Colds from time to time occur in every person, and the period of pregnancy is no exception. According to medical statistics, every third representative of the fair sex, carrying a baby, faces such a problem as a runny nose. And it happens that more than once in 9 months. And if in a normal period of life there are no questions about how to treat a cold, then at a special time the child is waiting, you need to be very careful about the use of medications. How to treat a runny nose for women expecting a baby? What drops from a cold can be during pregnancy, and which are strictly contraindicated? What do doctors think about treating runny nose in pregnant women?
What is the danger?
Such a problem as a runny nose, as a rule, is one of the symptoms of a cold and less often than another disease. Therefore, before trying to choose a drop from a runny nose during pregnancy, you need to undergo an examination with your doctor and pass the necessary tests.
Some women naively believe that such a phenomenon is not particularly dangerous and will pass even if it is not treated. But a runny nose is not as harmless as it might seem at first glance.
The danger is that with a cold disease (especially in the early stages of pregnancy), the entire infection goes directly to the developing fetus, and the consequences can be most unpredictable. In addition, due to the fact that the woman has a constantly stuffy nose, the child receives insufficient oxygen, which threatens the development of hypoxia and disturbances in the formation of all organs and systems of the baby. Therefore, the answer to the question whether or not to treat rhinitis in a woman who is in an interesting position will be unambiguously positive. Another thing is that first you have to find out which drops from a runny nose during pregnancy can be used.
Selection principle
As soon as a woman has a runny nose, the first thing she should not do is to run to the pharmacy and rely on the advice of the pharmacist. He can not always give the necessary advice, because he does not know all the features of the course of pregnancy and the lady's body. In this case, he can recommend a remedy that categorically can not be used for this patient.
It is best to contact this gynecologist who is pregnant. He will be able to give the most qualified advice, prescribe adequate therapy, taking into account many factors.
In addition, a runny nose during early pregnancy can be treated with medications alone, and later, in the second trimester, this list will be broader. This is due to the fact that it is in the first weeks that all vital functions and organs of the baby are laid. An improperly selected medicine can negatively affect this process and in the future will bring much more problems than an ordinary runny nose.
Another factor that will be mandatory taken into account by a specialist when choosing drops is the concomitant diseases of a woman in position. To reduce the risk of complications, during this period, doctors often prescribe baby drops for a cold. During pregnancy, a woman’s body works for two, so the medicine should not have contraindications, and the list of possible side effects should be minimal.
Medicines at the initial stage of pregnancy
Before choosing a drop from a cold during pregnancy in the first trimester, you need to determine its cause. If this is a banal hypothermia, then it will be completely possible to get by with folk remedies. And if it is SARS and rhinitis - only one of the symptoms, then the treatment will be complex.
Quite often, in the first trimester, a woman may have an allergic runny nose, and this will be a reaction to an allergen that caused a similar symptom up to this point. In this case, first of all, it will be necessary to eliminate contact with the substance that causes such a reaction of the body, and only then decide which drops from the common cold during pregnancy should be chosen.
Allowed drugs in the early stages can be divided into two categories:
- saline-based moisturizers (Humer, Aqualor, Aqua Maris, Salin, Marimer);
- hormonal drugs (Bekonase, Alzedin, Desrinit, Nazonex, Avamis).
These funds do not enter the systemic circulation, therefore, do not harm the fetus.
Drops with antibiotics based on antihistamines and drops on beclomethasone are prohibited. This list includes: "Nasobek", "Allergodil", "Histimet", "Rinoclein" and many others.
Under the supervision of a specialist, the use of vasoconstrictor drugs may be prolonged. Sometimes a doctor may prescribe infant drops for the common cold during pregnancy based on phenylephrine, such as Nazol Kids or Nazol Baby. Also, within a few days it is possible to use drugs based on farmazolin - these are drops of Farmazolin.
Humer
It is difficult to find a more suitable remedy for the treatment of rhinitis during the period of gestation. The Humer preparation is made by the French company and contains isotonic solution of sea water. There are no chemicals, flavors and dyes in the medicine, which makes it possible to use it not only during pregnancy, but also during lactation, as well as in newborn babies.
These drops from a runny nose during pregnancy will not cause any side effects and will help to quickly solve the problem of a stuffy nose. The remedy can be prescribed not only for treatment, but as a preventative measure. Since a pregnant woman in the first trimester continues to go to work, visits a clinic where there is a risk of catching an infection, doctors recommend conducting daily irrigation of the nasal mucosa at least 1 time per day.
"Humer" cleanses the nasal cavity from accumulated mucus, dust and allergens, moisturizes it. Thanks to the use of the drug, swelling of the mucosa is relieved and breathing is released.
Marimer
Drops from a runny nose in the first trimester of pregnancy mainly contain the same substance - sterile sea water. Scientists have proven that tools such as Marimer (by the way, also from France) are absolutely safe for the fetus at any stage of pregnancy and can be used daily for preventive purposes.
Since Marimer does not have a systemic effect on the body, side effects and overdose are practically excluded. The drug is used to treat vasomotor and allergic rhinitis, dilutes mucus and makes breathing easier. It also supports the normal physiological state of the mucosa and improves the function of the ciliated epithelium. It is safe to say that "Marimer" is the most suitable nose drop with a runny nose during pregnancy.
Bekonase
Despite the fact that "Bekonase" refers to corticosteroids, sometimes doctors decide to prescribe it. The list of contraindications does not include the period of pregnancy and lactation, that is, you can be sure that the drug will not harm either the mother or the baby. This is due to the fact that the main active ingredient of the drug - beclomethasone dipropionate - acts specifically on the nasal mucosa. Therefore, the probability of getting into the systemic circulation is quite low.
If the preparations based on sea water were ineffective, it can be used for the treatment of Bekonase (but only after the recommendation of a doctor). To minimize the risk to the fetus, do not use the medication for longer than one week. Longer use can be addictive.
Second trimester
If in the early period of pregnancy a runny nose is most often a symptom of acute respiratory viral infections or hypothermia, then in the 2nd trimester one more is added to these reasons - hormonal restructuring of the body. As a result of the expansion of blood vessels, nasal congestion appears, which sometimes experts call "pregnant rhinitis." The definition of the exact cause will also determine how to treat a runny nose during pregnancy in the 2nd trimester.
Nazaval
These are drops during pregnancy in the 2nd trimester of a runny nose, which is allergic in nature. If a woman in the position has nasal congestion, swelling of the mucous membrane, itching and sneezing attacks, then this is most likely a reaction to an allergen. Drops "Nazaval" act somewhat differently than other nasal preparations. They not only facilitate breathing and eliminate the symptoms of allergic rhinitis, it serves as a kind of filter that traps substances that cause such a reaction.
Micronized cellulose was used as the main active ingredient, auxiliary components - peppermint and garlic extract. Thanks to the latter, it also has an antiviral effect.
The convenience of the medication is that it can be used as necessary, it has no side effects and is not addictive, unlike vasoconstrictors. Due to the fact that the drops do not have a systemic effect, their use in pregnant and lactating women is not prohibited.
"Pinosol"
When deciding which drops from the common cold you can prescribe to your patient during pregnancy, the specialist quite often chooses the means that contain only herbal components. One of these is Pinosol. Its use in this period is possible, but only under the supervision of the attending physician and no more than 3-4 days.
Its safety is due to the composition in which there are essential oils of mint, eucalyptus and pine. Also in the composition is vitamin E. By the way, in the first days of the onset of cold symptoms, you can use liquid vitamin E, which is instilled in 2 drops no more than 2 times a day.
According to many women in position, the remedy is really effective and almost safe, if you follow the dosage prescribed by the doctor. Only in rare cases can side effects occur, which are often associated with individual intolerance to essential oils.
Vasoconstrictor drugs
If the nose is blocked up and causes significant discomfort to the pregnant woman, in rare cases, a vasoconstrictor may be prescribed. In the first trimester, these drops are strictly contraindicated, but in the second trimester, they can be used for no more than 2 days, and then, after the doctor decides that the benefits to the mother will exceed the harm to the fetus.
Drops such as Galazolin, Naphthyzine, etc. are sometimes prescribed, but only in the most extreme cases. If there is at least some alternative, it is better to refuse the use of vasoconstrictors.
Last trimester
If it happened that a woman fell ill in the last weeks, then anyway, what drops from a runny nose during pregnancy can be used, the doctor must decide. Many ladies have the erroneous opinion that in this period all the basic systems and organs of the child are already formed and they will not be able to harm drugs such as simple remedies for the common cold.
But at this time, the placenta is aging, and the substances that are in medicines for treating colds easily overcome the placental barrier and can harm an unborn baby. Only the doctor conducting the pregnancy will be able to choose a remedy that will be most optimal in this situation.
The choice of drops from a runny nose during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester will likewise depend on the nature of the rhinitis itself and, as a rule, will be limited to seawater preparations, which are usually prescribed in the first trimester. It is strictly forbidden to use vasoconstrictors, as this can lead to premature birth.
At any stage of pregnancy, the use of medicines that contain an antibiotic is unacceptable. This also applies to such popular medicines as Isofra and Polydex.
What else can you do?
Sometimes the doctor decides in a particular case to limit herself to herbal and folk remedies in the treatment of a runny nose in a pregnant woman. This is justified by the fact that such home-made medicines are much safer than pharmacy drugs.
Beetroot juice proved to be quite good. In order not to burn the mucous membrane, you need to dilute it in a 1: 1 ratio with water and instill 2 drops three times a day.
Also, many ladies who had to face a runny nose while carrying a child recommend such a remedy:
- juice from 1 small onion;
- 1 teaspoon of honey.
Onion itself can severely burn the nasopharynx, so it must be mixed with honey and diluted with water in a ratio of 1 part juice and 3 parts boiled water. Such a tool is very effective in the viral nature of the disease, as it destroys the pathogen.
It is also safe to use decoctions of herbs with which the nasal passages are washed: for this, you can take chamomile, sage. And you can make salt drops yourself by dissolving 1 teaspoon of salt in a glass of water. An ordinary one is also suitable, but it is better to purchase a sea pharmacy, it gives a more pronounced effect.
Doctors strongly recommend that women during this period take an extremely responsible approach to their health and in no case do not use the medicine on their own, without the appointment of a specialist. The opinions of friends and acquaintances that nothing terrible will happen and they themselves were also treated during pregnancy is a weak argument when the life and health of a long-awaited child is at stake.
It is the prerogative of the doctor to decide what drops from the common cold during pregnancy are, he will be able to take into account all the risks and consequences for both the mother and the baby.
To protect yourself from the common cold and colds, it is recommended to visit the fresh air more often, avoid places where there are crowds, and regularly do wet cleaning in the room in which the pregnant woman lives.