Colds during pregnancy (3rd trimester): effects on the fetus, consequences, treatment

Any woman, being in an interesting position, is sensitive to the health of her unborn child and understands perfectly well that the baby’s well-being depends on her condition. But, unfortunately, it is not always possible to avoid colds during pregnancy. How to treat it, if the 3rd trimester has already begun, is necessary for everyone who wants to become mothers of little strong ones.

The last months before the baby is born become especially difficult for mommy if she has a cold. The list of medications and folk remedies that are allowed for pregnant women is strictly limited. During this period, many herbal remedies can also harm the baby. But there is still a way out, so you should not neglect treatment.

Is a cold dangerous in the third trimester?

The 3rd trimester is the period from the 28th to the fortieth week (until the birth).
During this period, the risk of complications from treating a cold for a child is minimal , but if almost all viruses and bacteria no longer pose a danger, then it is still necessary to exercise caution when choosing drugs for treatment.

Incorrect treatment has a number of complications for the mother , in particular, the development of a cold into a chronic form or a more serious illness .

Complications to the brain, heart, kidneys and other organs are possible .

For the fetus, the lack of treatment or the use of potent medications can be dangerous for the development of fetoplacental insufficiency.

This, in turn, can lead to a deterioration in the supply of nutrients to the fetus and the development of its hypoxia.

It is worth noting! Children whose mothers were poorly treated for a cold in the third trimester are often born prematurely, and if the birth is on time, the baby may weigh less than necessary.

The disease can cause damage to the placenta or its premature aging.

In this case, the placental tissue becomes thinner and destroyed, and both infections and toxic components of drugs can penetrate through it.

At this time treatment cannot be neglected , arguing that the drugs have a harmful effect on the fetus.

On the contrary, you should use all available means to eliminate a cold as soon as possible.

Features of colds during pregnancy

The third trimester period covers the 24th week and lasts until the birth of the baby. At this time, the child is finally formed and developing. A cold during pregnancy in the third trimester manifests itself in the form of mild malaise. After some time, the condition worsens and headaches and a feeling of fatigue occur. A runny nose and cough also occur. An exacerbation occurs within 2-3 days, then the symptoms subside.

A cold during pregnancy at any stage can lower the immune system and cause discomfort during childbirth. At this stage, every woman has difficulty moving and has difficulty breathing evenly.

Coughing during pregnancy causes additional stress and also increases intra-abdominal pressure.

The disease towards the end of pregnancy also carries certain risks. A runny nose before childbirth is especially dangerous, since there is a risk of infection getting to the baby after birth.

Flu and colds during pregnancy have the same symptoms as in normal conditions.

Many symptoms cause a lot of inconvenience for pregnant women. The sore throat is excruciating as most medications cannot be used.

Tablets and syrups are used as a last resort.

It is worth considering that high temperature leads to aging of the placenta and can stimulate early labor.

A runny nose during pregnancy makes breathing difficult and causes the baby to lack oxygen.

A cough can cause involuntary contractions of the uterus.

Cough

General principles for treating colds in the third trimester

Need to know! For the third trimester, the following general recommendations for the treatment of colds are relevant:

1. The disease cannot be tolerated on your feet : you should adhere to bed rest as much as possible.
2. The best treatment is to remain at rest and drink plenty of warm drinks , and instead of medications, it is better to inhale and gargle using medicinal herbal ingredients.
3. The room in which the pregnant woman is constantly must be ventilated once a day for 10-15 minutes (in winter, five minutes is enough).
4. Dust should not accumulate in the room, which complicates the functioning of the respiratory tract and can increase coughing, so wet cleaning should be done every 2-3 days.

People usually have a decrease in appetite during a cold, but this may not be the case in pregnant women, since the mother’s body also provides nutrients to the fetus.

Note! There is no need to force yourself to eat, or to refuse food in the absence of appetite: a woman’s body regulates its own needs.

But at the same time, it is advisable to “improve” your diet by eating more plant foods, grains, nuts and seafood . It is advisable that the dishes are not heavy: these can be broths, porridges and puree soups.

How to treat a cold during pregnancy (3rd trimester) For everyone

Girls! I went through the entire period PERFECTLY (the main one was in the winter) and never got sick. As a result, “towards the end” at week 39 I caught the flu (apparently in a shopping center) in the summer (June). And to put it mildly, I was upset. I have to go to the maternity hospital to “surrender” and have a CS perhaps because of my narrow pelvis, although the readings have been taken, but who knows... and I have a cough... runny nose and fever...

I had to undergo treatment actively and very quickly.

I am sharing with you medications that CAN be used to treat pregnant women in the 3rd trimester.

PLEASE DO NOT THROW “SLIPPERS” AT THOSE WHO DO NOT AGREE WITH SOMETHING. All remedies were prescribed by a DOCTOR of the highest qualification, and no amateur performances. Now everyone is “so smart”... if you’re not interested, just walk by. Your criticism is unnecessary here I WILL DELETE!

* MUKALTIN ​​3 times a day, 2 tablets. Having dissolved it in 1/2 cup of warm water (room temp.), I diluted it with baby water, for example, or boiled water.

* LAZOLVAN 5ml (measuring cup included) 3 times a day. Improves sputum discharge. I combined them because... I urgently needed treatment!!!

* LIZOBACT tablets. Dissolve 3 times a day, 1 piece.

* TANTUM VERDE spray + solution for rinsing the mouth.

* STOP ANGIN spray + solution for rinsing the mouth.

* ROTOKAN rinse, rinse and rinse again!!!!!

* GRIPPFERON (human alpha interferon) improves immunity.

* AQUALOR forte (saline solution for washing the sinuses).

If, by the way, you were prescribed to drink CURANTIL during pregnancy, then it will still be useful. It has a strong immunostimulating effect!

DO NOT BE ILL! Wish you a speedy recovery and an easy birth! I was cured in 3 days. The temperature was not allowed to rise. I drank a lot of fluids. I alternated lingonberry leaves with diluted black currants and tea with lemon. When you have a sore throat, the most important thing is to “wash away” the sore throat, and not to treat it. The most dangerous thing is an increase in body temperature above 38 degrees. I didn’t get above 37.2. If you need to knock it down, pregnant women can keep this in mind!

Everyone knows the symptoms of a cold: fever, headache, chills, runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, sore and sore throat, cough, body aches, dizziness, nausea and general weakness.

Treatment of a cold comes down to suppressing the unpleasant symptoms of the disease.

In the first trimester, it is recommended to use traditional medicine and some medications, for example, Paracetamol or Panadol (for fever, headache, fever).

From the second trimester of pregnancy, doctors allow the use of Grippferon (spray or drops) or Viferon (rectal suppositories) in combination with other cold medications.

Do these products contain alpha-interferon? a natural protein that is produced by the defense system when a virus enters the human body, and Viferon also contains vitamins C and E to support the immune system and protect antiviral drugs from destruction under the influence of free radicals, which are always formed during inflammatory processes in the human body.

This combination of drug components promotes rapid recovery; it can be used from the first days of a child’s life, during pregnancy (from the 14th week of pregnancy) and lactation, in order to avoid complications after a cold.

Throughout pregnancy, to treat colds, you can take Oscillococcinum 1 dose 2-3 times a day with an interval of 6 hours between doses. It is recommended to use this drug from the moment you feel the first symptoms of a cold (fever, chills, headache , body aches).

Even if this condition is not caused by a cold, taking the drug will not harm the expectant mother and her unborn baby in any way, since during pregnancy it is recommended to use Oscillococcinum once a week to prevent colds during the cold season, because it is better to prevent an illness than to treat an advanced one later form of ARVI and worry about the impact of the disease and its treatment on the child.

How to reduce the temperature of a cold during pregnancy?

Most often, when a person has a cold, the temperature rises to 37? C or more. During pregnancy, women's normal body temperature is slightly higher than normal for a person, so an elevated temperature during pregnancy is considered when you see a mark of more than 37.8? C on the thermometer.

Please note, normal body temperature in the first trimester of pregnancy? 37.2 - 37.4? C.

This is explained, firstly, by the increased production of the “pregnancy hormone”, which affects the area of ​​the brain responsible for thermoregulation of the body.

And secondly, the body’s ability to independently reduce its immune system so that the “foreign object,” that is, the fetus, can take root inside the body of the expectant mother, otherwise it will be perceived by the body’s defenses as a harmful object and then the pregnancy will be terminated.

Is body temperature normal in the second and third trimester? less than 37?C, usually 36.6-36.8?C, but can rise to 37-37.4?C, especially in the evening, which is within normal limits.

Recommendation 1. At body temperature from 37.6 to 38? C, it is recommended to bring it down by wiping with a water-vinegar solution or applying a cabbage compress.

How to reduce high body temperature with vinegar rubs?

Pour half a liter of boiled water, cooled to room temperature, into an enameled stainless bowl and add 1-2 tablespoons of 9% table or apple cider vinegar.

Strip down to your underwear and tie your hair into a bun. Take a piece of soft, preferably natural (for example, cotton) fabric, and soak the piece in a water-vinegar solution.

Then squeeze and with light movements, without much pressure, as if blot the body with vinegar water, paying special attention to areas of the body where vascular bundles are concentrated, namely the armpits and folds under the knees, elbows and wrists.

Carry out the procedure several times for the forehead, arms and legs. You can also apply a vinegar compress to your forehead and temples. In any case, the duration of the procedure should be no more than 10-15 minutes.

Vinegar, quickly evaporating from the skin, will cool it, lowering the temperature of the entire body.

It will be more convenient if the pregnant woman is helped by her beloved man or mother, because unnecessary movements during self-wiping, on the contrary, accelerate the blood and increase body temperature.

After drying yourself off, lie down in bed, but do not cover yourself with a warm blanket; it is better to cover yourself with a sheet or duvet cover (as is usually done in the summer, when it is hot to sleep under a blanket).

Cabbage compress for elevated body temperature

Disassemble the white cabbage into sheets. Dip each leaf in boiling water for a few seconds, then place them on a cutting board and lightly beat the inside with a mallet to release the cabbage juice.

Place cabbage leaves on your back and chest for 20 minutes. If you are not allergic, you can first coat the cabbage leaves on the inside with honey.

Wrap yourself in a towel or plastic (loosely, just so that the cabbage juice does not soak into your clothes) and wrap yourself in a warm robe or jacket. Change sheets 3-4 times, and check the temperature every 30-40 minutes.

Cabbage leaves “take away” the heat, and vegetable juice, absorbed into the skin, enriches the body with vitamins necessary to fight the disease.

A cabbage compress with honey or castor oil will also help with coughing; it helps improve expectoration and speedy recovery, and will improve the patient’s well-being at the initial stage of mastitis.

Recommendation 2. In case of a significant increase in temperature (38? C or more), it is necessary to use medications. Antipyretic drugs allowed during pregnancy include Paracetamol, Panadol and other analogues.

Will you accept? - 1 tablet of Paracetamol, and if the temperature cannot be reduced with a single dose of the drug, then take another tablet of Paracetamol, but with an interval of 4 hours between doses and no more than 3 times a day.

Nasal congestion or runny nose: how to treat it?

When you have a runny nose, try to blow your nose more often; nasal mucus contains a large number of viruses and bacteria. If nasal mucus (conversation, snot) is thick or swelling of the nasal passages is observed, will a natural-based drug help? Sinupred (allowed for use during pregnancy only in the form of dragees and tablets).

Rinse your sinuses several times a day with a weak saline solution or use special harmless medications for this purpose - Aqua Maris Plus or Aqualor Forte.

Aqua Maris Strong will also help with nasal congestion. Apply 1-2 sprays into each nasal passage 3-4 times a day.

From traditional medicine recipes for a runny nose, it is recommended to instill beet or carrot juice, 5-6 drops into each nostril about 6-7 times a day. You can also instill a few drops of aloe juice into each nostril 2-3 times a day.

Inhalations using medicinal herbs (sage, chamomile) can alleviate a patient’s condition with a cold; it is also recommended to add a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil to the inhalation decoction. It is necessary to inhale the fumes through the nose for 7-10 minutes (the frequency of this procedure is 2-3 times a day).

Cough and sore throat during pregnancy: what to do?

At the pharmacy, the pharmacist can offer many cough and sore throat medications approved for use during pregnancy; all that remains is to choose the dosage form of the drug that is convenient for you.

1. Lozenges (Lizobakt, Faringosept). They will also help with sore throat, gingivitis, stomatitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis and other infectious diseases of the respiratory tract. Lozenges should be dissolved slowly (do not chew or swallow), without swallowing saliva that contains the melted drug, until the tablet has completely melted. Use the drug 20-30 minutes after meals, 1-2 tablets 3-4 times a day, and it is advisable not to drink or eat after the tablet has completely dissolved over the next 2-3 hours.
2. Spray or aerosol (Tantum verde, Hexasprey, Strepsils plus spray). The spray should be applied to the throat 3 times a day with an interval of 3 hours. One dose of irrigation at a time? This is 2 clicks on the sprayer. When injecting, you should hold your breath so that the sprayed solution does not enter the respiratory tract.
3. Solution for gargling (Stopangin (allowed from the 2nd trimester of pregnancy), Eludril). It is necessary to gargle for 30 seconds 2 times a day after eating, taking a tablespoon of undiluted liquid into your mouth? for Stopangin, and in the case of Eludril? mix 2-3 teaspoons of liquid with half a glass of warm boiled water, and gargle with this mixture. Be careful not to swallow the solution!

You can also use alternative medicine recipes, using herbal decoctions (chamomile, sage, etc.) or solutions of baking soda and sea salt as a gargle for a sore throat.

Method for preparing a solution of soda and salt for gargling: pour half a teaspoon of soda and the same amount of salt into a glass of warm boiled water.

Gargle for 3 minutes 3-4 times a day.

If you don’t have soda, you can make a saline solution by mixing 1 teaspoon of kitchen or sea salt in a glass of boiled water.

It is necessary to gargle after eating and try not to eat or drink anything for 30 minutes after gargling, otherwise the therapeutic effect will be reduced.

Rinsing with a soda-salt solution will reduce swelling of the larynx, cleanse from purulent formations and disinfect the surface of the mucous membrane of the mouth and throat; if there are wounds, cracks or erosions, the solution will heal them.

Hot milk with a piece of butter and a teaspoon of honey will also help to soften your throat. Wait until the butter and honey melt and drink this healthy cocktail in small sips.

As for cough, it can be dry or wet, so the treatment will be different in either case.

For a dry cough, the doctor will prescribe drugs that suppress the cough center of the brain - Tusuprex, and for a wet cough - drugs that improve sputum discharge - Mucaltin (take 1-2 tablets 3-4 times a day, preferably after dissolving the tablet in a small amount of water, for example, in a tablespoon, you can add a little sugar syrup if desired).

Burnt sugar candies will help reduce the frequency of a dry cough that tears your throat. To prepare them you will need a large kitchen spoon, sugar and some water.

Pour 1 teaspoon of sugar (without a slide) and add half a teaspoon of water, stir the mixture to form a thin paste and bring the spoon to the fire of the burner. Sugar may crackle and fly out when heated, so try not to fill the spoon to the top with sugar nectar.

Hold the spoon over the heat until the sugar bubbles around the edge begin to brown, as soon as the sugar syrup turns light brown, remove the spoon from the heat and let the syrup cool, you can dip the bottom of the spoon in cold water or run a piece of ice over it. Once the syrup has cooled, start licking the caramel off the spoon, placing it in your mouth.

You can make “healthy candy” in an old frying pan, increasing the proportions so that the sugar syrup fills half the frying pan; at the end of the burning of the sugar, it is recommended to add butter, it will lubricate the irritated throat. After preparing the caramel, let it cool and carefully chop it into pieces with a knife. Dissolve one piece at a time if a dry cough occurs.

Cold prevention

Avoid hypothermia, especially make sure that the lumbar region is “insulated”, and also protect your legs and knees from the cold.

When in contact with a sick person or when visiting crowded places (hospitals, kindergartens, supermarkets, etc.) during seasons with an increased incidence of influenza, do not neglect to wear a sterile face bandage.

If you feel that you are frozen, do a rubbing massage of your feet using lamb fat, and if you have a runny nose, massage Doctor Mom ointment onto the wings of your nose.

An excellent folk remedy for the treatment and prevention of colds is black radish. Cut off the cap from the radish and make a blind hole in the root vegetable. Pour sugar into the middle, but not all the way to the top, and cover the hole with a cap. After a few hours, the radish will release juice. Open the “lid” and drink the sugar syrup, which has been saturated with radish juice. Do the procedure again. Take radish juice 1-2 times a day.

Also try to maintain the air humidity in the apartment at 60-70%. A special humidifier will help you with this. With the birth of a child, this device will also be useful, since dry air is undesirable for the baby.

If it is not possible to purchase an air humidifier, then we recommend ventilating and wet cleaning the room more often.

Note! Soaring your legs and applying mustard plasters during pregnancy? is prohibited, since such “thermal procedures” promote the outflow of blood from the uterus and its inflow to warmed areas of the body. In the early stages, this can lead to spontaneous miscarriage, fetal hypoxia, and in the later stages of pregnancy? to premature birth.

Active treatment with raspberries and honey is also not recommended, as this can lead to uterine tone.

Drinking too much “loads” the kidneys and promotes the formation of edema, so do not overdo it with fluid intake.

Do not overuse citrus fruits and various tablets containing vitamin C (ascorbic acid). An excess of vitamins is also dangerous, especially during pregnancy, as is their deficiency.

How to treat in different cases?

A distinctive feature of treating colds in the third trimester is the ability to take certain antibiotics.
But this should be done in extreme cases and only in case of serious complications.

Such acceptable antibiotics include gentamicin, metronidazole, furadonin and azithromycin.

But even with their use there are risks of complications for the fetus, so such treatment should be supervised by a doctor .

Cough

Keep in mind! Basically, as in early pregnancy, you should take medications for the symptomatic treatment of cough.

For example, to eliminate a cough the following may be prescribed :

1. Eucabalus . During pregnancy, this remedy is best taken in syrup form. This preparation based on herbal components promotes expectoration of mucus and eliminates inflammation in the respiratory tract. In the third trimester, in the absence of contraindications, you can take one tablespoon of syrup no more than five times a day at regular intervals.
2. Mukaltin. A herbal medicine that has no serious contraindications, but it can cause miscarriage if overdosed, as it contains marshmallow root. And this component in high concentration has pronounced abortifacient properties. It is better to take mucaltin one tablet once a day.

A sore throat

For your information! A sore throat that occurs with a cold is a symptom that in itself is a sign of inflammatory processes and is not particularly dangerous.
But if such pain bothers you greatly , you can take the following medications:

• Stopangin spray, which is recommended to be used twice a day after meals;
• Faringosept lozenge tablets . They not only eliminate pain, but also have a moderate antibacterial effect (you need to dissolve no more than three lozenges per day);
• Hexoral aerosol, which has an antibacterial and analgesic effect. Irrigation with hexoral is performed up to three times a day.

Runny nose

If a cold is accompanied by a severe runny nose, it is better not to use nasal drops . Many of them are quickly absorbed into the blood and can have a negative effect on the fetus.

Know! It is better to stick to nasal rinses. This can be ordinary sea water, subjected to multi-stage purification and mixed with a small amount of additional antiseptic components.

The preferred droplet is pinosol containing pine oil extract. The drug can be instilled three times a day and used an unlimited number of times to lubricate the outside of the nasal passages.

This may be necessary when going outside as protection against associated infections.

An alternative to pinosol are dolphin drops , which after the first use eliminates the feeling of irritation in the nose and quickly neutralizes a runny nose.

These are plant-based drops and therefore are as safe as possible during pregnancy, but can sometimes cause allergic reactions.

Therefore, they should be used with caution and no more than twice a day.

The product Aqua Maris , containing natural sea salt, has proven itself well.

Keep in mind! This solution quickly eliminates nasal congestion and cleanses the nasal cavities from pathogenic bacteria accumulating in them. Use the product optimally three times a day.

Temperature

The temperature is more difficult: it is not recommended to bring it down until it reaches 38 degrees.

But the only approved drug in this case is paracetamol or its analogue diclofenac.

But the second can only be used at the very beginning of the third trimester.

Paracetamol does not cause serious complications if you take no more than three tablets per day (with the recommended dose for adults in normal cases, up to 8 tablets per day).

What is the danger of a cold for a pregnant woman and fetus: possible complications and consequences

To understand the general approach to assessing the danger of colds and taking medications, you need to know that in the first trimester, the formation of all systems and organs of the unborn child occurs: the embryo transforms into a fetus. It is during this period that the risk of miscarriages and developmental defects is greatest.

ARVI

Data on the effect of various infections on the fetus are very contradictory. It is generally believed that mild acute respiratory viral infections are safe at all stages of pregnancy and therefore do not require specific treatment. But there is reliable data from numerous studies that indicate that high temperature (38.5 degrees and above) in a pregnant woman is a factor that causes developmental defects in the unborn child. The risk of abnormalities occurring before the twelfth week is especially high.

A study of the effects of rhinoviruses and adenoviruses on the fetus showed that the risk of abnormal development of the embryo does not exceed the potential danger from the use of antiviral drugs.

Flu

Influenza, as an acute respiratory disease during pregnancy, is considered by doctors separately not only due to the increased risk of developing defects in the fetus, but also in relation to complications for the health of the pregnant woman herself. Influenza differs from ordinary ARVI in the following ways:

• starts at lightning speed. Within several hours, the temperature rises above 38.5 °C, a feeling of severe weakness, body aches, headaches, chills, and significant sweating occur;
• A severe runny nose and sneezing are rare with the flu;
• Influenza is characterized by a painful cough accompanied by severe chest pain;
• With influenza infection, red eyes often occur.

There are studies that show a connection between the following congenital malformations and the flu experienced by a pregnant woman in the first trimester: heart and neural tube defects, cleft palate and cleft lip, autism, Parkinson's disease, leukemia. Scientists have not yet found reliable data on the transmission of the virus through the placenta, so it is believed that the cause of abnormal pathologies in the unborn child is a high temperature characteristic of the flu.

The most severe outcome from complications of this disease is fetal death, the risk of which is 20–25%. The probability of premature birth is about 15%.

High temperature during pregnancy poses a danger to the formation of organs and systems of the unborn child.
For a pregnant woman, complications of influenza in the form of acute respiratory failure are most dangerous in the second and third trimester. This happens when the pathology provokes pneumonia, pulmonary edema, or spasm of the larynx. Lethal outcome occurs in 17% of cases in the third trimester of pregnancy. Most women hospitalized late in pregnancy due to suspected influenza require intensive treatment.

Bacterial infections

Bacterial infections of the respiratory system are also more dangerous for the pregnant woman herself as a result of inflammatory processes in the lower respiratory tract and lungs. They can be a complication of a viral disease, the reason being the inability of a weakened body to fight pathogens.

Folk remedies

You should know! If in ordinary situations experts have a negative attitude towards traditional medicine and recommend consulting a doctor, then during pregnancy the situation is the opposite.

In most cases, folk remedies are less harmful to the body of a pregnant woman and the fetus than tablets and drops .

In the third trimester, the following options can be considered as symptomatic treatment :

1. Compresses with vinegar. Add 2-3 teaspoons of vinegar per liter of warm water and mix the composition. A cloth soaked in it, which is rolled up in several layers, is applied to the forehead at high temperature for 10 minutes. The procedure must be repeated every 3-4 hours.
2. Saline solution. Add a teaspoon of salt to a glass of warm boiled water and stir. The composition is used as a gargle for sore throats. It is recommended to perform three such rinses per day, preparing a new portion for each procedure. But if the pain is too severe, you can gargle every hour until the pain begins to subside. But you should not do more than 5-6 rinses, since salt in such quantities will dry out the mucous membranes of the larynx and oral cavity.
3. Hot herbal tea. This remedy helps lower the temperature and is prepared on the basis of mint, linden flowers and dried raspberry leaves, which are prohibited in the first two trimesters. This portion should be drunk up to four times a day.
4. Potato inhalations. A traditional way to get rid of a cough involves inhaling steam from hot boiled potatoes through the mouth. The procedure lasts no more than 5 minutes. To enhance the effect, you can add 3-4 drops of eucalyptus or fir oil to the water in which potatoes are boiled.

Folk remedies should be used with caution , and if allergic reactions occur or if the ailment worsens in a way that led to such consequences, treatment cannot be continued.

Colds in a pregnant woman: symptoms, causes

In medicine, a cold is understood as hypothermia of the entire body or its parts, as a result of which various types of diseases begin to develop. In a general sense, the following infectious diseases are called colds:

• acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI);
• flu. It is also an acute viral infection, but is classified as a separate group due to the severe course of the disease. In most cases it is characterized by rapid spread in the form of epidemics;
• bacterial rhinitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis.

The following symptoms are typical for colds:

• runny nose (rhinitis) – excessive mucous discharge from the nasal cavity, accompanied by swelling and inflammation. This is usually the very first symptom of ARVI;
• sneezing. Appears simultaneously with a runny nose and is a protective reaction of the body. When sneezing, mucus with infection is removed from the nasal cavity;
• general weakness, muscle aches;
• elevated temperature. The appearance of this symptom signals that the disease has entered the acute phase. With a mild cold, the temperature may not rise, but with the flu it may reach forty degrees;
• a sore throat. The intensity of this symptom depends on the type of infection and the severity of the disease;
• cough. As a rule, it appears a few days after the sore throat. A cough that occurs at a high temperature indicates that the disease is in full swing. The transition of a dry cough to a wet one is a sign of the beginning of the recovery stage.

A runny nose in a pregnant woman is the first sign of a cold.
The symptoms and causes of infectious diseases in a pregnant woman are no different from those in other people. Perhaps nasal congestion may be felt more strongly due to the layering of vasomotor rhinitis associated with hormonal changes.

According to statistics, every tenth pregnant woman consults a doctor every month with symptoms of a cold. Moreover, the peak incidence occurs in the autumn-winter period, during which every fifth expectant mother gets sick.

Causes of colds

Infectious colds can be caused by hundreds of types of viruses and bacteria.

Statistics show that about forty percent of infectious diseases are caused by rhinoviruses, about ten to fifteen by the influenza virus, and bacteria account for a tenth of these types of illnesses.

Studies have found that the incidence of colds in pregnant women is approximately the same as in non-pregnant women. Moreover, they get sick least of all at the end of the third trimester. This is due to an increase in immunity before childbirth due to an increase in the number of leukocytes in the blood.

Typically, to get a viral infection, you need a combination of two factors, such as:

• reduced immunity. May occur due to hypothermia, excessive anxiety, poor nutrition, exacerbation of chronic pathologies of internal organs;
• close contact with a carrier of the virus. The main method of transmission of infection is airborne droplets. Viruses in the respiratory tract subsequently provide conditions for the development of bacterial infection.

Airborne droplets are the main way of transmitting a viral infection.
It happens that a pregnant woman catches a cold even in the absence of contact with the patient. This occurs due to the fact that opportunistic bacteria live in large numbers in the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. Their growth and reproduction are regulated by local immunity. When hypothermia occurs, blood supply is disrupted, resulting in a decrease in the quality and quantity of protective mucus. Conditions are created for the uncontrolled proliferation of opportunistic bacteria, which cause painful symptoms. With a general weakened immune system, it is enough to drink or eat something cold, sweat and be in a draft, getting your feet wet.

Prohibited methods and drugs

Some people believe in the myth that if you have a cold you need to take a steam bath in a classic Russian bathhouse.

For reference! In fact, this will not only not help, but will also lead to an increase in the already high temperature, and pregnant women should not go to the bathhouse in principle, especially in the third trimester.

This promotes the redistribution of blood under the influence of high temperatures, which can result in placental rupture and premature release of water.

In general, any rubbing, warming procedures and steaming are prohibited at this stage of pregnancy .

The following medications are prohibited from taking:

• herbal medicines , which include herbs with abortifacient properties;
• medicines with a high alcohol content and folk remedies made with alcohol and vodka;
• most antibiotics;
• aspirin and products that contain acetylsalicylic acid (such drugs thin the blood, and this can cause intrauterine bleeding).

What cold treatment is prohibited during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, you should not self-medicate. The use of each method and drug must be agreed with a doctor. For colds, it is currently not recommended to use Aspirin and Analgin. Treatment with the following antibiotics is also contraindicated: tetracyclines, sulfonamides. For the treatment of rhinitis, doctors do not recommend using popular vasoconstrictors (for example: Nazol, Nazivin, Tizin), as they cause increased uterine tone.

During pregnancy, vasoconstrictor drops can only be used in exceptional cases with the approval of a doctor.

Most cough suppressants contain herbal medicines, such as:

• anise;
• ivy;
• elecampane;
• oregano;
• thyme;
• coltsfoot;
• liquorice root.

These plants have a toxic effect on the fetus due to the presence of alkaloids. Most doctors do not recommend treatment with sage and echinacea during pregnancy. All alcohol-based tinctures (for example: lemongrass and ginseng tinctures) are prohibited.

Also, such a popular method of treating and preventing colds as hot foot baths is contraindicated for pregnant women. Research has shown that there is a connection between this procedure and dilatation of the cervix, which can provoke spontaneous abortion and premature birth.

Preventing colds in the third trimester

Keep in mind! For the third trimester, prevention tips are as follows:

• you need to dress according to weather conditions to avoid hypothermia;
• in addition to wet cleaning and ventilation, it is also necessary to maintain a certain level of air humidity in the room where the pregnant woman is located (humidity should be at 70%);
• During the period of bearing a child, it is better to forget about work, physical activity and avoid stressful situations - this can weaken the immune system;
• if there are not enough vitamins in the diet, together with the doctor monitoring the progress of pregnancy, you need to choose a good multivitamin complex;
• During epidemics of influenza and ARVI, long stays in crowded places should be avoided.

Why is a cold dangerous during pregnancy in the first trimester?

Many people know that the entire pregnancy is conventionally divided into 3 trimesters of 3 months each.
This division is not conditional and not subjective. It was given by nature that during each trimester of pregnancy, a woman’s body undergoes its own distinctive changes, as well as with the growing and developing fetus. A cold in the 1st trimester of pregnancy is considered the most dangerous for both the woman and the small embryo or fetus. Therefore, there is no need to even raise the question of whether the disease is dangerous. Here the answer is the same - dangerous, and even very dangerous. But colds occur very often in the early stages, out of place, out of time. But what kind of disease occurs in a timely manner?

In the first trimester, a cold is most dangerous not before 12 weeks, but up to 10 weeks, because it is during this period that all the systems and internal organs of the unborn baby are formed in the developing body of the fetus. With a viral or bacterial infection, it is very likely that the disease can negatively affect the process of embryogenesis.

After all, it is during this period that the formation of the nervous system, sensory organs, heart, esophagus, limbs, and so on occurs. By the 9th week, the embryo takes on the shape of a human being and is already called a fetus. It weighs 16 grams and is 7 cm long, its heart is already beating, and bone tissue begins to gradually appear in place of small cartilages, the circulatory system, liver, urinary system, and genitals begin to form.

And now imagine how these terrible viruses strike at this small creature. Yes, it is very difficult for this baby to resist such influence. There is no need to describe what defects and deformities of the fetus can be caused by viral diseases, but believe me, this is extremely dangerous if the disease occurs during early pregnancy. By the way, the greatest danger is the rubella virus, which successfully disguises itself as a common ARVI. Its distinguishing feature is the appearance of a rash. Only it can be so mild that even an experienced doctor cannot suspect rubella.

Treatment of colds in the 1st trimester is very problematic. A woman may not even suspect that life has begun in her womb, so she can uncontrollably use any medications to relieve the symptoms of a cold. But this is where the danger lies! A small fetus is afraid not only of the infection itself, but also of its treatment.

Most medications are contraindicated for use during pregnancy. The remaining part of the drugs requires special care in taking and individual dosage selection, and all this under the supervision of a doctor. Sometimes what’s scary is not the cold itself, or even its complications in the form of bronchitis, sinusitis, otitis, etc., but the fact that you have to use potent medications. But they cause irreparable harm to the fetus, and the mother, without knowing it, harms her baby.

It is especially scary when a pregnant woman, having caught a cold, contracts such a complex and dangerous complication as pneumonia. Not only is the oxygen supply to the body disrupted, a bacterial infection migrates throughout the body, but one also has to use the strongest antibiotics, hormones, immunomodulators, and enzyme preparations. And much of the therapy is detrimental to the fetus... But we will talk about how to cure a cold during early pregnancy a little later.

How to get rid of a runny nose for pregnant women?

A cold never comes without a runny nose, and nasal congestion and difficulty breathing have a very painful effect on a pregnant woman, and the baby also needs more oxygen.
Conventional vasoconstrictor nasal drops have many contraindications and will have to be abandoned. Only in extreme cases in the acute period is it possible to use Nazivin, Vibrocil, Nazik-spray, Sanorin, Farmazolin, Naphthyzin or Galazolin 1-2 times a day, and then for no more than 3 days. Remember that these drugs lead to vasospasm not only in the nasal mucosa, but also in the placenta, which causes fetal hypoxia. If you have a cold in the nose during pregnancy, try treating it using traditional methods. To start, you can rinse your nose with saline or saline water. Soda-tannin drops have an excellent cleansing effect on the nasal cavity. To make them, you need to brew a teaspoon of tea in a glass of boiling water, then evaporate it over low heat for 15 minutes, strain, add a teaspoon of baking soda to the tea, naturally drinking soda, and instill this solution 2-3 times a day, pouring it into each 1-2 pipettes per nostril, then immediately blow your nose.

In bed, keep your head elevated to reduce blood flow to the nasal mucosa. This will make breathing much easier. Massage the outside of the nostrils with your fingers often to help relieve nasal congestion. Use the “Star” balm, which you apply several times a day to the temples, bridge of the nose and wherever you experience unpleasant discomfort.

For sinusitis and purulent nasal discharge, infusions of plantain, St. John's wort and wild strawberry leaves are recommended. To do this, you need to brew 2 tablespoons of the herb with boiling water, let it brew for 30 minutes, strain and drink half a glass 2-3 times a day, then strain the broth and drink half a glass 2-3 times a day.

You can instill phytosolutions from fresh carrot or apple juice into your nose, as well as herbal infusions from willow bark, St. John's wort, linden flowers, mint and oak bark in the following proportion (1*1*2*2*2). You can add up to five drops of fir oil to this decoction before use.

Another recipe for how to cure colds and runny nose during pregnancy. You need to mix equal amounts of sage leaves, oregano and yarrow herbs, violet root and viburnum bark, pour two tablespoons of the mixture with a glass of cold water, let stand for an hour, then bring this mixture to a boil and keep on low heat for 5 minutes. The solution can be instilled into the nose.

A similar infusion is prepared from equal parts of willow bark, wild mallow flowers, oregano, pine buds and coltsfoot leaves.

Prevention

Prevention of any diseases during pregnancy is very important for the health of the mother and the unborn child.
Due to the fact that the immunity of pregnant women is always very weakened, frequent colds are quite likely, which is a completely natural feature. But you need to do everything to protect yourself from diseases, so effective, regular and timely prevention is very important. To do this, follow the following principles for preventing colds from the earliest stages of pregnancy:

• Try not to walk in rainy weather to avoid getting your feet wet.
• Take vitamin-enriched teas, but avoid hypervitaminosis, which is no less dangerous for you than vitamin deficiency.
• If you are not allergic, then use aromatic oils of rosemary, lavender, mint, fir, tea tree, and eucalyptus.
• During an epidemic or the presence of a person sick with a cold at home, do not hesitate to spread chopped cloves of garlic and onions around the room.
• In good weather, take frequent walks in the fresh air.
• Ventilate your home regularly and do wet cleaning as often as possible.
• Dress appropriately for the weather, but don’t bundle up too much to avoid sweating.

And then pregnancy will become the most wonderful moment in your life, because the unforgettable feeling of waiting for the birth of a child is the highest happiness that is given to us!