Catarrhal diseases are most often caused by viruses:
- RNA-containing rhinoviruses - up to 40% of all colds;
- eco-viruses;
- influenza and parainfluenza viruses;
- reoviruses;
- coronaviruses;
- a respiratory syncytial virus;
- adenoviruses;
- cytomegalovirus;
- enteroviruses.
Usually, after 3 days the virus is excreted from the body, but leaves behind a weakened immunity, after which bacterial infections join or the slumbering viruses ( herpes virus ) are activated. If we consider that immunity in pregnant women is weakened, frequent colds during pregnancy can cause developmental disorders of the fetus and complications of pregnancy.
Is the common cold dangerous during pregnancy?
The virus in the early stages of pregnancy, especially immediately after conception (a cold in the first days of pregnancy) can cause the death of the embryo. When the laying of organs and tissues takes place, the viral cold in the first weeks of pregnancy, damaging the germ cells, causes various mutations in the fetus, the absence of organs (especially the virus affects the brain tissue) or the developmental defects of the organs (especially the heart). Predicting at what stage and in which organ the virus will cause defects is unrealistic, but it is possible to detect defects in screening ultrasound studies.
At the beginning of pregnancy, a cold is much more dangerous than in the second and third trimester, when it causes no longer serious organ defects, but functional disorders (eg, hypoxia and fetal development retardation).
But not only viruses are dangerous: bacterial infections, although not so radically damaging the fetus, but can cause intrauterine retardation of fetal development, intrauterine infection of the fetus. A bacterial cold at 40 weeks of pregnancy can cause bacterial sepsis, meningitis, or pneumonia immediately after birth (in the neonatal period).
Symptoms of a cold during pregnancy
Symptoms of a cold during pregnancy are the same as in non-pregnant women: cough, runny nose, sore throat, fever, - the state of pregnancy has little effect on the course of the disease. And, if a pregnant woman gets cold, special control is needed not only because of possible complications from the organs that affect the virus, but because of the complications of the pregnancy itself. Therefore only an easy cold at pregnancy is treated at home, and moderate severity and a severe cold during pregnancy is treated only in a hospital under the supervision of a doctor.
Treatment of a common cold during pregnancy is usually local and is aimed at both removing the virus from the body and alleviating the symptoms of the disease. Antiviral drugs for the treatment and prevention of colds during pregnancy are not prescribed. Contraindicated and antibiotics, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy. But with bacterial complications, especially severe and life-threatening women (bacterial pneumonia), some of them can be used despite the risk to the child.
Local treatment of the common cold includes exposure to the site of the accumulation of the virus with antiseptics in the form of rinse solutions, tablets with local antiseptics, sprays for local irrigation. From the physiotherapy procedures, it is recommended to use the UVA method, nebulizer (inhalation) therapy with antiseptics on the inflammation focus. But, in addition to bactericidal action, it is possible to remove the virus mechanically by washing out of the focus of infection
To remove the symptoms of intoxication with a cold, you can use a lot of liquid: the use of pure water, teas (from currants, leaves of strawberries) without sugar and broths of medicinal herbs ( broth of wild rose ). To facilitate coughing, alkaline-oil inhalations are shown, and to reduce the temperature - tea with raspberries.
Preventing colds during pregnancy - restorative gymnastics, high-grade food with a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits, avoid hypothermia and a large crowd of people where you can get infected with the virus.