick-borne encephalitis, enterovirus, adenovirus, rotavirus and some other infections.
Each Anaferon tablet consists of purified interferon gamma antibodies found in the human body. When they enter the bloodstream, the immune system is activated, which is responsible for fighting viruses.
The mechanism of action is based on a decrease in the concentration of the pathogen in tissues, due to a change in the system of endogenous interferons and associated cytokines, as well as the induction of alpha, beta and gamma interferon.
Stimulation of humoral immunity occurs due to increased production of antibodies, activation of the functions of T-effectors and T-helpers (Tx), and normalization of their ratio.
The body's cellular defenses are restored by increasing the functional reserve of Tx and some other units responsible for the immune response. There is also an increase in the functionality of phagocytes and natural killer cells.
Indications for use
Anaferon has a wide range of applications. Indications for its use may include:
- ARVI, including influenza;
- Infectious mononucleosis;
- chicken pox;
- labile herpes (acute and chronic with relapses);
- genital herpes (acute and chronic with relapses);
- tick-borne encephalitis;
- enteroviral infections;
- coronavirus infections;
- rotavirus infections;
- calicivirus infections;
- bacterial infections;
- secondary immunodeficiency states.
In all cases, Anaferon is suitable as a therapeutic and prophylactic agent. As a rule, it is prescribed as part of complex therapy for the disease.
Release form and price
Anaferon is produced in one dosage form - lozenges. In pharmacies you can find packages with different quantities: 20 pcs. in contour cell blisters, 20 and 50 pcs. in polymer jars.
The cost for 20 tablets is about 200-230 rubles.
The drug is produced for adults (Anaferon) and for children (Anaferon for children). The amount of active substance in both options is equal, the difference lies in the set of auxiliary homeopathic additives and components for better absorption (they are more active in the children's preparation).
According to patient reviews, the difference between these two types of drug is not noticeable, so there is no point in taking Anaferon for children during pregnancy instead of the usual one.
Anaferon: use of medication during pregnancy
Diseases that occur to a woman while she is expecting a baby force her to be especially attentive to the prescribed medications. What conditions can cause Anaferon to be prescribed to an expectant mother?
Indications for Anaferon therapy during pregnancy
In general, treatment with the drug is prescribed for:
- Viral respiratory diseases - influenza, ARVI.
- Entero- and rotaviruses.
- Tick-borne encephalitis.
- Prevention of colds during periods of increased seasonal viral activity.
- Cytomegalovirus and herpetic infections.
- As a component of complex therapy during the treatment of bacterial lesions.
How justified is the use of Anaferon in the above conditions, if we are talking about a pregnant woman, the doctor decides in each case based on an assessment of the totality of all factors.
Contraindications to the use of Anaferon during pregnancy
The main obstacle to the prescription of Anaferon is the presence of individual hypersensitivity to the components of the drug, namely lactose (congenital lactasomia, lactase deficiency and glucose malabsorption syndrome). There are no other obvious restrictions. As for the period of breastfeeding and childbearing, taking the drug is not strictly prohibited, but is undesirable. The reason for this is the lack of research on the effect (efficacy, safety) of a homeopathic immunomodulator on the fetus and the course of pregnancy.
Why is Anaferon prescribed?
Anaferon is an immunomodulator.
That is, it modulates immunity: it either increases it when it is low, or decreases it if the indicators suddenly go off scale - it all depends on the need. In other words, Anaferon normalizes the functioning of the immune system, and the patient’s recovery depends on this. Among the indications for use of Anaferon are the following:
- disruption of the immune system;
- prevention and treatment of influenza, acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections;
- complications of viral infections (and prevention of such complications);
- bacterial infections (as part of complex therapy).
Anaferon eliminates flu symptoms: rhinitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, migraines, herpes, fever, sore throat. Together with other medications, it accelerates recovery and prevents the development of complications, and also reduces the need for antipyretics, painkillers and other auxiliary drugs.
It is interesting that until now scientists have not figured out how Anaferon is able to increase our immunity and whether it is capable of this in principle. This function is assigned to the antibodies included in Anaferon, which are opposite to human interferon. By their nature they must be proteins. However, proteins entering the gastrointestinal tract begin to be digested and, therefore, cannot influence the immune system in any way, and therefore have an antiviral effect.
Regarding the homeopathic composition, there is an opinion that it also does not have any therapeutic effect.
However, this “useless” drug is successfully used to treat and prevent influenza and colds in children. But pregnancy is listed as a contraindication to Anaferon. So what's the deal?
Anaferon for children during pregnancy
When choosing Anaferon as a means of antiviral therapy during pregnancy, some mistakenly believe that the pediatric and adult forms of the drug have significant differences in composition. This is not true, only the degree of dilution differs. This type of drug, according to the instructions, is prescribed to patients under 18 years of age. If a decision is made to treat with Anaferon, choosing a pediatric form of the drug is not advisable.
Can pregnant women take regular and children's medications?
Sometimes you can hear the opinion that during pregnancy you can take children's Anaferon, since it is safer than for adults. But this opinion is wrong. There are no significant differences in the adult and pediatric forms of Anaferon ; they differ only in the degree of dilution of the components. Children's Anaferon is prescribed to patients under 18 years of age. It is not advisable for pregnant women to use this form of the drug.
It is permissible to prescribe adult Anaferon if the doctor considers treatment with it necessary. But the duration of pregnancy must be taken into account. It is also advisable to reduce the dosage of the drug compared to the dosage indicated for patients in an uninterested position. But such a decision is also considered controversial, since the effectiveness of Anaferon may be reduced due to a violation of the scheme developed by the manufacturer.
It is worth remembering that taking a homeopathic remedy according to an exact regimen is the most important condition for successful treatment.
In the early stages
In the first weeks of pregnancy, the life just emerging inside a woman can be negatively affected by many external influences. Drug treatment in the 1st trimester should be minimal or excluded altogether. In fact, such caution is very rare. Anaferon is widely prescribed to pregnant women as soon as a viral infection is detected. This happens due to the belief in the absolute safety of the homeopathic remedy, which is Anaferon.
However, the drug has not a local, but a systemic effect on the immune system. The onset of pregnancy naturally reduces the woman’s immunity so that the body does not reject the embryo. If you intervene with the help of a drug and strengthen the immune system in the first weeks of gestation, the result can be very sad.
In the 2nd trimester
At this stage of pregnancy, the baby is actively growing and improving its established systems. But even so, it is not recommended to use any medications on a woman’s body, especially those whose effect on the fetus has not been fully studied. Since there is a lot of controversy surrounding Anaferon regarding its safety and effectiveness, it is better to avoid taking this drug.
In the 3rd trimester
Is it possible or not for pregnant women to take this drug in later stages? If there is a need to prescribe antiviral therapy to a woman in the last weeks of pregnancy, Anaferon can be used, but under the condition of reducing its dosage . However, when choosing a homeopathic immunomodulator or a drug whose effectiveness has been proven, it is preferable to choose the second one.
Despite the positive reviews from patients and the frequent prescription of the drug by doctors, Anaferon is highly undesirable to use during pregnancy. This is due to the fact that there are no studies of the effect of this drug on the child during intrauterine development and pregnancy itself.
Anaferon adult during pregnancy
It is permissible to prescribe the drug taking into account the gestational age if the doctor has decided that treatment with this particular drug is necessary. The dosage should be less than in the case of a similar prescription for a patient not during pregnancy. Another question is how effective and necessary will be treatment not according to the manufacturer’s regimen? After all, one of the most important conditions for the “work” of homeopathic remedies is strict adherence to the regimen of taking pills.
"Anaferon" and cold prevention
Qualified medical specialists are categorically against taking this drug for the prevention of influenza and ARVI. This is due to the fact that any drug, including homeopathic remedies, cannot be taken for 6 months. Doctors emphasize the fact that the dose of the active substance is negligibly small to be an effective barrier to the virus, but the amount of sugar in the tablets is quite high. Manufacturers of the drug feed adults and young patients with sugar, which does not benefit the human body.
Anaferon during pregnancy: reviews of treatment with the drug
The experience of using Anaferon in the treatment of acute respiratory viral infections varies, because the final result of therapy is influenced not only by the drug itself, but also by the characteristics of the patient’s body, the course and intensity of the disease.
- Elizabeth. The cold was quite severe. After Anaferon was prescribed, no obvious improvements were noticed, but the drug did not cause any significant harm.
- Julia. I took the medicine almost from the first day of the disease strictly according to the instructions. I felt a noticeable improvement after just 3 days.
Anaferon: can this medicine be used during pregnancy?
Doctors' opinions regarding the advisability of treatment with this medicine (and especially for pregnant women) are also divided, although clinical studies of the drug have shown its effectiveness in combating viral infections. To summarize, we can confidently say that when treating pregnant women, it is still better to choose an alternative remedy. Moreover, self-prescription, as well as uncontrolled use of Anaferon, can provoke autoimmune processes in which the cells of the body’s immune system attack themselves.
