Colds During Pregnancy: How To Prevent And Relieve Them
Colds during pregnancy can cause some doubts in women. However, there are a few tips you should take into account to alleviate their symptoms and prevent them.
On several occasions, colds can appear during pregnancy, generating doubts and discomfort in women. Many symptoms appear when a person has a cold or a cold snap. It is therefore recommended to maintain a series of treatments to reduce them, pregnancy being a step of greater vigilance.
What is a cold
The common cold, sometimes called a cold snap, is a disease of the upper respiratory tract caused by a virus. It is one of the most common illnesses and one of the main reasons you go to the doctor in the first place.
Most of the symptoms cause daily discomfort such as a runny nose, sneezing, cough, fever, and headache. Their duration is generally about 4 to 10 days.
There is no cure for diagnosing the common cold. Being caused by a virus, the body itself will generate the defense system against it. There are only drugs that can relieve the symptoms described, although in the case of pregnant women they are very limited.
How colds appear during pregnancy
In spring and autumn, colds are most common during consultations. Symptoms usually start with a nasal congestion or cough and increase over the days. The most common is an onset of the common cold without a fever. Its appearance is not an alarming fact if it does not exceed 39 ºC.
During pregnancy, especially in young mothers, there are many doubts about the symptoms that arise, and also about how diseases affect the unborn baby.
The viruses that cause colds do not affect the development of babies during pregnancy, so there is no risk to health. However, it is still convenient to go to gynecological check-ups and report any conditions that have been experienced during them.
Techniques to prevent the onset of colds during pregnancy
The best and most effective technique to prevent contagion of infections is hand washing. Contagion is usually produced by respiratory droplets, which are expelled when we speak, cough or sneeze and are small drops of saliva that are usually not visible.
Many people think of hand washing as a pre-cooking procedure only. However, it is advisable to have the habit of practicing good hygiene at different times of the day. Thanks to this, the risk of infections is significantly reduced.
It is recommended to avoid contact with children or the elderly with similar symptoms. If you have children and they have a cold, it is advisable to recommend frequent hand washing and avoid sharing food or drink. Another thing to consider when you have cold symptoms is not giving a kiss on the mouth.
What to do when we want to relieve cold symptoms
As we have already commented, the common cold appears due to viruses and there is no cure for them. All existing pharmacological remedies and drugs are aimed at reducing the discomfort caused by the symptoms associated with this disease.
One of the main things a woman should keep in mind when having a cold during pregnancy is to avoid self-medication. Pharmacological treatment should be prescribed by a doctor. In addition, the consumption of drugs should be reduced and completely eliminated by recommendation when needed.
There are home remedies that improve symptoms that can be done frequently and easily:
- Nasal washes with physiological serum : they promote the expulsion of secretions.
- Inhalation of vapors : they allow secretions to fluidize and thus promote their expulsion.
- Hydration : drinking plenty of water promotes hydration of cells and facilitates the expulsion of fluids.
- Increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables : improves the supply of vitamins essential to our immune system.
Finally, remember that if you are pregnant, you should not self-medicate. Go for natural solutions that relieve cold symptoms and see your doctor if in doubt.
