From the moment a woman finds out about her pregnancy, her attitude to well-being should radically change. If earlier she could arbitrarily take medicines, now it is strictly forbidden to do so. And the need for medication sometimes still exists.
Every second expectant mother experiences a cold in the early stages. Most often it is a viral infection. It develops due to a decrease in immune defense. Women in the second trimester are less likely to get sick . In recent weeks, catching an infection is especially undesirable. But if this happened, then there is nothing to be done. It is necessary to take prescribed medications and follow the doctor's recommendations. A common symptom that worries expectant mothers with a cold is a stuffy nose. Women are wondering if Otrivin can be used during pregnancy. After all, this drug is very popular and copes with a runny nose. Today’s article will help you answer the question.
Otrivin: what is it?
Modern pharmacology offers to purchase a lot of different drugs for the treatment of the common cold. Often, vasoconstrictor formulations are used for the purpose of symptomatic therapy. These include Otrivin. It consists of the main active ingredient - xylometazoline. The drug is available in pediatric and adult forms. The content of the active substance is distinguished by medicines.
The drug for the treatment of the common cold is an over-the-counter drug. It can be purchased without appointment. But you should not use Otrivin during pregnancy alone. After all, you cannot be sure of its safety. It is not known how the active substance will affect the health and development of the unborn child.
Effects on the body: how does the nasal spray and drops work?
Nasal spray and drops have a vasoconstrictor effect. The effect of the drug occurs within the first minute after application. The action lasts for several hours (usually from 4 to 12). The main component contributes to the narrowing of the vessels of the nasal mucosa. Due to this, breathing is facilitated, hyperemia is eliminated.
The medicine also helps moisturize the membranes. Often with prolonged use of xylometazoline, dryness occurs. In the case of Otrivin, this does not happen. If everything is so good, can I use Otrivin during pregnancy? Consider several points of view on this subject.
Is Otrivin possible during pregnancy: instructions and its recommendations
What does the annotation say? If you carefully read the attached instructions, you will find out that the medication can be used by women who are in an "interesting" position. But you need to do this taking into account all the risks for the baby. If the expected benefit for the mother is higher than them, the doctor prescribes the Otrivin medicine.
The manufacturer says that the medication is not well understood. There are no reliable results of clinical trials of the drug in pregnant women. Therefore, the doctor, prescribing the drug, relies on "maybe". The woman, in turn, places all the risk on her own shoulders.
What is the danger of treatment for the expectant mother?
What is the danger of Otrivin medication during pregnancy? Doctors consider 2 options with special attention: use in the first and last trimesters. What harm does the medicine cause to a woman and an unborn baby:
- Early treatment with a drug is dangerous because such therapy can affect the development of the child and the formation of his organs. Otrivin during pregnancy (1 trimester) can adversely affect the cardiac system of the embryo, which is very vulnerable: it is just starting to form. Also, the drug can affect the neural tube, provoke its incomplete closure, which is fraught with congenital pathologies.
- Otrivin during pregnancy (3 trimester) can affect the blood pressure of the expectant mother, which is dangerous for the fetus. If it rises strongly, then this is fraught with fetal hypoxia and even placental abruption. All this is very serious.
When is a future mother forbidden to use a medication?
It is strictly forbidden to use Otrivin during pregnancy if a woman has contraindications. These include hypersensitivity, drug or atrophic rhinitis, hypertension or tachycardia. It is forbidden to use Otrivin treatment for hyperthyroidism, glaucoma, and also if surgical interventions on the meninges have been previously performed. If the future mother has diabetes, then the use should be abandoned.
Doctors' opinion on the use of vasoconstrictors: indications for use
Doctors recommend, whenever possible, to abandon the use of any medications during the entire period of pregnancy, including vasoconstrictors. But there are situations when such therapy is simply necessary for the expectant mother. It is known that Otrivin is used according to the following indications:
- viral and bacterial infections accompanied by nasal congestion;
- otitis media or eustachitis (to relieve edema);
- sinusitis and sinusitis;
- allergy;
- preparation for diagnostic procedures on the nose.
A pregnant woman needs medicine when her nasal breathing is severely impaired. If swelling occurs, and the expectant mother is forced to breathe with her mouth, this is bad for the fetus. The blood circulation between the placenta and the embryo is disturbed, hypoxia occurs. Therefore, if the disease has severe symptoms, then doctors still prefer to prescribe the drug "Otrivin" during pregnancy. Doctors give separate recommendations on how to use a vasoconstrictor.
The method of using a vasoconstrictor composition at different stages of pregnancy
Before using Otrivin during pregnancy, it is necessary to study the instructions. Make sure that you have no contraindications to the use of the medicine (even if it is prescribed by a doctor). After that, read about the method of application. The standard scheme involves the introduction of a vasoconstrictor solution three times a day. One spray is delivered to each nostril. Expectant mothers should adhere to a special scheme. Doctors give the following recommendations:
- Give preference to nasal drops in a children's dosage.
- Inject one medicine into each nostril in a single dose (drop or spray).
- Massage your nose after use.
- Do not use the medicine more than three times a day.
- Otrivin during pregnancy (especially the first trimester) should be used only when necessary, when it is really impossible to breathe normally.
- The course of treatment lasts no more than three days.
Safe Otrivin: how to protect yourself from infection?
There is a drug called Otrivin, which future mothers can not only use, but also need. The use of this medication can protect a woman from infection and illness. Otrivin More contains a sterile solution of sea water. The drug washes the nasal mucosa, moisturizing it and cleansing of bacteria. It is important that such a medication does not contain preservatives that could adversely affect the formation and growth of the embryo. Otrivin sea spray during pregnancy (2nd trimester or any other period - not so important) is used for prevention and treatment. The composition can be entered into the nasal passages an unlimited number of times during the day:
- Treatment of the common cold involves cleansing the mucous membranes with Otrivin. After its use, you can apply the local drug prescribed by your doctor.
- Prevention with the drug allows you to maintain nasal hygiene, protects against infection by a viral infection. Also, to some extent, the solution relieves swelling: salt draws out excess fluid.
Complex drug and its features
There is one more type of Otrivin medication. It has a complex effect: not only relieves swelling, but also reduces discharge from the nose. The medicine owes its composition to its work. The drug contains the same xylometazoline, but there is still ipratropium bromide. This component has an anticholinergic effect.
Can I use this medicine during pregnancy? What does the instruction say? The annotation says that Otrivin Complex is strictly forbidden for use in the first trimester. In the second and third medication is used in case of urgent need. But even when prescribing the medicine, the expectant mother should avoid an overdose. Women should use Otrivin Complex as little as possible. The duration of therapy does not exceed 7 days.
Adverse reactions that may occur in expectant mothers
Even "Otrivin" children during pregnancy can cause unpleasant consequences. But it is in this form that the medicine is prescribed for women who are in an “interesting” position. Even if the expectant mother previously calmly tolerated the reception of the described active substances, now everything can change. The fact is that during pregnancy there is a restructuring of all systems. A double load is applied to the organs. This is especially noticeable at the end of the term. The medicine may cause allergies. It shows itself as itching in the nose, sneezing, redness of the mucous membranes and swelling. The medicine helps to strengthen the heartbeat, increase blood pressure.
If after using the medication you have nausea, headache, sleep disturbance, shortness of breath and other unpleasant symptoms, then you need to stop treatment as soon as possible. Do not pick the antidote yourself. Be sure to consult a doctor to assess your well-being and select further treatment tactics.
Otrivin during pregnancy: reviews
Opinions about this medicine are often positive. You already know that doctors prescribe a vasoconstrictor to expectant mothers only in case of urgent need. In this case, the drug copes with its task. Even the use of a child's form of medication does not reduce its effectiveness. The medicine is already effective for the first minute. The expectant mother immediately normalizes breathing, a woman is able, as before, to distinguish smells. The flow from the nose becomes much less. The held parents who took the medicine during the gestation report: the effect of the medication did not harm the child, while observing the doses prescribed by the doctor, no adverse reactions occurred.
About the medicine "Otrivin More" reviews are good. Doctors say that such a tool can be used for the entire period of bearing a child without special restrictions. The drug effectively cleanses the nasal passages of crusts and pathogens, it moisturizes the mucous membrane, partially relieves swelling. Statistics show that women who used Otrivin More during pregnancy were much less likely to get sick. Before giving birth, expectant mothers often complain of rhinitis in pregnant women. This diagnosis is made with a sudden and protracted runny nose, the cause of which lies in hormonal changes. With such rhinitis, it is advisable to use Otrivin More. But still, before using any medication, it is better to consult a doctor.
Finally
From the article, you learned that there are several forms of the Otrivin medication. Which of them can be used without fear in the first, second or third trimester - described above. Turn your shots to partial restrictions. Do not rely on the feedback of friends. If a drug helped one woman to cope with a runny nose and did not have a negative effect on the fetus, this does not mean that it will be the same with you. Good luck to you!