How to treat a severe cough during pregnancy

Pregnancy is a time when a woman’s body is very vulnerable, the immune system works “for two” and it is necessary to carefully monitor your condition. Even short-term contact with people with respiratory diseases can cause illness.

One of the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection is a dry cough. Sometimes it can also signal some kind of allergy. Unfortunately, pregnancy precludes the use of many bronchodilators and expectorants, including those of herbal origin, which can become a problem. A dry cough during pregnancy, in addition to discomfort, can cause much more serious problems for the mother and fetus, so you should not ignore this symptom and wait until it goes away on its own.

What are the dangers of coughing in pregnant women?

A dry cough in pregnant women is a symptom of a viral or bacterial infection that can spread to other body systems and affect the health of the unborn baby.

Risks:

• development of intrauterine infection;
• developmental defects;
• premature birth;
• miscarriage.

Besides infection and its consequences, there are also side effects of the cough reflex itself. A dry cough is a rather exhausting process, and in pregnant women it also affects the course of pregnancy due to tension in the abdominal wall and breathing problems.

Risks:

• increased uterine tone, threat of miscarriage;
• fetal hypoxia against the background of maternal breathing difficulties and uterine hypertonicity;
• developmental defects due to hypoxia;
• uterine bleeding, in case of low position of the placenta or its presentation;
• nausea and vomiting, especially in the presence of toxicosis.

Dry cough is treated taking into account the trimester of pregnancy; many of the drugs used can affect the development of the fetus.

Self-medication is strictly prohibited! Deciding how to treat dry cough during pregnancy and choosing medications and procedures should be done exclusively with a doctor.

ethnoscience

Treating a cough with traditional therapy during pregnancy is very risky, especially if you do not consult a doctor. Some herbs are absolutely unsuitable for pregnant women and should not be taken. These include:

1. St. John's wort. If a pregnant woman undergoes a cesarean section, taking this plant may negatively affect the effectiveness of anesthesia.
2. Coltsfoot. The plant can cause mutations in the fruit.
3. Ginseng. It helps increase blood pressure.
4. Ginkgo biloba. It can cause uterine bleeding.

The list of permitted means includes:

• honey. It can be taken both externally and internally. A wet cough can be treated very effectively with this delicacy;
• milk. During pregnancy, dairy products are necessary for the body. Milk will soften your throat and reduce the cough reflex;
• garlic and onion. These fruits effectively fight viruses. During pregnancy, they can be cut and eaten. It's also a good idea to smell the onions.

In general, coughs during pregnancy can be cured with various medications. The main thing is to carefully read the instructions, and especially the contraindications. But it is better, of course, to consult a doctor before taking any medication.

First trimester

This is the period when most organs and systems are formed in the embryo, so you need to choose very carefully from what pregnant women can do for dry cough.

What is possible

• Inhalations with herbal decoctions and essential oils: cough goes away when using linden blossom, thyme, sage and plantain. You can add mint or eucalyptus essential oil. Inhalations are done using a nebulizer or the traditional method - using a wide container into which a hot decoction is poured.
• Medicinal herbs orally, usually 3-4 times a day until symptoms disappear.
• Compresses to warm the chest, compresses with the addition of honey help well (if there are no allergies).
• Hot milk with honey.
• Freshly squeezed radish juice mixed with honey, take 2-3 tablespoons up to 6 times a day.

It should be borne in mind that folk remedies for treating cough should also be agreed upon with a doctor, since they can have no less effect on the body of a pregnant woman than synthetic drugs.

Treatment of dry cough during pregnancy

Therapeutic measures are carried out using both traditional and folk methods. Treatment of dry cough during pregnancy is carried out in accordance with the basic principles:

• relief of sputum production;
• dilution of bronchial secretions;
• restoration of breathing;
• fight against bronchospasm;
• symptomatic help.

It is important that remedies for dry cough during pregnancy have a safe and long-lasting effect with the shortest possible course of therapy.

Standard Treatments

There are 4 groups of drugs that affect cough:

• expectorants;
• mucolytic;
• bronchodilators;
• antitussives.

Expectorants have a reflex effect on the bronchial mucosa, stimulating the release of mucus. During pregnancy, this category of drugs is used for respiratory infections due to the need to facilitate the passage of bronchial secretions. The drugs are of plant origin; they do not affect the fetus throughout pregnancy.

Examples of drugs.

• Althea syrup. Contains root extract of this plant. Dosage – 3 tbsp. spoons per day, divided into time periods of 8 hours.
• Plantain tincture. Contains plant leaves. Dosage – 30 drops per dose. The maximum frequency is four times per day. Contains alcohol, dilute with 100 ml of water before use.
• Overslept. Contains ivy leaf extract. Available in the form of drops and sachets. Dosage – 20 drops 5 times a day. The sachets dissolve in water and are used three times a day.

All expectorants affect the gastric mucosa and increase the gag reflex. It is undesirable to use them for toxicosis, accompanied by severe nausea, as well as for exacerbations of gastritis and peptic ulcers.

Mucolytics are necessary to liquefy the secretions of the bronchial tree. They are used together with expectorants. Medicines in this group are represented by chemical compounds, therefore, if there is a satisfactory effect from expectorants, you can do without them.

Examples of drugs.

• Ambroxol. It has a dual effect on bronchial contents - expectorant and mucolytic. Apply 30 mg three times a day. Available in the form of syrup, drops, tablets. Treatment of dry cough during pregnancy with ambroxol is prohibited in the 1st trimester.
• Gelomyrtol. Contains a plant substance – myrtol. It has a triple effect: relieves inflammation, thins mucus, and enhances the effect of antibiotics. Available in capsules. Dosage – 3 capsules per day. Treatment with the drug is prohibited for bronchial asthma and the 1st trimester of pregnancy.
• Coldrex Broncho. Contains guaifenesin, which has a mucolytic effect. Dose – 10 ml of syrup every 3 hours.

All mucolytics must be used under the supervision of a specialist. Course duration is at least 5 days.

Bronchodilators are used in the presence of bronchial tract obstruction. This phenomenon occurs in asthma and allergic bronchospasm. For the treatment of colds, bronchodilators are not used during pregnancy. Their prescription and dosage is controlled by the treating specialist. Inhaled drugs are most often used, an example is salbutamol. Eufillin is used orally and parenterally in severe situations.

Treatment of dry cough in pregnant women is acceptable with antitussives. This is possible in the absence of sputum in the bronchi, and the cough is caused only by irritation of the respiratory tract.

Examples of drugs.

• Tusuprex. Contains the active ingredient – ​​oxeladin. Dosage – 20 mg four times a day.
• Sinekod. Contains the active ingredient – ​​butamirate. Available in syrup form. Dose – 15 ml 4 times a day. Prohibited in the 1st trimester, in the 2nd and 3rd - only under the dynamic supervision of a doctor.
• Libexin. Contains the substance prenoxdiazine. Dose – 100 mg 4 times a day.

All antitussives have a central effect - they inhibit the cough center. Therefore, by affecting the central nervous system, they can cause drowsiness and weakness. Drugs in this category are strictly prohibited for bronchitis, as well as for obstruction of the bronchial tree of any origin.

All standard methods of treating dry cough in pregnant women should be used strictly after consultation with a treating specialist. Self-medication leads to complications of the disease and provokes miscarriage.

Folk remedies

The use of herbal substances from witchcraft techniques allows you to get rid of a dry cough. Folk remedies ease the course of a cutting, painful cough. They do not pose a danger to the fetus, but can cause allergic reactions. The effect of using witchcraft drugs is not always high.

Examples of recipes.

• Potato. Vapors from boiled vegetables are used for inhalation. The potatoes are boiled, the water is drained, and then the woman leans over the pan and breathes in the steam. A scarf is placed over the head to reduce heat loss. The procedure is carried out twice a day. It is harmless, allows you to destroy some microorganisms and make breathing easier by moisturizing the bronchi.
• Elecampane. It is used as a decoction orally. The ratio of raw materials and water is 1:10. Cooking duration is 30 minutes. Before use, the decoction is filtered and cooled. Dose – 150 ml 3 times a day orally.
• Coltsfoot. A decoction is prepared from the leaves of the plant. The ratio of ingredients is the same as that of elecampane. The method of administration is similar.

Folk remedies have an expectorant and weak mucolytic effect. If the disease does not improve within 3 days, then further use of traditional methods is dangerous.

Preventive measures

It is difficult to treat dry cough in pregnant women, so it is better to follow measures that will help avoid its occurrence. They are preventive measures that help combat the causes of dry cough.

• Avoid crowds during outbreaks of respiratory infections.
• Use protective equipment for individual prevention of influenza and ARVI. An example is intranasal oxolinic ointment.
• If a cold occurs, avoid self-medication and immediately apply adequate therapy prescribed by a doctor. This will provide protection against complications of respiratory infections.
• If you have allergies, do not contact plants during the flowering period.
• Hypoallergenic living during pregnancy.
• Timely use prophylactic anti-asthma inhaled drugs to prevent dry cough due to bronchospasm.

Second and third trimesters

During this period, it is easier to treat a dry cough; the child’s body is largely formed and there is no risk of causing developmental defects. However, many drugs can have a negative effect even in these trimesters, so their use is monitored by a doctor.

What is possible

Syrups and tablets of plant origin are usually used:

• Mukaltin
• Marshmallow root syrup
• Eucabalus
• Gerbion
• Gedelix
• Bronchipret et al.

Affordable and safe: what to try?

A doctor, when recommending to a woman how to treat a cough during pregnancy in the 2nd trimester or at another stage of bearing a child, may advise using figs with milk. The fruit and liquid are boiled for a few minutes, then sweetened with honey and eaten three times daily. Single dosage – half a glass. Mixing honey with hazelnuts, calendula and marshmallow inflorescences, and juice squeezed from horseradish rhizomes have proven to have a good effect. You can treat a cough with sage infusion, decoction or lozenges with an extract of this herb. Coltsfoot is considered effective for coughs. Dried inflorescences are used instead of tea for brewing, and the finished drink is drunk warm at any time of the day.

When you have a cough, you can try spreading honey on a clean, undamaged cabbage leaf, applying it with a sweet layer to the skin of your chest, fixing it with film, and wrapping it in a warm shawl. It is best to do the procedure in the evening and remove the leaf in the morning, after waking up.

Honey can be used to massage the chest - it is believed that this quickly improves the patient's cough. Before the procedure, the honey is heated, after its completion the chest is wrapped in a warm shawl. It is best to massage at night so as not to disturb the sore area later. This way your recovery will go faster.

Nuances of cough treatment

You can buy cough drops in almost any pharmacy, as well as a number of regular stores. Such products of the pharmaceutical industry are sold freely, they do not cause harm, but you should not count on them especially - you cannot expect a cure just by eating candy. Such lozenges relieve symptoms, but this is a temporary phenomenon. Before use, you should familiarize yourself with the composition of the product - pregnant women are not recommended to eat candies containing coloring and flavoring additives. You should also avoid sugar-rich candies.

The narrowest choice of drugs for treating cough in women in the first third of pregnancy. Already in the second trimester, the range becomes much wider, although a number of strict restrictions still remain. Often, pregnant women in the second third of their term are prescribed “Bronchicum” and “Broncho-Gran” for cough. A special feature of this stage is the presence of a fully completed placenta, which protects the embryo from negative factors. True, this barrier cannot provide absolute protection, therefore inadequate treatment or its absence can cause disruption in the development of the child’s bone tissue, nervous system, and endocrine system.

If a cough is not treated in the final trimester of pregnancy, there is a possibility of an infectious agent entering the child’s body. There is a risk of future feeding problems. Doctors advise that when birth approaches, spend as little time as possible in places where there are a lot of people - this minimizes the risk of infection, which is especially important against the background of a weakened immune system. In the third semester, Eucabal is sometimes prescribed for coughing.