Acute respiratory diseases (ARI) include infectious diseases that affect the upper respiratory tract. The main symptoms are runny nose and cough, sore throat and sore throat. Under the influence of general intoxication, the temperature rises, muscle pain, weakness and other unpleasant sensations appear. ARI has especially unpleasant consequences during pregnancy, when immunity is reduced and the female body is generally weakened.
Successful fight against the disease during this period depends entirely on timely treatment, with the help of which it is quite possible to avoid complications and other negative consequences for the mother and fetus.
Acute respiratory infections during pregnancy: 1st trimester
A common cold can be cured in 1-2 weeks, without any complications. However, it creates serious problems and inconveniences in early pregnancy - in the first trimester. In the period up to 12 weeks, the infection can cause some harm to the developing organism. After this period, when the formation of the embryo is completed, the threatening effect of acute respiratory infections decreases.
At an early stage, a woman may not yet know about pregnancy and start taking cold medicine on her own. Thus, a pregnant woman, without even knowing it, is exposed not only to toxins, but also to various drugs. Particularly dangerous is acetylsalicylic acid - aspirin, which can lead to pathologies and defects in fetal development. As the gestational age increases, the embryo becomes more protected from the negative effects of not only colds, but also medications.
Treatment of acute respiratory diseases
Treatment of acute respiratory infections during pregnancy differs markedly from the usual course of treatment for such diseases, because many medications, procedures and methods of treating colds or flu are unacceptable during pregnancy.
If a pregnant woman discovers any symptoms of acute respiratory infections or acute respiratory viral infections, she should immediately seek help from a specialist.
It is better to call a general practitioner at home and be sure to notify him about the duration and nature of the pregnancy. These and other necessary data are reported to the doctor during the first anamnestic conversation. When prescribing treatment, the therapist will definitely take all this information into account and, if necessary, prescribe outpatient tests of sputum, blood, nasal discharge, etc.
If the disease caused by ARVI in the 1st trimester of pregnancy occurs in a fairly mild form, then it can be treated with folk remedies. Typically, such treatment is aimed at eliminating or reducing the unpleasant symptoms of the disease, such as nasal congestion, runny nose, mild cough, sore or red throat, and a slight increase in temperature.
In these cases, use herbal decoctions, warm milk with honey, gargling with a soda solution, as well as infusion of St. John's wort, chamomile or calendula.
Sometimes, to ease breathing, you can do inhalation using lemon or orange peels, mint, potato decoction, and sage leaves.
To eliminate the symptoms of hyperthermia (increased body temperature), in consultation with a doctor, it is permissible to take paracetamol or its derivatives.
Treatment of ARVI during early pregnancy should be accompanied by restorative and physiotherapeutic procedures: light massage, warming up the wings of the nose, and the use of woolen clothing.
Acute respiratory infections during pregnancy: 3rd trimester
A distinctive feature of the third trimester is the completion of the child's intrauterine development. An acute respiratory infection in the third trimester will no longer harm the fetus itself. However, when an infection appears shortly before birth, the likelihood of birth injuries accompanied by intrauterine hypoxia increases significantly. Premature aging of the placenta occurs. In such cases, intensive care measures may be necessary.
Therefore, if the slightest signs of infection appear, you should consult a doctor to prescribe adequate therapy. Treatment mainly affects the maternal body, since the fetus itself is protected by the placenta, which can independently cope with most infectious agents.
The well-being of a pregnant woman can be improved with the help of a saline solution - Aqualor, which helps facilitate nasal breathing. During the procedures, pathogenic microbes are washed out from the mucous membrane. The use of bromhexine promotes the thinning of mucus in the bronchi and its accelerated evacuation. There are other drugs that soften the throat, eliminate pathogenic flora and inflammation of the mucous membrane. As a rule, their components are not absorbed into the blood and do not cause pathologies in fetal development.
During pregnancy, the natural immune system is greatly reduced and the expectant mother is increasingly exposed to viral and infectious attacks. If in a normal period an acute respiratory disease can be cured with the help of anti-inflammatory drugs and vasoconstrictors, then during pregnancy it is much more difficult to get rid of acute respiratory infections. The fact is that a pregnant woman is prohibited from using many medications, as they can cause pathological development of the embryo.
It is especially important to properly treat the disease in the first trimester of pregnancy. It is during this period that the baby’s vital organs and tissues are formed, so any intervention can be dangerous for the child’s future life. Unfortunately, no one is immune from the development of a viral disease, so the expectant mother can get sick at any time. To cure inflammation faster and eliminate the risk of consequences on the baby, it is important to know how and with what to treat acute respiratory infections during pregnancy. Let's look at this issue in more detail in today's material.
To properly treat an acute respiratory disease during pregnancy, you must seek medical help and in no case should you self-medicate.
Ignorance of the side effects of medications can provoke the development of abnormal structure of the baby’s organs and lead
to dangerous complications.
To protect the baby, treatment should be prescribed only after consultation with a doctor.
Acute respiratory infections can be cured with the help of anti-inflammatory drugs, immunostimulants and vasoconstrictor nasal agents. However, in each trimester, treatment is selected in accordance with the period of pregnancy.
In the first trimester
In the 1st trimester, treatment of acute respiratory infections should be aimed at reducing symptoms and improving the well-being of the pregnant woman.
During this period, it is very important not to use medications without a doctor’s prescription, since most drugs contain potent components that are absorbed into the bloodstream.
This process is dangerous during pregnancy due to the fact that it leads to disruption of biochemical processes.
In the first trimester, you can use saline solutions and anti-inflammatory drugs only after personal consultation with your doctor.
Dangerous medications include any drops with a vasoconstrictor effect, strong anti-inflammatory medications and antibiotics. In addition, you cannot use Aspirin, Coldrex or Fervex.
These medications contain substances that affect the baby’s respiratory system and have a detrimental effect on the formation of the cardiovascular system.
You can reduce the symptoms of colds in the first three months of pregnancy using the following medications:
- To reduce the temperature,
the patient can take Paracetamol. The antipyretic should be used no more than three days. It is not worth replacing the product with analogues, since Paracetamol is not absorbed into the bloodstream and cannot harm the baby. - In order not to cause pathology in the baby, it is important to clear the airways in a timely manner. To cleanse the nasal passages,
saline solutions are prescribed, which can be prepared at home. If you prefer ready-made products, you should choose “Aqualor”, “”, “No-Sol”, “” or “Physiomer”. With the correct dosage of the drug, rinsing reduces nasal congestion and improves the function of the mucous membrane. - If inflammation is accompanied by a dry cough
, the patient is prescribed “ACC”. This drug thins mucus and removes it from the body. In addition, the product eliminates symptoms. - To improve the patient’s well-being
and eliminate discomfort in the throat, doctors recommend using “”.
These medications can eliminate inflammation in the acute stage.
If the disease develops severe symptoms, treatment should be reconsidered. To eliminate the risk of an allergic reaction or rhinitis medicamentosa, further therapy should be reviewed with your doctor.
In the second trimester
Getting rid of a cold in the second trimester is much easier than in the first three months.
From twelve weeks of pregnancy, acute respiratory infections are not dangerous for the embryo, but this does not mean that the inflammation can not be treated.
In the second trimester, acute respiratory infections cannot harm the baby, however, treatment cannot be delayed.
If therapy is not started in a timely manner, the expectant mother may develop phytoplacental insufficiency.
Insufficient nutrition and oxygen starvation of the embryo can cause fetal hypoxia.
Treatment of acute respiratory infections during pregnancy in the 2nd trimester includes the following drugs:
- To sanitize the nasal passages,
you can use the following solutions based on sea or ocean water: “Marimer”, “Humer”, “Aqua Maris”, “Otrivin More” or “Doctor Theiss”. - To reduce the symptoms of dry cough,
“” is prescribed. The medicine is made from natural ingredients, so it is not dangerous for the baby. - To destroy all microbes and have an antiseptic effect
on the nasopharynx cavity, doctors recommend using Hexoral. It destroys fungal and bacterial inflammation, and also reduces the inflammatory process. - For expectorant action
and reducing the amount of sputum in the bronchi, you should use Lazolvan.
At the end of treatment, the patient should use plenty of water and nutrients.
To do this, review your diet and add foods containing large amounts of vitamins and minerals.
In the third trimester
To combat acute respiratory infections in the last stages of pregnancy, it is important to quickly eliminate them. It can be dangerous for the expectant mother and cause early labor.
In other cases, acute respiratory infections are not dangerous for the child’s development.
In the third trimester, treatment is selected taking into account the severity of symptoms.
The course of treatment includes the following drugs:
- It is allowed to cleanse the nasal sinuses
using the following saline solutions: “”, “Physiomer”, “Marimer”, “Morenazal”. - To thin the mucus
in the bronchi and remove phlegm, use Bromhexine. - To soften the throat
and restore the functions of the nasopharynx, use Tantum-Verde. - To destroy all pathogenic microflora in the nasopharynx, a pregnant woman is prescribed antiseptic drugs
. In the 3rd trimester, it is best to use the drug “Lugol”. It not only eliminates unwanted microorganisms, but also restores the functioning of the mucous membrane. - In addition, it is important to moisturize the mucous membranes using inhalations
based on aromatic oils or using nasal medications. To do this, you can use Pinsol drops.
Remember!
Treatment of acute respiratory infections at all stages of pregnancy should be tailored to the woman’s situation. Medicines should not be absorbed into the blood.
Consequences
If treatment for acute respiratory infections is not received in a timely manner, then a pregnant woman may develop dangerous consequences.
The worst factors include spontaneous miscarriage or infectious infection of the embryo. In addition, a constant cough can cause early labor or hypoxia.
Other consequences include:
- frozen pregnancy;
- early birth;
- trauma at the birth of a baby;
- various vices and injuries;
- delayed physical development of the fetus;
- placental abruption.
The risk of complications increases if a pregnant woman becomes ill before twelve weeks.
Any inflammation in the first trimester is dangerous because it affects the digestive, respiratory and nervous systems of the embryo.
In addition, there is a risk of pathology developing in the cardiovascular system.
In the first three months of pregnancy, acute respiratory infections can become the root cause of spontaneous miscarriage.
A woman’s illness in the second trimester can cause metabolic disorders in the uterus,
which is dangerous by reducing the supply of nutrients to the fetus. Such a process can provoke suffocation of the child or cause physiological disorders.
In the third trimester, acute respiratory infections are dangerous because they lead to premature birth or breaking of water
. In addition, acute respiratory inflammation can cause bleeding during childbirth.
ARI and ARVI - what is it?
Instead of the usual diagnosis of a “cold,” the doctor states an acute respiratory viral infection or acute respiratory infection. What do these abbreviations mean and how do they differ?
ARVI is an acute respiratory viral infection. For example, the world-famous FLU belongs to this group of diseases. ARI is an acute respiratory disease that can be caused by both bacteria and viruses.
The main symptoms of acute respiratory infections that occur during pregnancy are damage to the respiratory tract and general intoxication of the body:
- Temperature increase;
- Feeling overwhelmed, weak;
- Muscle pain;
- Aching joints;
- Runny nose;
- Pain and sore throat;
- Cough;
- Voice change.
The nature of the above signs, that is, the color of sputum, the nature of the cough and other symptoms, depend primarily on the causative agent of the disease.
How dangerous is acute respiratory infection for pregnant women?
Viral infections pose the greatest danger. The degree of their influence on the body primarily depends on the duration of pregnancy.
The most dangerous period is acute respiratory infections during pregnancy, when it is only the 1st trimester. In the first weeks after conception, the fetus is not yet protected by anything, so the virus can provoke developmental defects, including those incompatible with life, that is, lead to miscarriage.
Until the middle of the second trimester, the infection can affect the formation of the organs of the central nervous system, more precisely the brain and spinal cord, but other systems of the baby’s body can also be affected.
Also, from the 2nd trimester, intrauterine infection of the fetus is possible, which leads to the development of an infectious and inflammatory process in the organs, for example, meningitis, pneumonia, encephalitis, etc. can occur. Sometimes the nutrition of the fetus is disrupted, which can lead to delayed physical development.
ARI during pregnancy in the 2nd and 3rd trimester is no longer such a dangerous phenomenon, since the baby is reliably protected by the placenta, which is a reliable barrier to a large number of infections, but this is only during the normal course of pregnancy.
If there are complications, for example, gestosis, threat of miscarriage, exacerbation of chronic diseases, then the placenta can no longer completely protect the fetus.
When an expectant mother develops an acute respiratory infection shortly before giving birth, that is, in the 3rd trimester, the baby after birth may have signs of hypoxia (lack of oxygen): lethargy, pale skin, weak cry, breathing problems.
However, acute respiratory viral infections and acute respiratory infections are not a reason to panic. According to statistics, about 80% of pregnant women experience a cold in various forms, while for the most part it is observed in the first half of pregnancy, and everything ends well.
How and how to treat acute respiratory infections during pregnancy?
You need to know not only how to treat a cold, but also what not to do. Many medications and procedures allowed for ordinary patients are contraindicated during pregnancy. Under no circumstances should you use antibiotics or dietary supplements. You should not take hot baths, visit saunas and steam baths, or even do foot baths.
You should also not use aspirin or drugs containing it, for example, Efferalgan or Coldrex. Reducing the temperature with alcohol rubdowns is also not recommended. There is no need to dress too warmly, stimulating increased sweating.
Even with a normal runny nose, you cannot self-prescribe nasal drops (vasoconstrictors), especially Sanorin, Nazivin, Dlynos, Galazolin, Otrivin, Naphthyzin and similar ones. They can only be prescribed by a doctor and only if there are serious indications.
Treatment of acute respiratory infections during pregnancy
You can bring down an elevated temperature with paracetamol and drugs containing it. Rubbing with water and vinegar is allowed. The liquid must be at room temperature.
It is worth noting that it is necessary to lower body temperature only when the thermometer mark has exceeded 38. If the readings are lower, this indicates that the body itself is effectively fighting the infection.
When the temperature is elevated, the production of interferon is stimulated, a substance that is necessary to fight infectious agents that invade the body, especially viruses. Also, high temperature leads to the death of a number of pathogenic microorganisms.
But it is not recommended to expose the fetus to temperature for more than two days, since metabolic disorders may occur, especially when there is an acute respiratory infection in the early stages of pregnancy.
A runny nose and sore throat are best treated with traditional methods. Procedures such as inhalations and rinses based on sage decoction, tincture of eucalyptus or calendula, soda, MALAVIT are excellent.
Inhalations are performed as follows: bring water to a boil, bend over it at a distance of about 30 cm, breathe in the vapor through your mouth or nose, depending on what needs to be treated - a runny nose or a cough. The procedure is performed every 2-3 hours.
During a runny nose, you can cleanse your nose with AQUA-MARIS by injecting it into each nostril 3-6 times a day. The use of homeopathic spray Euphorbium Composites, Eva-menthol ointment, oxolinic ointment, and Pinosol is allowed.
Sore throats are treated with Hexoral and Stopangin aerosols. Acute respiratory infections during pregnancy, when the 2nd trimester has begun, can be treated with Cameton. The doctor may also prescribe lozenges that contain essential oils, for example, Angi-Sept (Doctor Theis) and Neo-angin. They have a weak antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effect.
When you are sick, you need to pay attention to your diet - it should be balanced. Do not forget to consume vitamin complexes, fermented milk products, low-fat soups and broths.
Although appetite often decreases significantly during illness, care must be taken to ensure that the baby receives all the necessary nutrients in the right quantities, especially in the first trimester.
You also need to drink at least 2 liters of water per day, because the liquid does an excellent job of removing toxic substances that poison the body.
However, preference should be given to drinks such as weak chas (preferably with lemon), rosehip decoction, cranberry or lingonberry juice, dried fruit compote, alkaline mineral water. In this case, you need to ensure that approximately the same amount of water is removed from the body as was drunk.
But if a woman has severe swelling or gestosis, then treatment should be carried out in a hospital setting. She will undergo detoxification at a medical facility under the supervision of doctors. It is worth noting that under no circumstances should you take any diuretics on your own.
Prevention of acute respiratory infections
It is definitely better to adhere to preventive measures than to treat the disease. But how to protect yourself from the disease?
By following a number of the following measures, a pregnant woman can dramatically reduce the risk of infection:
- Monitor your diet. It is worth consulting a doctor about taking vitamin complexes;
- Dress for the season. There is no need to go to extremes - freezing or sweating;
- Avoid closed spaces with a lot of people, such as shops, transport, etc.;
- Before visiting a public place, you need to lubricate your nose with oxolinic ointment, and after coming home, rinse it off thoroughly. This remedy is highly effective and is approved for use in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters, both for treatment and prevention;
- Frequently ventilate the premises, but at the same time you need to leave the room;
- Frequent wet cleaning, air humidification in possible ways;
- For preventive purposes, plates with chopped onions and garlic are placed around the apartment;
- If one of your relatives is sick, you should avoid contact with him and be sure to wear a gauze bandage.
Every pregnant woman, when cold symptoms appear, even if they are mild, should visit a doctor, since she is responsible not only for her own condition, but also for the health of the unborn baby. In addition, under no circumstances should you resort to self-medication.
Prevention
Respiratory diseases during pregnancy can endanger the life of the unborn child. For a woman, sudden changes in temperature, being near an infected person and in large crowded places are very dangerous.
For preventive purposes it is recommended:
- eat onions and garlic if there are no diseases of the digestive system;
- avoid crowded places during a virus epidemic;
- when visiting establishments, it is advised to apply oxolinic ointment to the nasal mucosa;
- wash your hands thoroughly after going outside;
- if family members are sick, it is necessary to regularly ventilate the room and avoid contact with infected people;
- monitor your diet, eat foods that improve immunity;
- dress according to the weather; a pregnant woman should not freeze or sweat;
- regularly do wet cleaning in the apartment;
- wear gauze bandages when visiting stores;
- spend more time in the fresh air.
An acute respiratory infection in a pregnant woman is dangerous only if treatment is not started in a timely manner. Viruses can affect the physical and mental development of the fetus and cause its death.
Author: Khatuna Gabelia, doctor, especially for Mama66.ru
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