A sore throat is the first sign of inflammation of the oropharynx. Pharyngitis during pregnancy is quite common, but not everyone knows how dangerous it can be. The risk of developing complications depends on the cause of the disease, as well as the protective power of the immune system. During the period of gestation, the woman's immunity is significantly weakened, therefore, any negative factor can provoke the appearance of inflammation in the pharynx.
Pharyngitis can be caused by infection or non-infectious factors:
- exposure to low temperatures. This can be a local influence (drinking cold drinks, ice cream), as well as general hypothermia if a woman gets into the rain or dresses lightly in cold weather;
- trauma to the mucous membrane of solid food (nuts, crackers);
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, which are manifested by the throwing of the contents of the stomach into the esophagus. Such symptoms are observed with gastroesophageal reflux disease or hernia;
- long-term use of nasal drops that have a vasoconstrictor effect.
These factors can cause pharyngitis during pregnancy, but there is no negative effect on the fetus. The danger of the disease increases if, against the background of irritation and inflammation of the mucous membrane, it becomes infected due to the weakening of local protection.
Infectious form of pharyngitis
Infection of the body of a pregnant woman for a period of up to 12 weeks is considered the most dangerous, because there is a risk of violation of the laying of organs in the embryo. Any infection can trigger fetal freezing or spontaneous abortion.
As the term increases, generalized infection can lead to pathology of the placenta (premature detachment, fetoplacental insufficiency), which is manifested by fetal hypoxia. Insufficient supply of oxygen and nutrients slows down the development of the unborn child and predisposes to the appearance of defects. As for the third trimester, there is a risk of premature birth.
The danger of infectious pharyngitis lies in the damaging effect of toxins that are released during the life of viruses, bacteria and fungi. The first trimester is especially dangerous, when the placenta is not yet fully formed, so the infection can easily penetrate the embryo.
Fungal pharyngitis
Limited inflammation of the throat of fungal origin does not have a toxic effect on the fetus, since the infection does not spread through the bloodstream and does not penetrate the embryo. Normally, fungal pathogens are present in the oropharynx, but do not provoke the development of the disease.
During pregnancy, against the background of reduced immunity, their activation and intensive reproduction are possible, which leads to the appearance of symptoms of pharyngomycosis:
- perspiration, dryness, burning sensation in the oropharynx;
- discomfort in the throat;
- soreness when swallowing;
- white bloom on a mucous curdled consistency;
- unpleasant smell.
Generalization of a fungal infection increases the risk of:
- spontaneous abortion due to an increase in the tone of the uterus against the background of severe intoxication of the body. This is most dangerous in the first months of pregnancy;
- premature birth. It is typical for the third trimester due to the high tone of the uterus;
- impaired development of the embryo due to poor nutrition and insufficient oxygen supply through the placenta affected by toxins;
- condidous sepsis in the fetus. It develops in extremely advanced cases and is fatal;
- candidiasis of the mouth, nose and skin in a child. Infection occurs during its passage through the birth canal, when a woman, in addition to pharyngomycosis, has thrush.
Viral sore throat
Infectious pharyngitis during pregnancy can be caused by infection of a woman's body with viral microorganisms or activation of viruses that were in a "dormant" state, for example, the herpes virus. The defeat of the mucous throat can occur with the direct action of pathogenic microorganisms or be one of the symptoms of influenza or measles.
The placenta is capable of passing many types of virus, but not all of them are toxic to the embryo. It depends on the type of microbe and its properties. Infection in the first months of pregnancy is fraught with the birth of a child with congenital defects.
Separately, it should be said about the risk of developing immunological tolerance, which implies the inability to produce antibodies by the immune system when it re-encounters the virus.
The initial infection occurs during the prenatal period, and subsequent contacts occur after birth.
Note that the severity of the disease in a pregnant woman does not always coincide with the degree of embryonic lesions.
In obstetric practice, there are many cases when viral embryopathies in the fetus developed with a mild course of the disease in a woman. Fast-growing tissues are most sensitive to virus toxins, especially in the period of placentation, as well as organogenesis. Embryonic tissues, being at the stage of intensive development, under the toxic influence change their structure, provoking the appearance of defects.
Among the viruses that can lead to sore throat, it is worth highlighting herpes, flu, rubella, chickenpox and measles. The greatest risk from developmental abnormalities is the rubella virus. The severity of the lesion depends on the duration of the pregnancy. Against the background of the course of rubella in a pregnant woman, infection of the embryo in the first trimester occurs in 80% of cases, then the frequency is almost halved.
Among the embryos infected in the first trimester, 25% of them are born with developmental defects. The virus enters the blood vessels of the placenta and the fetus, which is manifested by damage to the endocardium. The tissues that die as a result of the toxic effect are carried with the blood to other organs, infecting them.
When an intrauterine infection becomes chronic, the virus is excreted through urine, respiratory organs and feces. Infection of the embryo is manifested by congenital cardiac defects, deafness, visual pathology and microcephaly.
Having diagnosed rubella in the first trimester, obstetricians insist on terminating the pregnancy.
Herpetic infection in the body is inactive, but pregnancy can be a reason for its activation.
Herpetic pharyngitis is safe for the fetus if sore throat is the only manifestation of a viral infection. If a pregnant woman has a herpetic rash on the genitals, obstetricians recommend a caesarean section.
This is due to the high risk of infection of the baby as it moves through the birth canal.
In children, herpes infection manifests itself on the sixth to eighth day after birth in the form of intoxication, jaundice, fever, seizures, blue skin, rashes on the genitals and hemorrhagic diathesis.
In a pregnant woman, with pharyngoscopy, vesicles with serous contents are noted, which, after self-opening, leave ulcers on the mucous membrane. In this case, the mucous membrane is hyperemic and somewhat edematous.
Measles and chickenpox are extremely rare during pregnancy, but you should not forget about these infections. For pregnancy and the fetus, the infection is fraught with spontaneous abortion, as well as premature birth. Chickenpox, transferred in the last months of gestation, manifests itself in an infant in the first week after birth in the form of a skin rash.
The greatest attention is paid to pharyngitis with influenza. Its frequency in pregnant women is significantly higher in comparison with the period before the conception of the fetus.The fact of the penetration of the virus transplacentally to the embryo has not been proven, however, many experts note the high frequency of births of children with congenital defects, as well as miscarriage with the transferred flu.
With influenza, a negative effect on the fetus is provoked not so much by a viral pathogen as by a severe intoxication syndrome, fever and fetoplacental insufficiency, which causes the fetus to experience hypoxia.
Spontaneous abortions with influenza infection are caused by hemorrhages in embryonic tissues.
Bacterial pharyngitis
Bacteria, like other infectious microorganisms, can cause pharyngitis in pregnant women. Local inflammation of bacterial origin is not dangerous for the woman and the unborn child, however, with the generalization of the infection, severe intoxication develops. The danger of streptococcal pathogens lies in the high risk of damage to the renal tissue, myocardium and disturbance of the vaginal microflora.
The consequence of the predominance of pathogenic microbes in the flora is premature birth and spontaneous abortion. Infection of a child can occur during labor with the subsequent development of neonatal sepsis. The risk of pathology increases with a prolonged anhydrous period.
Sore throat can also be caused by gonococci and chlamydia.
Prophylaxis
Preventive measures include:
- observance of personal hygiene;
- using a mask when communicating with patients with acute respiratory viral infections;
- airing the room and humidifying the air;
- observation by an obstetrician;
- regular examination;
- plentiful warm drink;
- vitamin nutrition.
When pharyngitis is diagnosed in pregnant women, the consequences can be unpredictable if careless about treatment and your health. During the period of gestation, a woman needs to be especially attentive to herself, knowing that the life of the unborn child depends on it.
