If the expectant mother detects unpleasant symptoms such as coughing, sore or sore throat, fever, you should immediately consult a doctor. Timely contacting a medical institution will allow you to quickly stop a cold and prevent the onset of a more serious illness - pneumonia, the consequences of which can be very serious.
Many expectant mothers are interested in what to do if, nevertheless, it was not possible to protect the vulnerable organism from the disease, how to treat pneumonia in pregnant women? And what preventive measures should be taken so as not to get sick?
Types of pneumonia
First of all, it should be noted that pneumonia can be of several types. This disease can be of secondary origin, forming as a complication after acute respiratory viral infections and influenza. In this case, pneumonia develops in the process of activation of opportunistic flora.
Primary pneumonia is also possible, the cause of which are microbes of a special type, as well as chlamydia and viruses, fungi. Initially, against the background of acute respiratory viral infections or acute respiratory infections, damage to the upper respiratory tract occurs. After some time, the infection descends along the bronchi and reaches the lung tissue. As a result of the pathological process, inflammation occurs.
In severe form, Klebsiella occurs in pregnant women - pneumonia caused by the harmful bacteria of the same name. An equally dangerous form of the disease is viral, in which the lung tissue affects the causative agent of influenza.
Diagnosis of pneumonia in pregnant women
At the first appearance of a cold or flu, the expectant mother should immediately contact a medical institution. The doctor may suspect pneumonia, having noticed such symptoms of pneumonia in pregnant women as coughing, rapid development of fever.
Confirmation of the diagnosis is possible only after several studies. The diagnosis can be confirmed after several consecutive medical procedures. First, in the conditions of the clinic, a microscopic examination of sputum is performed. This is followed by a study of sputum culture. A mandatory study is a general blood test.
In case of urgent need, you may need a chest x-ray. Expectant mother needs to understand that radiation exposure can adversely affect the fetus. That is why, before starting the procedure, it is necessary to warn the specialist about pregnancy. The radiologist will give the woman a special metal screen that does not allow radiation to pass through.
Causes
During pregnancy, the fair sex is weakened and exposed to harmful microorganisms and substances. The risk of pneumonia increases significantly in the case of exposure to the body of provoking factors such as:
- unhealthy lifestyle, bad habits;
- the presence of chronic lung diseases;
- endocrine system diseases;
- conditions characterized by immunodeficiency;
- heart failure;
- long stay in horizontal position.
A provoking factor may be recently transferred surgery in the chest or abdomen.
Symptoms
Common signs of pneumonia in pregnant women include:
- pain in the chest area, dry and then wet cough;
- pale skin;
- severe shortness of breath;
- nasolabial triangle cyanosis;
- headache;
- fast fatiguability;
- general weakness of the body;
- increase in body temperature;
- fever or chills.
Pneumonia can occur at any time.
Treatment
The treatment of pneumonia in a pregnant woman should be prescribed by a local therapist. If the disease is severe, a consultation of other specialists, especially pulmonologists, may be necessary.
Treatment can occur both at home and in the walls of the hospital. The doctor evaluates the condition of the pregnant patient, asks about the living conditions and daily routine. This is necessary so that the specialist can evaluate how appropriate the treatment at home is. If the doctor allows a woman expecting a baby to be treated at home, some nuances and recommendations must be followed. Pregnant pneumonia is a serious illness. That is why a sick woman should be under the daily supervision of a specialist.
The future mother should not have chronic diseases. In addition, home treatment is possible only if pneumonia is characterized by a mild course. At this time, it is better to refuse to perform the usual household chores.
Until the 22nd week of pregnancy, treatment of the fair sex, who is waiting for the birth of the baby, proceeds in therapeutic hospitals. After the 22nd week, the woman is determined in an obstetric hospital, where not only a general practitioner, but also a gynecologist watches her condition. If the disease is severe, the expectant mother is hospitalized in the intensive care unit.
As a rule, doctors prescribe a course of antibiotics to cope with the disease. The drug is selected taking into account pregnancy and depending on the effect on the fetus. The dosage is determined by the doctor. The specialist takes into account the severity of the disease and other features of the course of pneumonia.
In severe cases of the disease, a specialist can prescribe a combination of certain drugs, as well as immunostimulants, detoxification therapy, expectorant and mucolytic drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs.
Authorized Medicines
Despite an interesting situation, doctors prescribe medications. The features of the female body, as well as the duration of pregnancy and the nuances of its course, are taken into account. The dosage of therapeutic agents is determined by the doctor. The specialist tries to prescribe the safest drugs so that as a result of pneumonia in pregnant women, the consequences for the child are minimal.
To facilitate the discharge of sputum and its rapid elimination, the doctor can prescribe drugs such as “ACC”, “Ambrobene”. An effective remedy is Hexoral, which consists exclusively of plant components.
To strengthen the immune system of the future mother's body and maintain internal resources, as a rule, the therapist prescribes a complex of vitamins. To exclude the likelihood of allergic reactions to the antibiotic, the specialist strongly recommends accompanying the treatment with the use of such drugs as Zirtek, Erius, Fenistil. The last remedy is allowed for children, starting from one year.
To prevent the risk of placental insufficiency, doctors prescribe Actovegin or Riboxin. If the body temperature of the pregnant woman is normal, regular inhalations with saline will be useful.
An excellent addition to the described drugs will be breathing exercises. Exercise can be advised by a gynecologist. Without consulting a specialist, it is not recommended to perform exercises.
Traditional medicine recipes
Some future mothers, trying to avoid taking medications, choose traditional medicine. Women prepare various herbal decoctions, and also carry out regular inhalations, breathe on potatoes or onions. To treat viral pneumonia, expectant mothers use a mixture of dried figs and milk.
Representatives of the fair sex in an interesting position should understand that in some cases, treatment with folk remedies is not enough to completely cope with the disease. It often happens that the "grandmother" recipes only help get rid of unpleasant symptoms, but do not eliminate the source. Untreated pneumonia in time has serious consequences for both mother and child.
Doctors strongly recommend the use of traditional medicine in combination with drugs. Before starting to use this or that prescription, it is imperative to consult not only with a therapist, but also with a gynecologist.
Implications for mom and baby
Women in position are interested in the consequences for the child that result from pneumonia in pregnant women. And whether the disease can cause premature birth.
The most deplorable consequence of pneumonia can be a total damage to the lung tissue with a fatal outcome.
Pneumonia cannot cause a termination of pregnancy and does not require delivery earlier than the due date.
The disease can serve as the beginning of the formation of gangrene of the lung and cavities with purulent contents. As a result of the disease, lung ventilation may be impaired, respiratory failure occurs. This, in turn, leads to hypoxia of the mother’s body and severe suffering in the womb.
Expectant mother needs to understand that the above consequences are possible only if the call to a specialist was untimely, the disease was started for some reason. If you turn to the doctor in time for advice and treatment, the woman’s body can overcome pneumonia without harm to the fetus and the expectant mother.
Possible complications
Complications of various types of pneumonia can be of two types: extrapulmonary and pulmonary. The first group includes myocarditis, acute cardiopulmonary failure, as well as psychoses, sepsis and meningitis. Pulmonary complications are pleurisy, lung gangrene, the occurrence of purulent cavities, as well as acute respiratory failure.
Prevention
The best means of preventing pneumonia in pregnant women is a healthy lifestyle. Proper nutrition and rejection of bad habits will help strengthen the body's immune systems, reduce the risk of viral, infectious and bacterial diseases. Walking in the fresh air will be useful not only for the woman, but also for her baby. Living rooms should be regularly ventilated.
An effective preventive measure for pneumonia is breathing exercises. The regular implementation of those, among other things, will help to improve the emotional state of the future mother.
Breathing exercises
It is necessary to talk about several of the most effective breathing exercises that strengthen the immune system and reduce the risk of pneumonia.
- Stand up straight and inhale the air, standing on your toes. Breath must be held for a few seconds. After this, you need to exhale through the nose and slowly lower to the heels.
- Stand up straight and inhale the air with three small breaths. In the first, you need to stretch your arms in front of you, in the second - to spread apart at the shoulder level, in the third - to raise the limbs up. At the end, you need to exhale vigorously.
- Stand up straight and grab your shoulders with your fingertips. Take a breath and hold your breath for a few seconds. At this time, connect the elbows and spread to the sides. Repeat the manipulation three to four times, then exhale vigorously, slightly opening his mouth.
These are the most popular exercises. For effective prevention, you need to regularly perform them at home.
How does childbirth occur in pneumonia?
In some cases, childbirth begins until the woman is completely cured. In such situations, if childbirth occurs naturally, and not through Caesarean section, the expectant mother needs epidural analgesia. The birth process should be accompanied by oxygen therapy.
Gynecologists during delivery regularly conduct full monitoring of the fetus, which, against the background of a mother’s disease, suffers from hypoxia. After childbirth, treatment of a woman continues. At this time, breast-feeding is prohibited while taking medication and in order to prevent infection of the baby.
Conclusion
Pneumonia in pregnant women is a very serious disease. When detecting the first symptoms, it is important to immediately consult a doctor so as not to “launch” the disease and avoid unpleasant consequences. Self-treatment without the help of specialists can lead to disastrous consequences, exacerbating the course of pneumonia.