Signs of acute respiratory viral infection in pregnant women. How to treat ARVI in a pregnant woman

During pregnancy, the expectant mother's immunity weakens, and therefore the pregnant woman is susceptible to various kinds of diseases, including ARVI.

During pregnancy, the expectant mother's immunity weakens. This is necessary so that the body cannot reject the fetus; therefore, a pregnant woman is susceptible to various kinds of diseases, including ARVI.

ARVI is an acute respiratory viral infection, that is, a disease caused by the entry of a certain virus into the body. You can become infected with ARVI from a sick person through airborne droplets or household routes. The period when the disease does not manifest itself in any way lasts mainly from 3 to 7 days. After this, the first symptoms begin to appear.

ARVI symptoms

The most common symptoms of a viral infection are: weakness, general malaise, chills, nasal congestion, cough, watery eyes, runny nose (rhinitis), drowsiness, headaches and sore throat, fever up to 38 degrees, lacrimation. After contact with a sick person, symptoms do not appear all at once. Most often, the sick person feels weak and unwell, and later develops a cough, runny nose, and sore throat.

Already on the 2-3rd day, other signs appear. Often the very first signs of an approaching disease can be recognized immediately. If you are pregnant, you should not wait for all the symptoms of the disease to appear; you should immediately consult your doctor. In this case, it is advisable to drink hot tea with honey and lemon, maintain bed rest and not self-medicate, especially with the use of medications that can harm the child.

Diagnosis of ARVI during pregnancy

Most often, the doctor prescribes treatment based on the diagnosed symptoms, but sometimes (usually when the disease is advanced), the doctor may refer the sick person for laboratory tests: PCR tests; immunofluorescence reaction, and serological methods can also be used, such as the hemagglutination inhibition reaction; complement fixation reaction and enzyme immunoassay. You may also need to consult a pulmonologist or otorhinolaryngologist, or pharyngoscopy, otoscopy, or rhinoscopy may be prescribed.

If you become ill with ARVI during pregnancy, remember that at the very beginning of pregnancy, a viral infection and the increased body temperature caused by it can harm the baby. If a pregnant woman's body temperature rises above 38 degrees, the disease may not have the best effect on the course of pregnancy.

Treatment of ARVI during pregnancy

After the first signs of the disease appear, you must immediately consult your doctor regarding the proper treatment of ARVI. Do not self-medicate under any circumstances or take antibacterial drugs and antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription during pregnancy. Many medications can negatively affect the fetus itself, as well as cause a number of complications in the expectant mother. To minimize the impact of the disease on pregnancy, only a doctor can prescribe medications.

If body temperature has risen above 38°C, it must be knocked down. Don't rush to do this with pills. Drinking plenty of warm drinks (fruit drinks, rosehip decoction, tea with lemon and raspberries), wiping the body with a sponge dipped in cool water will help in this matter.

Maintain bed rest, ventilate the room every hour, ventilate the room and monitor the air humidity (it should be at least 50-60%).
If you have a sore throat, rinse it every 30 minutes with a saline solution with the addition of baking soda. It helps relieve throat irritation quite well - infused Decoction for gargling from thinly sliced or grated ginger. Ginger can also be added to tea, which is preferably consumed before meals and 1/3 cup. Two or three pieces are enough for a glass of hot water.
Also folk remedies will help milk with honey for the treatment of colds during pregnancy. You should drink the product warm and add a spoonful of honey to it (per glass).

It is important not to overdo it with honey, as it is a fairly strong allergen! And don’t forget about individual intolerance!

6. If a pregnant woman is not allergic to citrus fruits, it will help in the treatment of ARVI lemon, containing vitamin C in large quantities allows you to resist disease. However, lemon should be used with caution, even if you are not allergic. You can use it as an additional component in warm compotes, teas, natural juices from raspberries, blueberries, black currants, and cranberry fruit drinks. It is important that juices, fruit drinks and teas are not highly concentrated! They should be diluted halfway with water.

As for teas and decoctions, the options may be different, it is only important not to use medicinal plants prohibited during pregnancy

The following vitamin teas can be prepared to increase the body's resistance to colds:

Black currant and rowan berry tea– prepare 1/3 cup and take 3 times a day before meals.
Tea made from strawberry leaves and chamomile flowers. Drink only a third of a glass of prepared tea three times a day before meals.
Drink from anise seeds. Pour boiling water, 2 tbsp. anise seeds and boil in a steam bath for several minutes. Strain the cooled broth and drink ¼ cup three times a day.
If the disease occurs with a cough, then it can be used for treatment. inhalations with eucalyptus. This treatment will clear the nasal passages, lungs and bronchi from accumulations of viruses and bacteria. You can use dry eucalyptus, which is brewed for 10 minutes. To forget about a cough and runny nose, use a steam bath and rinse with a warm eucalyptus decoction.
To treat a runny nose during pregnancy, you can use saline solution, but it is more convenient to buy ready-made preparations based on sea water and salt at the pharmacy: Aquamaris, Dolphin, Salin, Aqualor, Quicks, etc. Or you can rinse your nose with a decoction of sage or chamomile.
It is important not to delay treatment of a runny nose, since untreated rhinitis can develop into a very dangerous disease for the unborn baby and mother - sinusitis!

For runny nose and sinusitis A hot infusion of plantain, wild strawberry leaves or St. John's wort helps: Pour 2 tablespoons of any herb with a glass of boiling water, leave for 30 minutes, strain and drink half a glass 2-3 times a day. The same decoction can be prepared from coltsfoot leaves, willow bark and oregano herb.

The use of folk remedies and adherence to bed rest quite quickly improve the general well-being of the expectant mother without causing harm

Prevention of ARVI during pregnancy

Many doctors believe that almost any disease, including ARVI during pregnancy, is easier to prevent than to treat. Therefore, very close attention should be paid to preventive measures that can help prevent the occurrence of ARVI during pregnancy.

ABOUT Basic preventive measures:

Wash your hands with soap often, especially after visiting public places. Hand hygiene can significantly reduce the risk of acute respiratory viral infections during pregnancy.
After returning home, rinse your mouth with a decoction of herbs or tincture of calendula, chamomile, eucalyptus (20-30 drops per glass of warm water).
Take vitamins. Especially specially designed for use during pregnancy. Vitamins will strengthen the body's defenses, thereby protecting a pregnant woman from viral infections.
Ventilate the room, humidify the air. Even if the weather is cold outside, you need to thoroughly ventilate the room 2-3 times a day, especially if there is a sick family member in the family.
Get enough sleep! Healthy and adequate sleep will significantly increase the body's resistance to infections. Do not forget about a healthy lifestyle, if possible, engage in light physical exercise without stress.

Preventive measures will help reduce the risk of viral infections. But if this does happen, timely treatment and contacting a doctor along with the use of traditional recipes will help avoid unpleasant consequences!

In the autumn and spring, the topic of acute respiratory viral infections during pregnancy arises. It is very difficult to protect yourself, the body is already loaded with bearing a fetus, and there is no strength left to maintain immunity. And sharp fluctuations in the weather and an abundance of sneezing people around increase the chances of getting sick significantly. Let's try to figure out how dangerous this can be for the expectant mother and her baby.

What is ARVI?

This is an acute respiratory viral infection. In order for us to get sick, a certain amount of viral particles are required, which, upon entering the body, begin to multiply. The disease usually manifests itself in the form of nasal and throat congestion, and as the disease progresses, a cough begins. This is a natural protective reaction of the body. Possible fever, weakness and muscle aches. Viruses can lie in wait for us anywhere, so to avoid ARVI during pregnancy, you need to take preventive measures and be careful.

ARVI, acute respiratory infections - what to be afraid of?

ARI, unlike its consonant counterpart, can be caused by both viruses and bacteria. There are usually no difficulties in making a diagnosis. The viral disease occurs with fever, nasal and throat congestion from the first day. Bacterial acute respiratory infections are green discharge from the nose, thick sputum, expectorated from the throat.

The most dangerous acute respiratory viral infection during pregnancy is influenza. This is an exclusively seasonal disease that is quite severe. From the first day, the temperature rises sharply, aching joints, muscle pain and weakness appear. After 3 days, a runny nose and cough develop. It takes the body approximately 7 days to overcome this virus.

Why is ARVI so dangerous during pregnancy?

It is impossible to 100% predict the possible consequences of the disease suffered by the mother, so it is very important to carefully carry out preventive measures. It is especially dangerous to get the flu in the first trimester. At this time, there is still no placental barrier, which means that all toxins and decay products will affect the fetus. The second reason is the formation of all the vital systems and organs of the child. Any interference in this process can lead to the most destructive consequences.

After the beginning of the 4th month, this disease no longer poses a threat to the life and health of the child, but seriously weakens the mother’s body, so you need to take care of yourself throughout the entire period of bearing the baby.

Beginning of pregnancy, cradle of life

As already mentioned, ARVI during pregnancy is dangerous at the very beginning. The fetus is just being formed and has no protection; the mother’s body is busy restructuring and preparing for motherhood. No one knows for sure what mutations the influenza virus can cause in an embryo at 3-5 weeks, but often the mother’s body aborts the fetus after an illness. Apparently, protective instincts are very strong and do not allow a pathologically ill child to be born. Further, up to the 14th week, there remains a high probability of disruption of the child’s development after the mother’s illness. It is necessary to avoid ARVI during pregnancy at all costs. The 1st trimester is the most important period; the foundation with which the baby (and mother) can continue to live is formed. From 3 to 14 weeks, the baby’s brain is formed, from 2 to 7 - the cardiovascular system, from 4 to 7 - the visual organs, from 7 to 12 - the hearing aid, from 8 to 10 - the main organs of the abdominal cavity. In addition, the influenza virus is capable of infecting the nervous system, which develops from the first week.

ARVI during pregnancy, 2nd trimester

Now we can no longer talk about a direct threat to the child’s development. But still, ARVI during pregnancy is extremely undesirable to endure during this period. From 3 to 5 months, the virus is able to disrupt the functioning of the placenta, making it more permeable to other microorganisms. Numerous studies show that mothers who have had the flu during this period are more likely to end up in the maternity hospital somewhat prematurely. In this case, low labor activity is often observed, and contractions have to be stimulated.

The last three months have been the calmest

If it were necessary to choose the most favorable period for ARVI during pregnancy, the 3rd trimester would undoubtedly win. The virus itself can no longer harm the fully formed baby; in addition, it is reliably protected by the placenta. The mother's body has already become accustomed to the new situation and is ready to fight back against foreign cells. Moreover, it is much easier for the doctor to carry out treatment. The placenta will also protect the baby from the harmful effects of medications, so there is more than a wide choice for effective therapy. At this time, there is no longer any point in being afraid of the flu and colds, but prevention has never harmed anyone.

Treatment of the expectant mother

If the disease does strike, then this cannot be neglected. If you are pregnant at any time, you should definitely consult your doctor. Treatment of ARVI during pregnancy should take into account all individual characteristics and be as gentle as possible. We will give basic tips that anyone can use.

First of all, you need to ensure that you rest and drink plenty of fluids. Tea with lemon, mineral water - this is necessary to ensure the removal of the virus and toxins from the body.
It is considered absolutely safe to use herbal decoctions and tinctures, but do not forget that some of them may be stronger than pharmaceutical drugs. Consultation with a doctor is necessary. The most neutral option is linden color. It has an anti-inflammatory effect. In addition, fresh berries will become your friends: raspberries, currants, lingonberries and cranberries.
Interferon, presented in various preparations, will help to transfer the disease in a milder form. These are “Viferon”, “Gripferon” and others.

Runny nose and cough: what to do

Problems with mucous membranes prevent normal breathing, which is not only bad for the mother, but can also cause oxygen starvation in the child. Treatment of ARVI during pregnancy necessarily includes procedures to relieve swelling of the nose and larynx. A salt water solution works well for this. You can buy it at the pharmacy (Aquamaris product) or prepare it yourself. For 100 g of warm water you need to put a teaspoon of salt and drop it into your nose using a pipette. Inhalation of essential oils of sage, eucalyptus and orange is considered effective. In addition, you can warm your nose with sand or salt baked in a frying pan. And drip the juice of Kalanchoe, garlic or onion into your nose, after diluting it with water in a ratio of 1/10.

Warm milk with honey is a good remedy for a sore throat. You can periodically gargle with a solution of salt and soda. Lollipops with mint, sage and lemon will relieve congestion and make breathing easier. If a cough occurs, the best way to cope with it is inhalation. Add essential oils or medicinal herbs to the water and breathe in the steam several times a day.

Heat

Until the thermometer rises above 38 degrees, there is no need to knock it down. If the temperature has exceeded this threshold, vinegar rubs and paracetamol-based preparations are recommended. Don't forget to call an ambulance if the thermometer approaches 40 degrees.

Statistics

ARVI is the most common disease in the world. Every year, every third inhabitant of the planet experiences one of its forms. Risk groups include children, the elderly and pregnant women. According to various sources, from 55 to 82% of all pregnant women suffer from this disease. At the same time, let us once again emphasize how dangerous ARVI is during pregnancy. The consequences can be very severe, and the fact that the disease passed quickly does not mean that the risk for the child is less.

What to do to avoid getting sick

Prevention of ARVI during pregnancy is not a difficult task, because all measures are simple and accessible. The child’s health is still entirely dependent on the mother, so it’s worth trying. You will need to limit your social circle. This does not mean that you need to lock yourself in a tower for 9 months, but the choice between a noisy party of unfamiliar faces and an evening in the company of your closest ones is obvious. Avoid places with large crowds of people, as well as contact with sick people. Even if it is your family, find someone who will complete this task without you. Dress for the season, spend more time outdoors, but avoid hypothermia.

Nutrition and taking vitamins is another important point. A balanced diet will allow the body to resist viruses.

Folk remedies

Stock up on dry rose hips or pharmaceutical syrups. From the very beginning of pregnancy, you can drink tea with it, this will support your immune system and provide you with many vitamins. Regular onions and garlic are two more helpers. They are good to eat, you can drip the juice from them into your nose as a preventative measure, and you can also spread chopped onions at home. Before leaving home, smear your nose with oxolinic ointment, and if you go to the clinic, put on a gauze bandage. Honey and lemon help to resist various infections; drink delicious tea with them more often. Be sure to eat more vegetables and fruits, and also try to work less. Adequate sleep, a calm atmosphere at home - all this creates a positive mood that helps a person maintain good immunity.

Let's sum it up

No one is immune from the disease, but we have many ways to avoid it. Of course, there may well be a situation where the expectant mother did not yet know about her interesting situation, but had already suffered a severe form of the flu, plus she was treated with strong drugs that were contraindicated in the first weeks. ARVI during pregnancy (especially the 1st trimester) is fraught with fetal developmental defects. True, nature usually regulates these processes, and if after suffering from the flu something in development goes wrong, then a miscarriage occurs. If the pregnancy continues, and you want to know for sure how much the disease affected the child, then there is only one thing left to do - undergo an examination. The mother can have her hormones and amniotic fluid analyzed. If they are normal, the pregnancy continues smoothly and everything is in order according to the ultrasound, then most likely everything turned out okay.

With the onset of pregnancy, a woman's immune system becomes weakened. This creates conditions for bearing a child. With normal immune function, the fetus could be perceived as a foreign object, since its DNA does not match the maternal one. It is due to the decrease in the activity of the woman’s immune system that the embryo is not rejected.

At the same time, the body's defenses against infections and viruses are weakened, and during seasonal outbreaks of respiratory diseases, pregnant women become the most vulnerable. Viruses, like drugs, pose a danger to the embryo. How to properly treat ARVI during pregnancy?

General description of the disease

Respiratory infections most often spread during the cold season. Peak incidence occurs in late autumn, winter months and early spring. This is explained by a decrease in the protective functions of the human body due to the prevalence of low temperatures and short daylight hours. During the summer, viral infections that affect the respiratory system are quite rare.

Of all cases of colds registered annually by medical institutions, the share of ARVI is about 95%. This category includes infections such as rhinovirus, adenovirus, influenza, MS infection and parainfluenza. Factors that increase the risk of developing diseases are chronic pathologies, heavy physical labor, stressful situations, and hypothermia. Categories of people with weak immunity are at high risk of infection. The virus most often affects children, the elderly and pregnant women.

Physiological suppression of a woman’s immune system while expecting a baby makes her vulnerable to any viruses and bacteria, which is why colds are so often reported in expectant mothers. If the disease occurs in the early stages, when a woman does not yet know about her pregnancy, she can use medications for treatment that are dangerous for the unborn child. This can affect its development, and in some cases leads to spontaneous abortion.

Symptoms of the disease

All respiratory diseases have a similar clinical picture and are manifested by a number of characteristic symptoms. Among the most common signs of ARVI are:

increase in body temperature;
mucous discharge from the nasal passages;
feeling of nasal congestion due to swelling of the mucous membrane;
tearing eyes;
dry or productive cough;
sore throat and sore throat.

Some infections have special distinctive features. Thus, rhinoviruses are manifested by sneezing, swelling of the nasal mucosa, congestion, and a feeling of sore throat during swallowing. Parainfluenza is characterized by hoarseness, and sometimes complete loss of voice, mainly a dry cough. With adenoviral infections, a person experiences enlarged lymph nodes, severe lacrimation and a runny nose. MS infection is characterized by profuse nasal discharge and a debilitating dry cough.

A common symptom for all types of ARVI is febrile conditions, in which the temperature rises to 38.5 degrees. In rare cases, the readings on the thermometer may be higher. The sick person develops a feeling of weakness and drowsiness. The average duration of infection control is about 7 days. Then the person recovers.

Is ARVI dangerous for pregnant women?

No doctor can predict how dangerous a cold can be for pregnant women and their babies. However, practice shows that the greatest danger to the mother and fetus is acute respiratory viral infection in the early stages of pregnancy, especially when a woman is diagnosed with one of the influenza viruses. In this case, the consequences of the disease may include intrauterine pathologies of the baby's development, disruption of the natural course of pregnancy, and even miscarriage.

During the second and third trimesters, the influence of respiratory diseases can no longer have such a negative impact on the development of the fetus and does not threaten its life. However, the danger of complications still exists.

The result of a woman becoming infected with a respiratory infection most often is fetoplacental insufficiency, impaired oxygen metabolism and hypoxia in the embryo, and premature onset of labor.

If the expectant mother suffers the disease in the prenatal period, the newborn may become infected. In addition, doctors note a weakening of labor in women with acute respiratory infections.

In 1st trimester

In the 1st trimester of pregnancy, the rudiments of future organs are formed in the embryo, and the main life support systems begin to form. In the first weeks after conception, the embryo is attached to the wall of the uterus, but does not yet have protection in the form of a placenta. Instead, the embryo is surrounded by a thin layer of chorion, which does not have a protective function and does not prevent the penetration of harmful substances and pathogenic microorganisms.

Constant cell division, characteristic of the initial stage of embryonic development in the 1st trimester, provides a favorable environment for the proliferation of viruses. Once a viral organism enters a cell, it causes its death. This process cannot cause serious damage to an adult, but for an embryo it can be fatal. Intrauterine infection of the fetus by a viral infection at an early stage of development often leads to severe forms of developmental anomalies and death of the embryo.

How the virus affects the child depends on the duration of pregnancy. If the fertilized egg has just attached to the wall of the uterus, then most likely a spontaneous miscarriage will occur. Some women who do not know about pregnancy at this stage may never find out about it.

If several weeks have passed since conception, infection with the virus can disrupt the process of embryo formation. In this case, the risk of having a child with pathologies of physical or mental development increases.

In the 2nd trimester

By the beginning of the 2nd trimester, the formation of such an important element for the embryo as the placenta ends. This embryonic organ provides intrauterine nutrition and protection of the fetus from harmful factors until birth. Thanks to the placental barrier, acute respiratory infections in the 2nd trimester do not pose a threat to the child’s life.

However, the infection can damage the placenta itself, which also negatively affects the development of the child. Changes in the structure of the placenta under the influence of viruses lead to disruption of the nutrition of the embryo and cause it to develop hypoxia. Sometimes this causes pathologies of the central nervous system and brain, the formation of which occurs before mid-pregnancy.

If the mother’s illness affects the child’s organs, which by this point have already completed their formation, the result is often an inflammatory process. Thus, the embryo may develop pneumonia, hepatitis, encephalitis or meningitis.

In the 3rd trimester

Acute respiratory infections during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester have the same consequences as in the second period of pregnancy. Disorders caused by a viral infection often result in oxygen deficiency in the fetus and retardation of its intrauterine development. The baby has reduced body weight, and the mother has an increase in the volume of amniotic fluid in the uterine cavity. This pathological process can cause premature birth.

If a baby is born at 38-39 weeks, he is considered to be born at his due date. However, the harmful effects of the infection may affect his condition at birth. In some cases, a newborn requires specialist help.

During labor

If a woman gets sick late in pregnancy, just before giving birth, this can negatively affect labor. General weakness will not allow the woman in labor to push normally. In addition, breathing plays an important role in the process of childbirth, and with ARVI it is often difficult due to the presence of a constant cough, nasal congestion and runny nose. This increases the risk of birth injuries.

A newborn in such circumstances often has signs of hypoxia; he has pale skin, difficulty breathing, and decreased activity. To prevent the development of the disease, the child is transferred to the intensive care unit and provided assistance if necessary.

Diagnosis of the disease

If the first signs of acute respiratory infections occur while pregnant, a woman should immediately consult a doctor. It is advisable to call a specialist home, since visiting the clinic and contact with other patients can aggravate the condition of the expectant mother.

The doctor performs a visual examination of the woman, identifies whether she has symptoms of respiratory infections, and prescribes laboratory tests of blood and urine. In the presence of an inflammatory process in the blood, an increase in the number of leukocytes and lymphocytes will be detected. If it is necessary to determine the type of pathogen, a throat smear is examined.

Treatment methods

If signs of ARVI appear during pregnancy, it is necessary to begin treatment immediately to avoid the development of complications. A woman expecting a child is advised to strictly adhere to bed rest, drink more fluids, berry fruit drinks and herbal decoctions.

What methods are considered the most effective and safe in the treatment of colds in pregnant women? Experts prefer the following procedures:

gargling with saline solution, herbal decoction;
rinsing the nasal passages;
inhalations with decoctions of linden or sage.

If necessary, Paracetamol is prescribed to reduce the temperature. In some cases, drugs with interferon are used to support the immune system. The use of any medications must be agreed with a doctor, since self-medication can seriously harm the unborn child.

Medicines for pregnant women

If the disease is caused by a virus, then you cannot do without antiviral drugs. Most often, when carrying a baby, a woman is prescribed homeopathic medicines, which consist of natural ingredients and are therefore considered harmless to the fetus:

Oscillococcinum. A medicine that belongs to the category of homeopathic remedies. It is manufactured and released in the form of granules in capsules. Used sublingually, it restores the functions of the respiratory organs. Effective for acute respiratory diseases and influenza.
Afobazol. Available in tablet form, as well as drops and capsules. Does not pose a danger to a pregnant woman and her child. Can be used as a prophylactic and during the treatment of viral infections. The drug contains a small amount of active substance, which makes it safe.
Anaferon. Often prescribed to children and pregnant women. Produced in the form of tablets and drops. Can be used for prophylactic purposes during periods of active viral infections. It has a positive effect on the functioning of the immune system and helps fight various respiratory infections.

Folk remedies

Experts recommend that pregnant women use traditional medicine methods in the treatment of ARVI. They are based on the use of natural ingredients that do not have a harmful effect on the developing child’s body. Among the most common folk remedies are the following:

inhalations with eucalyptus leaves, fir oil, chamomile and sage decoction, helping to restore normal breathing;
onion syrup prepared with added sugar, which effectively relieves coughs;
tea with dried fruits is the best remedy for fever;
cranberries mashed with honey increases the body's protective functions;
drops of beet, carrot or onion juice perfectly relieve a runny nose;
a solution with salt and iodine can be used for instillation into the nose and gargling;
an infusion of string, mint, rose hips with fir oil is also used for rinsing the nasal passages;
drops of aloe juice diluted with warm water will help get rid of nasal congestion (we recommend reading:);
tea with ginger root and lemon fights pathogens well;
garlic added to food helps resist disease and destroys bacteria.

Prevention of ARVI

Infection with any infections, including respiratory ones, is better to prevent than to treat. Prevention of diseases during pregnancy is especially important. Among the most effective measures to help prevent ARVI, doctors identify the following:

Hygiene procedures. Hand hygiene, especially after visiting public places, helps to avoid infection with acute respiratory infections.
Rinsing the mouth. A tincture of medicinal herbs used for daily rinsing reduces the risk of disease during periods of viral activity.
Ventilation of the room. Living spaces should be ventilated at least 2-3 times a day. This must be done to prevent the proliferation of viruses, which spread very quickly in the warm and humid air of apartments.
Multivitamin preparations. These complexes help strengthen the protective functions of the immune system.
Wearing a special mask when in public places. During the seasonal activity of infections, it is not recommended to go to places with large crowds of people.

Acute respiratory diseases are a group of pathologies that are characterized by infectious lesions of various parts of the respiratory system. They are characterized by a short incubation period, a feverish state and signs of intoxication. The causative agent of ARVI during pregnancy can be viruses with subsequent activation of the bacterial flora.

Who is at risk

The incidence of ARVI increases in the autumn-winter period, but episodes of respiratory infection can also occur in the warm season. Infection occurs from a sick person during the acute period of the disease through airborne droplets.

ARVI during pregnancy can lead to infection of the fetus

More often, ARVI has the character of epidemic outbreaks and quickly spreads within groups. Pregnant women are at risk of becoming infected when visiting places where large numbers of people gather, in enclosed spaces. Infection can occur when visiting a store, while riding in an elevator with a sick person, or in a medical facility.

Pregnant women are highly susceptible to infectious diseases. Suppression of the immune system begins in the first weeks of gestation due to a gradual increase in progesterone levels. This is a physiological mechanism that ensures the bearing of a child consisting of 50% foreign genetic material.

ARVI during pregnancy is a fairly common diagnosis, especially during the cold season. There is no need to panic, but you also cannot let the disease take its course. A seemingly harmless cold can in some cases cause unpleasant complications.

If you suspect ARVI or develop its first signs, you must consult your doctor as soon as possible. In this case, self-medication is strictly not permitted. We will describe below how ARVI is dangerous during pregnancy and what treatment methods should be used. We will also consider how to treat ARVI at different stages of pregnancy, and what preventive measures are available.

Causes

ARVI is a viral disease; infection occurs against the background of two factors - weak immunity and, directly, the presence of a virus.

The incidence of the virus among pregnant patients reaches high levels. First of all, the phenomenon is associated with a weakening of the immune system during pregnancy, as well as hormonal changes.

Other factors that increase the risk of contracting ARVI include the following conditions:

disturbance of the pregnant woman’s psycho-emotional state (prolonged depression, nervous breakdowns, bad mood);
disruption of the gastrointestinal tract (digestive problems, imbalance of intestinal microflora, other pathological processes);
exacerbation of chronic pathologies;
hypothermia of the body, for example, during prolonged stay on the street in winter.

The infection is transmitted quite easily, through airborne droplets, often through household contact. The risk of infection during pregnancy increases, therefore, if possible, it is necessary to avoid staying in the same room with an infected patient.

Often the cause of the development of acute respiratory viral infections or acute respiratory infections during pregnancy is a sudden change in lifestyle. Having learned about pregnancy, a woman switches to a gentle regimen, eliminates physical activity, and prefers to stay at home longer. The transition to this mode of life is not entirely justified. At any stage of pregnancy, moderate exercise, daily walks in the fresh air, and a nutritious, fortified diet are necessary. This is the only way to eliminate the negative consequences of ARVI during pregnancy.

To maintain your own health and reduce the risk of developing a viral infection, experts advise attending yoga classes, fitness for pregnant women, or signing up for swimming.

ARVI and early pregnancy

The diagnosis of acute respiratory infection in early pregnancy is not uncommon, but has its own characteristics. This type of infection is associated with diseases of the respiratory system and during pregnancy the course of the disease becomes more complicated.

Early pregnancy requires special attention to your health, and even a seemingly banal ARVI can cause some deviations in the development of the fetus.

The cause of ARVI in pregnant women in the early stages, as a rule, is hormonal changes, against the background of which the protective functions of the immune system decrease. Restoration of the immune system is observed only in the third trimester, when hormone production stabilizes.

Viral pathology in the early stages of pregnancy is diagnosed in almost 75% of pregnant women. The disease will not cause harm if treatment is started in a timely manner under the supervision of a doctor.

Viral infection in the first trimester

What should pregnant patients be wary of at this stage? As mentioned above, at an early stage, hormonal changes begin, the body prepares for gestation and future childbirth. As a result, under the influence of hormonal changes, the functioning of the immune system is disrupted and it becomes vulnerable to pathogenic flora.

The first trimester is the most important and difficult period. The body is weakened, therefore it is not able to effectively fight external irritants. It is necessary to independently take care of your own health and prevent the development of diseases.

Prevention of viral infections in the early stages of pregnancy is an integral measure. Consult your doctor in advance about possible methods to preserve your health and the health of your unborn child.

ARVI in the second trimester

Diseases in the second trimester are easier to tolerate and do not provoke severe consequences as in the early stages. A cold occurs more calmly, but it is still not worth starting the pathological process. By the second trimester, the fetal organ systems are formed, the immune system starts working, so viral infections do not have such a detrimental effect on the fetus.

However, ARVI can provoke other complications - retroplacental insufficiency. The process is characterized by dysfunction of the placenta, which leads to delayed fetal development, hypoxia (lack of oxygen supply), and in more severe cases can cause termination of pregnancy. In addition, the acute course of a respiratory disease can provoke a disturbance in the central nervous system of the fetus.

Treatment of ARVI during pregnancy in the second trimester should also be carried out under the supervision of a doctor; uncontrolled use of medications is excluded. As a rule, therapy is selected on a strictly individual basis, depending on the course of pregnancy.

Acute infection in the third trimester

The immune system of the fetus in the third trimester of pregnancy is fully formed, however, it cannot function as in an adult. ARVI in recent weeks is not so dangerous for the child, however, it requires the fastest possible elimination.

If ARVI develops in recent weeks, panic can be ruled out. By this time, the mother’s placenta effectively protects the fetus from the effects of external pathological flora, so there is no longer any need to be afraid of infection.

Signs of respiratory infection during pregnancy

The symptoms of ARVI during pregnancy, as a rule, do not differ from the common cold, but the chance of developing sinusitis (inflammation of the paranasal sinuses) is quite high. This risk is associated with an increase in the production of progesterone, so the formation of swelling and its transition to one of the forms of sinusitis is not difficult.

ARVI is an infection that does not immediately manifest itself, unlike the influenza virus. As a rule, the disease develops within 2-3 days and only after that the viral agent makes itself felt.

The first symptoms of ARVI disease are as follows:

increased feeling of drowsiness, general weakness, malaise;
central body temperature rises to 37-38 degrees, chills;
swelling of the nasal mucosa, congestion, secretion of a transparent color;
headaches, often aching in nature;
body aches, muscle pain, joint discomfort;
dry cough with difficult to clear sputum;
sore throat, redness of the laryngeal mucosa;
signs of conjunctivitis (red eyes, photophobia, increased lacrimation).

If at least a few symptoms develop, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible and receive a treatment regimen. Avoid self-prescribing medications. It must be borne in mind that almost all medications are not recommended for use during pregnancy.

ARVI disease: treatment during pregnancy

When core body temperature increases, antipyretic drugs based on paracetamol are usually prescribed. But, during pregnancy, taking this drug is highly not recommended, especially in the early stages of gestation. Therefore, it is extremely necessary to treat ARVI during pregnancy; it is important to seek the help of a specialist; the attending physician will select an effective and gentle treatment regimen.

How to treat ARVI without harm to the fetus? Generally speaking, it is better to use traditional medicine methods. If the respiratory virus is mild, then completely avoid taking medications and replace them with tea with lemon and jam.

For swelling of the nasal mucosa, use a rinsing solution based on a decoction of sage, chamomile and calendula officinalis.

Local medications - Angelex-health, Hexoral - will help relieve inflammation of the throat mucosa and eliminate pain. Do not resort to topical remedies that contain an antibiotic.

The treatment regimen for respiratory diseases during pregnancy is based on the following:

elimination of the virus, elimination of intoxication that develops during the life of pathogenic bacteria;
symptomatic treatment, mitigation of signs of the disease;
restoration of the immune system, maintaining its functioning.

The first rule for the development of ARVI is to increase the amount of fluid you drink per day. Its quantity must be at least two liters. It can be the same as regular water, but it is better to drink warm teas, for example, linden tea, based on rose hips or elderberry inflorescences.

For a dry cough, a good alternative to medications is warm milk with honey and butter. It is best to use goat meat, as it contains a lot of useful trace elements and a large amount of calcium.

To speed up the healing process, increase your consumption of foods containing vitamin C - citrus fruits, tomatoes, cabbage, viburnum berries.

Please note that for ARVI during pregnancy, do not prescribe drugs containing acetylsalicylic acid, as well as analgesics - Cold-Flu, Fervex.

When turning to traditional medicine, also take into account possible allergic reactions, for example, to honey or foods high in vitamin C. They must be taken in small quantities, and the dose should be increased slightly and only in the absence of a negative reaction from the body.

Preventive measures

During the cold season, when the chance of infection increases, prevention of ARVI during pregnancy is not excluded.

What can be done to prevent ARVI during pregnancy?methods:

when going outside, lubricate the nasal cavity with oxolinic ointment; the product is quite effective against influenza viruses, acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections;
during outbreaks of infection or epidemic, avoid visiting crowded places;
use a gauze bandage, especially when going outside and visiting a medical facility;
after a walk in the open air, gargle thoroughly and rinse your nasal cavity with a decoction of medicinal herbs (chamomile, sage, calendula);
watch your diet, include fresh fruits and vegetables;
Before planning a pregnancy, in the absence of contraindications, you should consult a physician with a question about vaccination against viral diseases.