Colds During Pregnancy: Worth Knowing
Colds during pregnancy can cause certain concerns. However, there are a few tips that you should keep in mind to relieve symptoms and prevent colds.
A cold during pregnancy often brings many questions and inconveniences. In fact, there are many symptoms associated with having a cold. Therefore, we recommend a series of measures to treat the symptoms of the common cold during pregnancy to alleviate. Because you should be extra vigilant during pregnancy.
What is a cold?
The common cold is an upper respiratory disease caused by a virus. It is one of the most common diseases and one of the most common reasons to see a doctor.
The most symptoms such as a runny nose, sneezing, coughing, fever and headache that cause discomfort. They usually last 4-10 days.
There is no cure for a cold . Because it is caused by a virus, your body builds a defense system on its own. So there are only drugs to alleviate the symptoms described. However, these can also be used to a very limited extent in pregnant women.
How does a cold express itself during pregnancy?
The most colds occur in spring and autumn. Symptoms usually begin with a stuffy nose or a cough. However, these worsen over the days. The most colds occur without fever . But even if it did, this is not a cause for concern as long as it does not exceed 38.5 ° C.
Pregnant women, especially first-time women, have many questions about the symptoms of a cold. Furthermore, they usually also want to know how this condition affects the fetus.
Fortunately, the viruses responsible for colds do not interfere with the development of the fetus during pregnancy. So there are no health risks for him. However, it is always good to go to a prenatal examination as a precaution and to have the symptoms clarified.
Techniques to prevent a cold in pregnancy
Hand washing is the most important preventive measure to avoid catching a cold.
The best and most successful measure to prevent the spread of infections is to wash your hands. Furthermore, the infection often takes place via the air (droplet infection). We expel these tiny, normally invisible droplets of saliva when we speak, cough or sneeze.
Many people think that the only time they should wash their hands is when they cook something. However, it is a good hygiene habit, to wash several times a day hands. This greatly reduces the risk of infections.
In addition, experts recommend avoiding contact with children or the elderly with similar symptoms. Furthermore, if you have children and they have a cold, you should wash your hands frequently. You should also avoid eating or drinking together. Another sensible measure is not kissing on the mouth. You should keep this in mind if you have cold symptoms.
Colds During Pregnancy: What Can You Do To Relieve Your Symptoms
Avoid self-medication. Before taking any medication, you should see your doctor.
As mentioned earlier, the common cold occurs due to viruses. There is no curative treatment for it. All pharmacological agents and drugs are aimed at reducing the inconvenience caused by the symptoms associated with this condition.
One of the most important things to do for a pregnant woman with a cold is to avoid self-medication. A doctor should prescribe the appropriate drug treatment. Also, you shouldn’t be using the medications you normally take. As a result, it is advisable not to take any medication that other people recommend.
But there are a few home remedies that you can use to relieve symptoms and which you can use frequently and easily:
- Nasal rinsing or sinus rinsing: This promotes the removal of the mucus.
- Steam inhalation: Steam helps to liquefy the secretions and thus facilitates their removal.
- Hydration : Drinking plenty of water promotes hydration of the cells and facilitates the removal of mucus.
- Increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables : This will improve the absorption of important vitamins for your immune system.
In the end, always remember that you need to avoid self-medication during pregnancy. Instead, opt for natural remedies that will relieve your cold symptoms. If in doubt, visit your doctor.