Cough during pregnancy 2 trimester treatment

Often the disease lies in wait for us in the most unexpected and sometimes very important periods of life. One of them is pregnancy. But no one is immune from this, and the main thing is not to start the disease, but to start treatment immediately. But here many mothers-to-be get lost. What can and cannot be done so that it does not harm the unborn baby? How to properly treat a cough during pregnancy in the 2nd trimester?

Features of the 2nd trimester

On the one hand, the second trimester is usually much calmer than the first. Toxicosis by this time practically passes. The formation of the placenta also ends, which serves as a protective barrier for the baby and prevents harmful substances from the mother's body from entering his blood. A pregnant woman has time to get used to her position and adjust her lifestyle and diet.

On the other hand, at this time, the formation and initial development of all vital organs of the baby takes place, and also his appearance begins to take shape. And any negative factors can affect this process not for the better. Therefore, one must be especially careful with the appointment and administration of medications.

A severe cough in the second trimester can cause the following negative consequences:

14 week - placental abruption, fetal hypoxia, since the formation of the placenta is just completing;
16 weeks - the placenta is already able to retain most of the viruses and bacteria, however, at the same time, the blood supply to the child decreases, the developing nervous system may suffer;
18 weeks - the baby's skeletal system is formed, and its constant compression when coughing can lead to congenital deformation of the skeleton; the baby begins to move, the tremors of the abdominal wall when coughing provoke its increased activity, which can tone the uterus and create a threat of miscarriage;
after 20 weeks - the baby is actively moving, and periodic contractions of the uterus occur, which are the preparatory stage of labor; coughing can intensify these contractions and lead to premature birth.

Therefore, if for any reason a cough occurs during pregnancy in the 2nd trimester, treatment should be started immediately - after all, it is not only about the health of the expectant mother, but also about the safety of the child.

Cough reasons

Cough is a reflex reaction of the body, so the reasons that cause it are the same for everyone, including pregnant women. Depending on them, a decision is made on how to deal with this symptom more effectively. Conventionally, all causes of cough can be divided into the following groups:

Allergic reactions. During pregnancy, they occur twice as often as usual. This is due to the increased sensitivity of the mucous membranes, taste and touch receptors. Therefore, if a woman previously had a weak reaction to some allergen, then it can significantly increase and cause a strong coughing fit. It is always recognizable, as it is accompanied by reactions typical of allergies: redness conjunctiva, profuse mucus and swelling. Treatment is symptomatic, the attack is removed with antihistamines.
External stimuli. A reflex dry cough can irritate the larynx. Dry air, perfumes, dust, smog, tobacco smoke, flower odors, household chemicals, overstrain of the vocal cords, etc. are more common irritants. or the ingress of small foreign bodies. Such a cough differs from an allergic one in the complete absence of other symptoms. It goes away as soon as the stimulus is removed. Sometimes you just need to go to another room and drink some water.
Chronic diseases. Sometimes a cough in a pregnant woman is not associated with acute respiratory diseases, but is a symptom of chronic diseases, and not only of the respiratory system. Heart failure, reflux disease, and even worms can cause coughing fits. But more often it is a companion of chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, cystic fibrosis, pleurisy, tuberculosis, pulmonary emphysema. Naturally, in the presence of serious chronic diseases, it is better to plan pregnancy in consultation with the doctor, and if it came unplanned, then you will have to be under constant medical supervision.
Colds, acute respiratory infections. Almost every pregnant woman experiences a cold cough at least once. At the initial stage, it is harmless and easily treated with proven folk remedies. The main thing is not to start the disease so that the cough does not descend into the bronchi. It is much more difficult to cure bronchitis without traditional medicines than a common cold.
Viruses and infections. They can pose a real danger not only to the mother, but also to the unborn child. It is good if the woman's immune system is strong enough to cope with them on their own. But if not, then a seemingly harmless disease can lead to very serious consequences. Therefore, the main thing here is not to waste time. If a cough during pregnancy is accompanied by a sharp increase in temperature, dizziness, weakness, signs of intoxication, yellow or green sputum, see a doctor immediately.

Whatever the cause of the cough, pregnant women shouldn't be worried. The level of development of modern medicine makes it possible to cure almost any disease without serious consequences for the unborn baby.

You just need to seek help on time and, if necessary, undergo a comprehensive examination so that the doctor can accurately diagnose. And a cold cough or acute respiratory disease is perfectly treated at home.

Folk remedies

Traditional methods of treatment are so good because they use the properties of medicinal plants or products that are already included in the daily diet of a pregnant woman. Therefore, there is no risk of harming the unborn baby. Only a few of them can cause an increase in uterine tone and are not recommended in early pregnancy.

But in the second trimester, only hot baths and those plants that can be toxic in large quantities, for example, St. John's wort, sage, tansy, are banned.

If you like herbal teas, it is better to buy them in pharmacies or specialized stores - it is very important to be confident in the composition and quality of the herbs included in the collection. We can only guess where the herbalist grandmothers, who sell at the market, collected them. But herbs are excellent adsorbents. Therefore, if they grew in areas contaminated with dust, chemicals, carbon monoxide and other toxins, then all these "delights" will end up in your cup, and then in the body.

Traditional folk remedies that help get rid of a strong cough without harming the unborn baby are:

Jam: raspberry, currant, dogwood jam with warm green or chamomile tea. A real storehouse of vitamins and, first of all, vitamin C, which helps to fight colds and coughs. Relieves sore throat, raises immunity, and at the same time and mood - it's very tasty! But in order to preserve vitamin C, the jam must be washed down with tea, and not put in a hot liquid.
Honey. With milk, tea, warm water and even just put under the tongue. It has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiseptic properties. Quickly eliminates inflammation and irritation of the larynx, relieves pain, softens cough.
Badger or goat fat. It is taken melted with or without milk. Although this remedy is not very pleasant to the taste, the effect is excellent, especially for dry, barking coughs that quickly soften.
Burnt sugar with the addition of mint or eucalyptus oil. Perfectly replaces expensive pharmaceutical lollipops and is absolutely not inferior to them in terms of the therapeutic effect. At the same time, you know for sure that there are no other ingredients in them besides those that you used. You can pour a little more lemon juice into the melted sugar.
Raspberry tea (made from dry or fresh leaves and / or twigs). Remarkably knocks down high temperatures. It has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. You can add a slice of lemon with peel and a little honey to warm tea.

Be careful with steam inhalation and warming up. It is best not to use these treatments without a doctor's recommendation. Dry heat can be helpful, though. These are compresses and rubbing with turpentine, camphor oil, vodka.

Medications

A cough during pregnancy is well treated with herbal preparations. Usually they come in the form of syrups, but there are also tablets and even a dry mixture that is diluted with clean water. Most often, pregnant women are recommended: "Stopussin", "Herbion", "Ambroxol", "Lazolvan", "Mukaltin", "Linkas".

With caution, medications are prescribed during pregnancy, which include thermopsis herb and codeine. Although they can no longer overcome the placental barrier, these substances can provoke an increase in the tone of the uterus and create a threat of miscarriage. In no case should you exceed the dosages indicated in the instructions, as well as prescribe medication yourself.

Antibiotics in the second trimester are no longer as dangerous as in the first. But some of them are also capable of crossing the placenta and entering the child's bloodstream, having a toxic effect on his developing organs and systems. Therefore, such drugs are prescribed to expectant mothers only in cases where other methods of treatment are ineffective.

When the disease has not yet started, good results are obtained by intensive gargling (every two hours) with herbal decoctions or antiseptic solutions (chlorophyllipt, furacilin, etc.). The minimum contraindications have the use of sprays for irrigation of the throat: "Ingalipt", "Ingakamp", etc. You can treat it with Lugol's solution.

The entire course of treatment should take place under constant medical supervision. If medications are prescribed, then the use of folk remedies must be coordinated with the attending physician.

So grapefruit juice enhances the effect of antibiotics and some other drugs, while milk, on the contrary, weakens. But if the body of a healthy woman can easily endure such an adjustment, then it can affect the condition of the fetus very negatively.

Prevention

The best prevention against diseases during pregnancy is a strong immune system and a healthy lifestyle. First of all, this is a complete rejection of bad habits: alcohol, smoking, drug-containing drugs. They depress the immune system and weaken the body's natural defenses against viruses and infections.

Treating a cough during early pregnancy is easy enough, but it's best to follow simple precautions to keep you from getting sick:

dress according to weather conditions, avoid severe hypothermia;
try to be exposed to direct sunlight for 10-15 minutes a day (no more!);
avoid long walks in too cold or damp weather, fog, frost;
at the first sign of a cold, take available measures to prevent the development of the disease: herbal tea, warm socks, honey, etc.;
continue morning exercises and hardening procedures - they help keep the body in good shape;
include in the diet the maximum amount of fresh fruits and vegetables, preferably for the season, not greenhouse ones - they contain a minimum of nitrates and a maximum of vitamins;
prevent chronic overwork - it also greatly reduces immunity;
keep the room clean, especially in the bedroom - ventilate at least 2 times a day and do wet cleaning at least every other day;
check the room for sources of strong odors or possible allergens, remove strong-smelling flowers;
during periods of mass spread of acute respiratory diseases, avoid crowded places or use oxolinic ointment for prophylaxis;
feel more positive emotions - they stimulate the production of serotonin, which also strengthens the immune system.

A pregnant woman has a lot of all sorts of prohibitions and rules, and not everyone tolerates this condition easily. But illness and pregnancy are an unpleasant combination. Therefore, it is better to limit yourself for this period in some things, but at the same time keep yourself and your future baby healthy.