With the acquisition of a new status as a future mother, a woman begins to be especially attentive to her health. However, this cannot protect her from colds and viral diseases. With the onset of pregnancy , the body's immune defense decreases. This is an absolutely normal consequence of the new situation. Often, future mothers complain of sore throat, fever and runny nose. This article will discuss how to treat cough during pregnancy (1st trimester is a particularly dangerous time for this symptom to occur). You will find out what may be the causes of this phenomenon.
Cough during pregnancy (1 trimester): what is dangerous?
Often, expectant mothers at the very beginning of pregnancy suffer from various diseases, the symptom of which is a cough. It is worth noting that it can be dry or wet. In the second case, the larynx is not so irritated and there is no particularly strong discomfort.
A wet cough during pregnancy (1 trimester) can be dangerous because bacteria along with sputum will sink into the bronchi and lungs. All this can cause acute bronchitis and pneumonia. For the treatment of these pathologies, antibacterial and antimicrobial agents are used, which are strictly contraindicated at the very beginning of pregnancy. Taking such medications can lead to defects in the development of systems and organs in the baby.
Dry cough during pregnancy (1 trimester) can have consequences in the form of a threat to interruption of the fetus. The thing is that with severe irritation of the throat and cough, tension of the anterior abdominal wall occurs. This leads to an increased tone of the uterus. In especially severe cases, this phenomenon can lead to exfoliation of the membranes of the ovum.
Why does a pregnant woman cough?
So, you were struck by a cough during pregnancy (1 trimester). How to treat this symptom? To begin with, you should contact a specialist. Only a physician can correctly diagnose and prescribe a suitable correction. Cough during pregnancy (1 trimester) causes may have the following:
- wrong lifestyle;
- dry air in the room;
- allergic reaction;
- cold;
- runny nose;
- viral and bacterial infections.
It is worth noting that in all cases, treatment is used differently. What will help with allergic cough is categorically not suitable for the correction of a common cold. Consider what can help eliminate the cough during pregnancy (1 trimester) than to treat the symptom in different cases.
Allergic irritation of the larynx
You have a cough during pregnancy (1 trimester), how to treat it if the cause is an allergy? According to the rules of such correction, antihistamines should be taken . For ease of use, they are available in the form of syrups, suspensions, tablets and nasal preparations. However, such drugs are strictly contraindicated for expectant mothers. Especially when it comes to the first weeks after conception. What to do in this case? How to treat a cough during pregnancy (1 trimester) of an allergic type?
To begin with, it is worth visiting a profile doctor and taking some tests. An allergist can easily determine what exactly such a reaction has arisen to. Only after this, the doctor can assess the complexity of the situation and choose the appropriate treatment. Most often, drugs such as Vibrocil, Tavegil, Finestil, Zirtek are prescribed. You can use them only on the recommendation of a specialist after assessing all the risks. Remember that you cannot independently exceed the indicated dosage. If there is no effect from the treatment, you should consult a doctor for additional advice.
Viral infection
If you have a cold cough during pregnancy (1 trimester), how to treat it? Medicines are very effective in this case. However, they can only be used with the permission of a doctor. Most often, doctors in the first trimester of pregnancy prescribe a new generation of immunostimulating drugs. These include the following: “Interferon”, “Viferon”, “Griferon”, “Cycloferon” and so on. In some cases, the medicine "Arbidol", "Isoprinosine" and others can be used.
Remember that the dosage should be selected individually and after assessing the risks to the fetus. Most often, doctors recommend using a prophylactic dose of the drug.
Bacterial infection
If a bacterial cough occurs during pregnancy (1 trimester), treatment should include antimicrobial therapy. However, almost all drugs in this category are contraindicated for expectant mothers at the beginning of the term. For this reason, doctors prescribe safe syrups and throat treatments.
Oral administration of liquid drugs is carried out in the prescribed dosage in compliance with all the rules. These include the medicine "Bromhexine", "Doctor Mom", "Herbion", "Ambrobene" and so on. For local exposure to bacteria, Chlorophyllipt, Lugol, Chlorhexidine, Miramistin and others are prescribed.
Use of antibiotics with a wide spectrum of exposure is possible only in the second third of pregnancy. It is then that the fetus will be reliably protected by the placenta, and its organs and systems will already be formed.
Runny nose
If a woman has mucous discharge from the nose and a dry cough during pregnancy (1 trimester), how can I treat these symptoms? Often the cause of laryngeal irritation is a runny nose. Particularly severe anxiety manifests itself when the expectant mother takes a horizontal position. In this case, it is necessary to treat not a symptom, but its cause. Contact your ENT specialist for appointments.
Most often, a runny nose in the first trimester of pregnancy is treated by washing the sinuses and instilling immunostimulating drugs. These include "Griferferon", "Interferon", "Derinat" and others. In case of nasal congestion, the spray “Nazivin”, “Snoop” and others can be recommended. However, they must be used very carefully, since vasoconstrictor drugs can adversely affect the future baby.
Dry air
If you have a dry cough during pregnancy (1 trimester), treatment may be the most commonplace. Often the cause of laryngeal irritation is dry indoor air. At the same time, on the street a woman feels great and does not feel discomfort.
No treatment is prescribed. To eliminate the symptom, just moisten the air. This can be done using a special device or improvised means. Place water containers around the house and hang wet towels. Within a few hours you will feel much better.
The use of grandmother's recipes
If there is a throat irritation and cough during pregnancy (1 trimester), what should be treated? Folk remedies can provide first aid in eliminating the symptom. Here are some proven and effective ways to cure your cough yourself:
- make raspberry jam in a glass of boiling water and drink it before bedtime;
- heat the milk to a temperature of 40 degrees and put in it two tablespoons of honey, then use the composition;
- gargle with a decoction of chamomile and sage three times a day;
- try to avoid cold temperatures and not strain the vocal cords;
- make a warm compress of camphor oil on the outer area of the larynx;
- drink tea with a few slices of lemon more often.
There are many tips for treating cough. However, before using certain recipes, you need to remember your situation. Do not abuse herbs. Some of them can negatively affect the health of the unborn baby.
Use of inhalation
What to do if a cough occurs during pregnancy (1 trimester)? Reviews of women and doctors suggest that inhalation is a great helper in the fight against a symptom. However, it is worth remembering that you can not carry out such procedures at high temperatures.
Inhalations are carried out using a special device or improvised means. In the latter case, you can use boiled hot potatoes or a boiling kettle. After the procedure, you need to avoid stress on the vocal cords and be in a warm room.
What to do after cough treatment?
So, you cured a dry cough during pregnancy (1 trimester). Reviews of doctors say that after each disease it is necessary to check the condition of the fetus. If drugs had to be used during therapy, then they could affect the development of the baby. To exclude pathology, it is worth undergoing an ultrasound examination. It is especially important to diagnose when a viral or bacterial disease has been experienced, accompanied by an increase in body temperature.
Some future mothers prefer not to attach importance to the disease. It is worth noting that in some cases this can lead to unexpected consequences and diagnoses.
Summarizing
You now know how to cure cough during pregnancy. Remember that the first trimester is the most dangerous for any medical manipulations and taking medications. That is why you should not self-medicate. Seek help from a doctor and get suitable appointments. Only in this case you can maximally protect your future baby from the possible consequences of the disease.
Try to protect yourself as much as possible from colds in the first weeks of bearing a baby. Better to prevent the disease than treat it with prohibited means. Be healthy!