How can an expectant mother protect herself during a flu epidemic?

Guard! Everyone sneezes in minibuses, the boss goes around spreading bacilli at work, but he doesn’t go on sick leave, you see, without him everything would collapse, and then he caught his favorite flu. How not to get sick? How to survive until childbirth without snot, fever and sneezes?

Agree, this is a very pressing issue for pregnant women. After all, during the period of bearing a baby, their body is so vulnerable, it’s easy to get sick, but to recover...Pills and injections are undesirable for expectant mothers. In addition, the flu sometimes causes serious complications: premature birth, developmental defects in the baby, and sometimes perinatal death.

ARVI and influenza during pregnancy: what is the risk to the fetus

Until 12 weeks, a pregnant woman needs to be very careful and try not to get sick. Because during this period the laying of the child’s organs occurs. Further, if the mother gets sick with the flu, then it will no longer be able to leave its mark on the structure of the baby’s organs.

Topical: Pregnancy and coronavirus: what to do?

Mother Nature is very wise. She foresaw different situations. The golden rule “all or nothing” works flawlessly if something is wrong with the fetus. This is why miscarriages occur so often after ARVI and influenza during pregnancy.

If everything goes smoothly after the flu, the tests are normal, then you can breathe a sigh of relief. The baby is fine. It is believed that a mother cannot directly transmit the flu to her baby. Although, sometimes, extremely rarely, such cases are observed. The consequences of influenza during pregnancy for a child are likely to be indirect. Sometimes they can lead to congenital developmental abnormalities and disruption of vital organs.

Types of sore throat

The types of tonsillitis differ from each other in the type of pathogen and symptoms. The method of therapy depends on the type of disease.

This form is considered severe and is accompanied by the presence of purulent plaque on the tonsils. The causative agents are bacteria (staphylococci, streptococci, pneumococci) and viruses that have entered the body. With timely medical care, the disease subsides within 1 week. If left untreated, there is a risk of complications - peritonsillar abscess, meningitis, sepsis. The disease is treated with antibiotics and symptomatic remedies.

This type of disease is provoked by viruses - rotaviruses, rhinoviruses, adenoviruses, and Coxsackie viruses. Initially, pathogenic agents are localized in the back of the throat, and later they move to the tonsils. Treatment occurs with the help of antiviral agents; antibiotics are powerless. The highest temperature is noted, unlike other types of tonsillitis.

This type of sore throat is caused by streptococci, staphylococci, fungi or viruses that cause inflammation of the tonsils. It occurs brightly and acutely, with a pronounced clinical picture. Symptoms appear 1-4 days after infection with pathogenic agents. Therapy depends on the specific pathogen; complex treatment is indicated.

Sometimes tonsillitis occurs in combination with chronic tonsillitis. The disease develops as a result of failure to provide medical care in the acute phase; tonsillitis appears as a complication. The disease is fraught with the appearance of a scar at the site of the purulent plug. The tonsil tissue is completely replaced by connective tissue, they cease to perform a protective function. An infection that has settled in the tonsils constantly provokes the formation of pus, which is not only evacuated to the outside, but also spread by blood throughout the body. Against this background, inflammation of the heart, joints, kidneys, and brain often occurs.

Prevention of influenza in pregnant women

Unfortunately, no one is immune from respiratory diseases. You can get sick at any time, especially if everyone is sneezing at work and your home is a complete infirmary. Therefore, try to create conditions that are unfavorable for viruses and beneficial for your immunity.

Condition 1. Eat right Pregnant women try to eat right. During the period of colds, this condition is especially important. Viruses don't care what you eat. If you are addicted to sweets, your body is more vulnerable and pathogenic microorganisms can penetrate it more easily. But viruses do not like meat, chicken, fish, buckwheat, pomegranates, and fruits. Pay attention to them.

We recommend reading: Treatment of colds during pregnancy

Condition 2. Drink healthy natural drinks Ginger tea with lemon and honey, cranberry juice, tea from raspberry or currant branches stimulate the immune defense mechanisms and prevent viruses from easily entering the body.

Condition 3. Walking in the fresh air Walking in the fresh air is very beneficial for pregnant women. We choose places where there are not many people and breathe clean air. We dress according to the weather and don’t freeze. We also don’t forget to let fresh air into your home. Ventilation is the enemy of pathogenic microbes.

How can a pregnant woman avoid catching the flu at home?

What should a pregnant woman do if someone close to her at home gets the flu or ARVI? The main thing is not to panic and follow a few important rules:

if possible, the patient should be allocated a separate room and the pregnant woman should try not to contact him
if contact with a patient cannot be avoided, then wear a medical mask and change it every 2-3 hours
be sure to provide the patient with separate dishes and a towel
ventilate the room more often
Treat door handles, washbasins, and toilets 2-3 times a day with disinfectant solutions. It’s good if it’s not a pregnant woman who does it
Wash your hands and face often
Doctors recommend gargling with a decoction of chamomile or calendula every 2-3 hours, moisturizing the nasal mucosa with saline solution
If your husband or child is sick and someone close to you can look after them, don’t be a hero! Stay with a friend or your parents for a week.

Didn't know I was pregnant and was being treated for a cold

Hello everyone, tell me. Please, has anyone had this happen where you didn't know you were pregnant. lived an ordinary life, took pills when sick, drank alcohol at a birthday party, smoked, etc? We weren’t planning a pregnancy right now, we were thinking of starting next year, but today is the second day of the delay, I took a test - two stripes. My husband is very happy, I’m happy too, because I was afraid that I would have to work hard to conceive in the future. But last week I was sick with ARVI for 5 days, took Coldact, Theraflu, and put tetracycline ointment in my nose. and now I’ve read that all this is forbidden during pregnancy(((of course I’ll ask the doctor. When I go to register, but until then, now I’m tormented by thoughts((has anyone had this experience where you were treated without knowing about pregnancy?

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I also took vitamins for my hair, and there was a lot of vitamin A. And it also doesn’t seem to be useful ((

It's OK. There were 16 cells. They don't care about your Theraflu. Everything will be fine.

It would have been exactly the same. I had a severe cold. It took a long time to be treated. Plus I also took migrenol, which is generally contraindicated during pregnancy. Our body is strong and such processes are still controlled by it. Everything will be fine, author. Here is my miracle running around))) Good luck !

Nature has provided for everything. For a short time, nothing will happen; the fertilized egg does not immediately attach to the wall of the uterus.

2 weeks from conception, anything is possible)) and against the background of a cold. those. reduced immunity, most often they become pregnant, immunity is special. is reduced so as not to reject the fetus.

It’s okay, the main thing now is to take care of yourself!))

Nature has provided for everything. For a short time, nothing will happen; the fertilized egg does not immediately attach to the wall of the uterus.

You know, author, everything is individual for everyone. Some people are lucky and everything works out, but others don’t. I don't want to scare you, but my story is sad. When it was the first weeks B, the temperature rose, I thought I was sick, I took pills, a week later I was at an event, drank a little alcohol and smoked 2 cigarettes. As a result, at 5 months. I was artificially induced into labor because... the baby had a heart defect that was incompatible with life ((But in my memory, many children were born healthy. My friend also suffered from a cold for a long time, at the beginning she smoked and nothing happened, a normal child is growing up. We all walk under God.

8, the deviations were apparently due to other reasons. As long as you drank and were sick before the delay, this has no effect. Now, if already at 2 months, at 3 months - then yes, it can have an effect. And your problems are not caused by a cold. And a LITTLE amount of alcohol is unlikely to cause such serious consequences; you haven’t been drinking too much. Something else caused it here.

There are different cases, but still there are more happy stories. Good luck!

Author! Yes, almost EVERYONE is like you! There are few responsible parents planning a pregnancy these days!

Don't sit on these forums during pregnancy! Don't worry about trifles. Everything will be fine! Believe in it. And if something happens, it’s not the time! As it happened to me, I won’t write here, because you shouldn’t read other people’s stories, everyone is different. Get all the tests done now, even if they are paid, this is the most important advice. Test for infections (urea and mycoplasma, streptococci) they can be asymptomatic. Be sure to get tested for blood clotting. Don't wear heels or be with smaller cats. If you often have herpes, then boost your immunity (lemon, vitamins!!) And most importantly, watch funny programs, movies, and don’t get nervous over trifles. Don’t have too much sex with your husband. There are a lot of restrictions, but now you need to take care of yourself, since you are not alone.

Girls, I’m actually on guard. My husband and I couldn’t do anything or anyone for 6 years! all the hospitals went through all the procedures - everything is fine with me, but his spermogram is very bad in dynamics. We were going to IVF this summer! We either take all our girlfriends or give birth, there was depression against this background. I even left social networks; I couldn’t look at the beautiful little ones I knew. And then suddenly, unexpectedly, 2 stripes! everything would be fine, but I increased the alcohol intake a lot during these 2 decisive weeks, 4 times and quite well. Now my conscience is tormenting me and I understand that I don’t want to have an abortion, but still the tears flow. I also don’t know what to do.

I feel ashamed and sick about it. There is no feeling that we are taking it, nothing hurts, neither the chest nor the stomach, there is no reaction to smells. I'm shocked myself!! I waited and wanted this for so long, I thought I would never be able to have children in my life. and then it happened like this!! and I can’t believe it and it’s scary, but suddenly it had an effect!! Let's see now! The main thing is, of course, I won’t use it again!! And if everything is fine, I hope for toxicosis, so that it’s not even in my thoughts!

Don’t worry Valyushka, everything will be fine, I know a lot of friends who drank alcohol without knowing about pregnancy and healthy babies were born, you’ve been waiting for this for so long, congratulations. I’ve been waiting for 10 years myself, take care of yourself.

Good afternoon, I took hormonal pills and apparently got pregnant during the break (although the gynecologist said that if you stop taking the pills for another half a year, you can’t get pregnant) and so I did tests all November, there was always one line. And a week ago I felt bad, started to feel nauseous, my stomach hurts and feels tight, etc. I came for an ultrasound and they gave me 7.5 weeks. And two weeks ago I got sick with a sore throat in earnest, I took antibiotics and all sorts of medications, and at the same time hormonal contraceptives... So now I’m crying, the gynecologist is suggesting an abortion because the child can be either retarded or a freak (my gynecologist told me so) and I made another suggestion at my own risk to leave the baby and get tested at 12 weeks; if everything is fine, it means going to give birth, and if not, it means causing premature birth. Tell me, if it’s not difficult, at least something ((((((I’m in despair, now I understand what 1 chance in a million means.

Irina, what did you decide? It seems to me that there is nothing wrong, we have one relative who abuses alcohol and gave birth to a normal child.

Hello. About 3 weeks ago I got sick with a cold and took pills. Today I found out that I’m pregnant. Will taking the pills have any effect on the baby?

Girls, help me, I fell ill with ARVI, and after a while I found out that I was pregnant? Can the fetus have abnormalities?

Valeria, natural selection is already at work here. My first pregnancy froze at 10 weeks. No one understood why, I didn’t drink, I didn’t smoke, I wasn’t sick. So don’t beat yourself up. If the pregnancy develops, it means everything is sooner everything will be fine. Many of my friends were sick and took antibiotics in the early stages. No one gave birth to a sick child. I am also 6 weeks pregnant now and took fluconazole when I didn’t know it yet. In general, I don’t beat myself up. What will happen, will happen.

You may be interested in: When the flu starts, what medications to take?

Hello Irina! How are you? What do you think? I have exactly the same situation. I’m thinking what to do...they also said it’s twins

At 7 weeks, heart defect. Are you yourself? Is it possible to detect such deviations at this time? I really doubt it.

This is exactly my case. I’m sitting here and stressing myself out. We didn’t plan it and it fell out to go out for drinks at that time. And I was treated with everything that was in the medicine cabinet. On Mon. I’ll run to the doctor. The doctors haven’t confirmed the pregnancy yet. But I already have 2 children and I already feel all the signs of pregnancy. Every morning I pray that only the baby will be fine. I was very afraid of getting pregnant; I’m already 40. And my husband is only 33 and he wants a boy.

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Basic prevention

Influenza can actually:

negatively affect the pregnancy itself;
disrupt the normal development of the fetus;
cause complications during childbirth;
worsen the postpartum condition of mother and child.

How to avoid getting the flu during pregnancy? Doctors recommend preventive measures - both routine and specific - to help reduce the likelihood of such infection.

Here, in particular, are the basic rules of prevention, which reduce the risk of developing an infection:

You should avoid too crowded places during the epidemic, and use public transport less often if possible.
Fresh air and frequent walks are beneficial. In cold weather, it goes without saying that you need to dress warmly.
Don't forget to ventilate the premises. This should be done regularly - preferably several times a day.
If you communicate with an infected person, do not hesitate to wear a gauze bandage made of at least four layers.
After forced contact with sick people or those objects with which he was in contact, you need to thoroughly wash your hands.

About the benefits of aromatherapy

Pregnancy and a flu epidemic - it would seem that there is no more dangerous combination, since the expectant mother needs to protect not only her health, but also the health of her child.

Unfortunately, taking many medications can have undesirable consequences. Therefore, doctors recommend choosing products made on a natural basis .

There are also additional ways that help protect the body from possible infection attacks.

For example, phytoaromatherapy, associated with the medicinal use of aromatic oils, will help. Some oils have excellent antiseptic and antiviral properties. Accordingly, they will help prevent the development of viruses and destroy pathogenic microorganisms. Moreover, these remedies help even in the initial stages of the disease, relieving unpleasant symptoms - sore throat, sore throat, cough and runny nose.

We also recommend: Prevention of ARVI in pregnant women

Lavender oil is considered effective, as well as similar products made from eucalyptus, peppermint, thyme, rosemary, and so on.

The same marjoram significantly reduces the intensity level of migraines.

Here are some other variations of herbal aromatherapy that will help protect a pregnant woman’s body from infectious effects:

Dry inhalations. To do this, apply a couple of drops of oil to the palm, rub it and then inhale it (closing your palms, you need to bring them to your nose). When you begin to exhale, move your arms away. This procedure should be carried out twice a day.
Wet inhalations. To do this, add a couple of drops to boiling water, cover your head with a towel, and then inhale the aromatic steam for about five minutes. As for the eyes, it is better to close them while the procedure is being performed. Two or three times a day is enough.
Lubricating the nasal cavities and the skin on the neck - for this, essential oil should be mixed with vegetable oil (one spoon is enough). All this is thoroughly mixed. You can lubricate it about twice a day.
Aromatization in rooms. For this purpose, it would be nice to get an aroma lamp into which the oil is poured. Twice a day you can scent the room for half an hour. But before carrying out the procedure, you should ventilate the room.

These procedures using essential oils are important even in cases where an acute respiratory disease has already begun.

Even regular flavorings help. For example, you can mix the following oils for this:

tea tree;
lavender;
eucalyptus.

Everything is a couple of drops, no more.

In addition to aromatization, you will learn to lubricate the chest, neck and nasal cavity with this mixture. You can also use the following oil mixture:

tea tree;
peppermint;
eucalyptus.

Aromatherapy is an effective prevention against respiratory infections

Again - just a couple of drops. Here is another option for a useful mixture for flavoring:

tea tree;
bergamot;
eucalyptus;
lavender.

Just two or three drops.

In practice, not only the effectiveness of the above described means has been confirmed, but also their safety. Moreover, they can be used in any trimester of pregnancy. The only main thing is that the woman is not allergic to the components of the oils used.

Nonspecific prevention

Among the nonspecific prevention options, the following should be highlighted:

Hardening - it turns out that pregnant women are allowed to harden in many ways, from walking in the fresh air, morning exercises with air baths and rinsing to contrast douches and gargling with cold water. At the same time, it is important not to overdo it, not to start, for example, immediately dousing yourself with ice water, so as not to get sick, lowering the temperature gradually. In addition, it is important that the procedures are systematic so that they take place on a regular basis and not periodically.
Taking vitamins - C, B and A are especially useful. And you should not exceed the dosage of vitamins recommended for pregnant women. A certain part of microelements can be supplied to the body through food, and another part – through multivitamin preparations. A lot of vitamin C is found in cabbage, as well as yellow grapefruits. And, as a rule, these products are not allergens.
Taking leukocyte interferon. We are talking about special drops - 10 drops a day are enough (five in each nostril) twice (so that the interval between doses is at least six hours). But be careful and even consult a doctor when possible before use - this drug can cause allergic reactions in some people.
0.25 percent oxolinic ointment. It has an excellent antiviral effect. It is recommended to use this product before going outside, traveling on public transport, or going to a place where many people gather. The safety of this ointment is confirmed by the possibility of its use even by infants.
Eating garlic, which has good antiseptic properties. At the same time, pregnant women should not systematically eat garlic (as well as its tablet concentrate). The best way to use this product for prevention is to cut it into slices and place it in different corners of the room where you live or work. Garlic will be able to distribute phytoncides indoors, which kill harmful microbes and suppress their development.
Take herbal immune stimulants, such as eleutherococcus, aralia, echinacea, ginseng, and so on. In this case, you need to be careful not to start taking a drug to which you are allergic or individual intolerant (for example, increased blood pressure as a response).
Taking homeopathic remedies. Before choosing and taking any medications, be sure to consult your doctor or homeopath.

To know how a pregnant woman can avoid contracting the flu, one should not forget about antiviral drugs - in particular, Amantadine, Zanamavir, Arbidol, Remantadine. If there is a need to protect yourself from influenza type A, perhaps you can’t find anything better than Remantadine. But Arbidol helps protect against influenza B.

What drugs are not advisable to use?

You should be aware of which drugs should not be used by women in this position:

Viferon . These are rectal suppositories. They are used only in the most extreme cases, when the flu seriously threatens the life of the fetus. In other situations, it is better to refrain from this remedy. But the ointment of the same name is considered completely safe, and it is quite effective as a prophylactic drug.
Grippferon . It should be taken with caution, after consulting your doctor first. Most often, medical experts advise abstaining from such use - not only for those who are pregnant, but also for young mothers during the lactation period.
Amiksin . This remedy helps the body produce its own interferon, but it can harm the pregnant woman and the fetus directly.
Ribomunil . This product contains bacterial protein (or rather, its particles) of various infectious pathogens. Despite the fact that pregnancy is not indicated as a contraindication in the instructions for the drug, it should be taken with caution or it is better to replace it with another medicine.
Dibazol . In principle, this drug is more intended to normalize high blood pressure, but its immunostimulating effect

In general, it is better to use less drugs that are aimed at stimulating nonspecific immunity, since the balance between the fetus and maternal immunity is very fragile, and the effect of these drugs threatens to upset it.