Table of contents:
- What can you do to prevent colds and coughs while pregnant?
- If you have the flu and cough, how to deal with it?
- 1. Get plenty of rest
- 2. Consume lots of fluids
- 3. Eat well
- 4. Doing exercise regularly
- 5. Avoid stress
- 6. Relieves flu and cough symptoms
- Is it okay to take cold medicine while pregnant?
What if you have flu and cough while pregnant? Is this a risk to the fetus?
Colds and coughs easily attack anyone, including mothers who are pregnant. There are more than 200 viruses that spread in the air that can cause the body to catch a cold. When you are pregnant, there are various changes in body functions, including the immune system. These changes can allow you to catch a cold and cough while pregnant. If what you are experiencing are common cold and cough symptoms, it will not have a bad effect on your fetus. However, it is important to take precautions so that colds and coughs do not get worse and can have a negative impact on the fetus.
What can you do to prevent colds and coughs while pregnant?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, there is a decrease in immunity in pregnant women. This happens so that the mother's body system does not reject the developing fetus. Therefore, pregnant women are prone to viral and bacterial infections, including colds and coughs. One of the prevention methods is by injecting flu vaccine to reduce the risk of catching the flu virus. It is known that giving pregnant women flu vaccinations can help protect both mother and baby for up to six months after delivery. So, it is important for pregnant women to get vaccinated during pregnancy to prevent infections caused by viruses and bacteria.
In addition, clean habits that are applied daily can also prevent you from catching the flu, such as washing your hands frequently with soap and water, getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods and avoiding food or drinks that are not kept clean, avoiding contact or being close to family / colleagues who are experiencing illness.
If you have the flu and cough, how to deal with it?
1. Get plenty of rest
Rest your body by taking naps, getting enough sleep at night, and not doing too much strenuous physical activity. This method is one of the most capable ways to increase immunity. In addition, by resting, you give your body time to normalize.
2. Consume lots of fluids
You should meet your daily fluid needs, by drinking mineral water, fruit juice, or other healthy drinks. Try to drink natural, not packaged.
3. Eat well
The point of eating well is to fill your needs in one day. If your flu and cough symptoms make you not want to eat, then you can eat small portions but often. Eat a healthy diet that meets the principles of balanced nutrition, and is guaranteed cleanliness.
4. Doing exercise regularly
Being pregnant does not mean that you cannot do regular exercise. Sports can still be undertaken by pregnant women, sports that can be done are yoga, swimming, and taking a leisurely walk. Besides being good for maintaining a weight that may fluctuate during pregnancy, exercise can also boost the immune system and prevent the body from getting infected.
5. Avoid stress
There have been many studies showing that stress is associated with a decrease in the condition of the body and the immune system. Therefore, to avoid a decline in the immune system in pregnant women, you should do various things that can make your body and mind calm and relax.
6. Relieves flu and cough symptoms
Common flu symptoms are a congested nose and a bad feeling in the throat. If you have a congested nose, you can put a humidifier (humidifier) around you, using nasal breathing strips that is, a breathing apparatus in the form of a strip to make it easier for you to breathe, and elevating the pillow while sleeping. Meanwhile, to relieve throat, you can eat warm food or drinks, such as eating soup or drinking warm tea. This can stimulate the production of mucus and saliva, which can soothe a congested throat and nose. Or you can add lemon or honey to warm tea, which can get rid of the bad taste in the throat and make you sleep better.
Is it okay to take cold medicine while pregnant?
According to University of Michigan Health SystemYou should avoid taking various drugs in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, because at that time the process of forming vital organs in the fetus is taking place. Many doctors recommend that it is better to take medication after 28 weeks of pregnancy. However, this should be discussed further with a specialist.
In addition, you should avoid drugs that function at once and can treat a variety of symptoms, such as ibuprofen, codeine, bactrim, naproxen, and aspirin. These drugs are usually easy to find in a shop or around you, therefore if the symptoms you are experiencing get worse, it is better to see a doctor to avoid other complications.
