ARI during pregnancy

What is ARD?

This inflammation of the nasopharynx, accompanied by sneezing, discharge from the nose, sore throat, cough, sometimes general malaise and fever. Diseases are groups called colds.


What causes ORZ?

Most often, ARI is caused by viruses. That is why these diseases do not make sense and even harmful to treat with antibacterial agents (antibiotics).

The most frequent pathogens of ARI are rhinoviruses, respiratory syncytial virus, enteroviruses, coronaviruses, adenovirus, influenza viruses and parainfluenza. 30-40% of all ARI are caused by rhinoviruses. In addition to viruses, various bacteria can be pathogens of acute respiratory infections, but more often they join the inflammatory process, primarily caused by viruses.


How often do they suffer from acute respiratory infections?

ARI is the most frequent human disease. Each adult transfers an average of 2-3 ORZ per year. As the pregnancy lasts about 9 months, as a rule, every pregnancy minimum one time is sick with ARD. It rarely happens that for the whole pregnancy, a woman does not have any acute respiratory disease.


Are OCR dangerous for a pregnant and unborn child?

Most often, acute respiratory infections proceed easily. In these cases, there is no serious danger to the health of the woman and the fetus. However, this does not mean that the disease is not to be treated by a doctor. Influenza, also referred to as respiratory infections, can cause very serious illnesses in pregnant women, including pre-inflammation of the lungs.

Other respiratory infections can also lead to serious complications requiring a doctor's qualification. It should be recalled that in the organism of a pregnant woman there are such changes in the immunity system that. On the one hand, they ensure compatibility of the mother and the baby, in fact they allow pregnancy, on the other, make the woman more vulnerable to infections.

A particular risk of acute respiratory disease, in the first place, influenza, is for pregnant women with chronic diseases-cardiovascular, broncho-pulmonary, diabetes and others. ARI, especially flowing in severe form and with a high temperature, can pose a danger to the fetus, especially in the first three months of pregnancy. Sometimes, infectious agents penetrate the placenta, but this happens rarely.


How to protect yourself from ARI?

This is a difficult task. During periods of seasonal increase in morbidity (cold season), and especially during epidemics of influenza, avoid staying in crowded places. The most dangerous are people's dumps in enclosed spaces - public transport, a cinema, a corridor of a polyclinic, etc.

Since the source of ARI is a sick person, one must try to avoid close and prolonged contact with the patient. Especially often pregnant women are infected from children attending pre-school or school. The risk of contracting ARI is increased: handshakes. Kissing and finding a nearby close-up person, contact with infected objects. On the hands and the object of the disease, the viruses retain their viability for several hours. Infection through the hands occurs much more often than when inhaled air containing viruses that are isolated to the patient when coughing or sneezing. Therefore, frequent hand washing and wet cleaning in the room have a very great preventive value. If the hands are not scrubbed, they can not be touched by the face, nose, eyes. The introduction of the virus on the mucous membranes by the hands is the main way of infection.

Scientific research has shown that neuro-emotional overloads contribute to ARI disease, and cooling, wet weather and remote early tonsils (tonsillectomy) do not matter.


Should I treat ARI of a pregnant woman?

Answering this question, it is necessary to repeat once again: any illness in a pregnant woman is an occasion to consult a doctor! Even to two doctors - to the obstetrician-gynecologist and the doctor on a profile of the arisen illness, in this case to the therapist or family doctor. Whether to treat and what to treat, in each case the doctor does.

All over the world, over-the-counter non-prescription drugs are the leaders in sales. At the same time, people's means and the possibilities of non-medicament medicine are used insufficiently. It is absolutely justified: "During pregnancy, it is desirable to avoid any medication." This means that one should not take medicines without very convincing reasons, and if these reasons exist, then choose only well-approved pregnant women, safe for the fetus.


How to treat the high temperature?

The increase in body temperature in acute respiratory infections is one of the manifestations of a protective reaction of the body. At an elevated temperature, interferon, a factor of antiviral immunity, is more intensively developed. On the other hand. High fever (> 38,5С °) breaks the general condition and, which is so important, can provoke spontaneous miscarriage or premature birth. Therefore, it is advisable to reduce the very high temperature with the help of nonmedical medications (wiping the body with a solution of 9% vinegar) and / or the antipyretic drugs - paracetamol 0.5-1 g to three times a day (interval between doses less than 4 hours) or aspirin 0.5 g to two once a day. It is better to use soluble mint, containing, in addition to the antipyretic itself, ascorbic acid (vitamin C). And again it is necessary to emphasize: whether the temperature should be lowered than done and for how long, the doctor decides.


Is it possible to use so-called anti-cold medications for pregnant women?

Despite the fact that these drugs are widely advertised and are over-the-counter, they are not safe. In their composition, as a rule, includes a few components. To one or two of which there are a number of serious contraindications. Therefore, pregnant women should not take such medicines on their own. In addition, they do not really cure the disease, but only ease its symptoms.

In the period of the flu epidemic, especially caused by the unusual aggressive type of the virus, there may be a need for early prescription of a pregnant specific antiviral treatment. However, without a doctor, you can not start taking an antiviral drug.


During what time should the pregnant woman with ARI stay at home?

Predict the duration of the disease in each case is impossible. With lightweight for complete recovery, usually 7 days of home half-bed is enough, but it can not be excluded that the disease will be difficult and can be required hospitalization. Special caution should be in cases of acute respiratory infections, those suffering from chronic cardiovascular, broncho-pulmonary and other diseases.

Only the attending physician can properly assess the condition of the patient and determine the optimal regimen. Examination of a doctor after subjective recovery or improvement of health is no less important than at the beginning of the illness, since it allows you to exclude possible obstetric and somatic complications.