Features of cough treatment during pregnancy. Cough medicines during pregnancy Dry cough pregnancy 1st trimester

In the article we discuss cough during pregnancy. We will tell you about the dangers of this symptom while you are expecting a baby. You will learn how to treat cough using pharmaceuticals and traditional medicine. By following our tips, you will learn how to do inhalations to remove mucus and ease breathing.

For coughs and colds, be sure to consult a doctor

During pregnancy, the expectant mother's body experiences severe stress, as a result of which the immune system weakens. At this time, a woman is most susceptible to colds, which can be accompanied by a cough, runny nose and high fever. We'll tell you how a cough during pregnancy affects the fetus and whether it harms the baby.

When you cough, the pectoral, abdominal and back muscles contract. The degree of danger of a cough depends on the cause that caused it.

Cough itself is not a disease, it is a symptom. The causes of cough can be inflammatory processes, an allergic reaction, thyroid dysfunction, or diaphragm injuries. Often, a cough can appear due to nervousness. That is why the expectant mother needs to monitor her emotional state and try not to get nervous.

An allergic cough during pregnancy is accompanied by itching in the nose, drooling, difficulty breathing through the nose, sometimes without a runny nose. It is important to identify the allergen in a timely manner in order to select the correct treatment. At the initial stage, such a cough is often confused with cold symptoms.

At different stages of the disease, the cough can be dry or wet. Dry is considered unproductive, wet - productive.

A sore throat, coughing, and dry throat cough during pregnancy do not provoke contractions of the abdominal muscles. As a rule, such a cough does not have a negative effect on the fetus. But if it intensifies, then it can provoke a gag reflex and increase the tone of the uterus.

A wet cough is accompanied by intense sputum production. It is less dangerous during pregnancy if it is not paroxysmal and frequent.

If there is an increased body temperature, cough and runny nose during pregnancy, this indicates the inflammatory nature of the disease. It is the main cause of such a cough that is the main danger for the expectant mother and fetus, and not the symptom itself.

Bronchopulmonary inflammatory diseases provoke a severe chest cough during pregnancy. It is accompanied by contractions of the uterus and can lead to adverse consequences.

If it’s from a cough, it means that the abdominal muscles are very tense. Prolonged and intense cough increases uterine tone and can provoke premature birth.

Expectant mothers are interested in the question: what is the danger of coughing during pregnancy? After all, this symptom is often accompanied by other ailments, for example, high fever, runny nose and even nervous feelings.

Worrying about an illness can trigger the release of cortisol, the stress hormone. It, in turn, increases the heart rate and spasms blood vessels. High levels of cortisol in the blood of the expectant mother or its regular and excessive production reduce the flow of nutrients and oxygen through the placenta. This can lead to fetal hypoxia. Prolonged stress can trigger premature onset of labor.

Cortisol easily crosses the placenta and enters the baby's brain. This causes intrauterine disruption of the nervous system. The child becomes more anxious and restless. If you happen to get sick during pregnancy, stay calm and don't be nervous.

Cough accompanied by high body temperature provokes circulatory problems. If the body temperature of the expectant mother exceeds 38.5, and the readings remain for several days, this can lead to negative consequences. Due to poor blood supply to the placenta, the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus deteriorates. This can lead to hypoxia.

Intoxication of the body is no less dangerous. Against the background of a cough with a prolonged high temperature, the body is poisoned. Toxic substances can cause pregnancy to fail.

Infections are the most common causes of cough with phlegm during pregnancy. The formed placenta retains most infectious diseases, except rubella, herpes and influenza viruses.

The most dangerous infectious disease while expecting a baby is rubella. In 80% of cases, it causes intrauterine developmental pathologies, which lead to fetal deformity and even death.

Some strains of influenza also cause developmental disorders. Especially in the early stages, when the protective barrier is not yet fully formed.

You found out whether coughing harms the baby during pregnancy. Now we will tell you how to treat the symptom with the help of pharmaceuticals and traditional medicine.

Cough medicines during pregnancy

Pharmacies offer a wide range of medications, but not all of them are approved for use while expecting a baby. Therefore, expectant mothers are interested in what pregnant women can and cannot do for a cough.

It must be remembered that only your attending physician, who is familiar with your medical history, can correctly select a medicine. Therefore, before treating a cough during pregnancy, contact him for a prescription. It is important to follow the dosage and course of treatment so as not to harm the fetus.

At different periods of waiting for the baby, treatment methods also differ. The question of how to treat cough during pregnancy in the 1st trimester is of interest to many. In the early stages, up to 12 weeks, treatment of this symptom is difficult, since during this period the placenta is not yet fully formed, and it allows all chemicals that enter the mother’s body to reach the fetus. At this time, therapy is most often carried out using safe traditional medicine.

In the second trimester, the protective barrier begins to function at full capacity. But this does not mean that the expectant mother can take any medications. How to treat cough during pregnancy in the 2nd trimester, the attending physician will tell you when he determines the cause and nature of the symptom.

Toward the end of pregnancy, the risk of complications increases again. This is due to the fact that the placenta begins to gradually age. If a high temperature is added to a cold cough, then this process accelerates. This increases the risk of premature birth and abruption. Therefore, the doctor also prescribes how to treat cough during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester. Self-medication at any time during the pregnancy is unacceptable.

Treatment of cough during pregnancy is carried out in different ways, depending on the severity of the disease and the reasons that caused it. Dry and wet coughs are also eliminated with various drugs. If the nature of the cough changes during therapy, this is another reason to consult a doctor. We'll tell you how to treat a wet cough during pregnancy.

You learned how to treat a wet cough during pregnancy. Now let's look at medications for the treatment of dry cough.

The safest medications that can be taken without fear while expecting a baby are products based on herbal ingredients. For example, the well-known Mukaltin is an extract from marshmallow root. It thins sputum, has an enveloping and antitussive effect. Therefore, when asked whether pregnant women can take Mucaltin for cough, doctors answer in the affirmative.

Even with a severe cough during pregnancy, it is not recommended to resort to antibiotic treatment. They are prescribed only for confirmed severe illnesses.

In case of complicated symptoms, Ambroxol is prescribed to treat cough in the second half of pregnancy. This remedy must be taken strictly according to the instructions in compliance with the dosage.

You have learned how to get rid of cough during pregnancy using traditional medicine. Now we will tell you how inhalations influence the treatment of this symptom.

Cough inhalations during pregnancy

Cough inhalations during pregnancy are an effective and safe method of treatment. It is used as an adjunctive therapy in tandem with prescribed medications. The procedure is indicated for diseases of the upper respiratory tract - bronchitis, laryngitis, pneumonia.

When the procedure is carried out regularly, the discharge of sputum is enhanced and facilitated. Inhalation agents have anti-inflammatory and bronchodilator effects.

To achieve a therapeutic effect, it is important to follow the rules of inhalation:

• the procedure cannot be performed at high body temperature, cardiac or pulmonary failure, nosebleeds and arrhythmia;
• before inhalation, it is important to ensure that there is no allergic reaction to the medications used;
• it is necessary to strictly follow the dosage and doctor’s recommendations regarding the procedure;
• After inhalation, you should not drink or eat for at least half an hour.

Before treating cough during pregnancy with inhalations, you should consult a doctor. You should not self-medicate or carry out procedures at home yourself, this can lead to negative consequences.

To prepare a solution for inhalation, ready-made pharmaceuticals or infusions of medicinal plants are used. To treat dry cough, inhalations with infusions of chamomile, plantain, marshmallow root or linden flowers are most often prescribed. For wet coughs, use licorice root, eucalyptus leaves, string, marshmallow root, yarrow leaves, lingonberry and black currant. To better stimulate bronchial secretion, add one teaspoon of soda to the glass with the prepared product.

Cough inhalations can be carried out with essential oils of eucalyptus, calamus, mint, rose, pine and lime. To do this, add 2-3 drops of the product to a cup of hot water and inhale the vapors for 10 minutes. Repeat the procedure twice a day.

The ideal option for cough inhalation during pregnancy is with a nebulizer. This device converts medicinal substances into an aerosol and delivers it deep into the bronchi. To soften the mucous membrane, it is recommended to inhale with saline solution or mineral water.

To soften sputum and facilitate its removal from the body, inhalations with Lazolvan are prescribed. The drug reduces pain in the throat and eliminates reflex cough.

Folk remedies for cough during pregnancy

Folk remedies can only be used after consulting a doctor

Folk remedies for cough during pregnancy are the most popular treatments for this symptom, as they do not contain harmful chemicals. Therefore, they are most often resorted to in the treatment of cough.

Before starting treatment with folk remedies, you must consult a specialist. Just like in traditional medicine, not all remedies are suitable for treating pregnant women. Some medicinal plants have an abortifacient effect, so they should absolutely not be used while expecting a baby. Prohibited herbs for coughs during pregnancy: St. John's wort, coltsfoot, eleutherococcus, ginseng.

Safe plants are: linden flowers, sage, ginger root, chamomile, raspberry leaves and marshmallow root. Let's look at the most common traditional medicine for treating sore throat and cough during pregnancy.

Marshmallow root for cough during pregnancy

Marshmallow syrup for coughs during pregnancy can be purchased at any pharmacy. It contains plant root extract.

The drug is taken 1 tablespoon up to 4 times a day. To achieve the best therapeutic effect, it should be taken half an hour after meals. The course of treatment is from 10 to 14 days.

This cough expectorant during pregnancy effectively thins mucus and removes it from the body. The syrup coats the mucous membrane, relieves inflammation and has an analgesic effect.

Chamomile for cough during pregnancy

Chamomile infusion for cough during pregnancy is used to treat cold symptoms. For dry cough, the product is used to gargle. The infusion has an enveloping, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect. The procedure must be repeated every 1-2 hours during the day.

Chamomile tea softens phlegm and eliminates paroxysmal cough. The drink is prepared from dry medicinal raw materials. Add 2-3 tablespoons of herb to 500 ml of liquid. During pregnancy, you can drink no more than 1 glass of drink per day.

Radish with honey for cough during pregnancy

You can make your own cough syrup at home. It will require black radish and honey. Vegetable juice eliminates paroxysmal dry cough, reduces the viscosity of sputum and promotes its removal from the bronchi. Consider a recipe for a remedy based on radish with honey for coughs during pregnancy.

Ingredients:

1. Black radish - 100 gr.
2. Honey - 2 tablespoons.

How to cook: Grate the radish on a fine grater, mix with honey until smooth. Transfer the mixture to an opaque container and place it in a dark and cool place. Leave the product for 2 hours. Strain the resulting syrup into a separate container.

How to use: Take 1 tablespoon of the product up to 3 times a day.

Result: Cough syrup during pregnancy with radish effectively thins mucus, eliminates inflammation and sore throat.

Plantain for cough during pregnancy

In pharmacies you can buy ready-made syrups based on plantain for coughs during pregnancy. These remedies are effective for laryngitis, bronchitis, ARVI and pneumonia. The most common plant-based preparations: Dr. Theis, Herbion.

Cough mixture for pregnant women based on plantain eliminates paroxysmal barking cough, facilitates breathing, and relieves inflammation of the mucous membrane. The product is taken 1 tablespoon up to 3 times a day. The course of treatment is from 10 days.

Milk with honey for cough during pregnancy

To treat a wet cough, it is useful to drink warm milk with honey. Add 1 teaspoon of beekeeping product to one glass of liquid.

If the expectant mother is tormented by a dry paroxysmal cough, then ⅓ teaspoon of soda should be added to the drink. Milk with honey for coughs during pregnancy effectively thins mucus, relieves inflammation and soothes the throat.

Mustard plasters for cough during pregnancy

Many people remember from childhood how their cough was treated with warming procedures. Therefore, expectant mothers are wondering whether it is possible to put mustard plasters on pregnant women for coughs? Doctors unanimously agree that this should not be done.

Under the influence of high temperature, blood pressure increases, as a result of which the lumen of blood vessels decreases, and the fetus begins to receive less nutrients, including oxygen. For the same reason, pepper patch is contraindicated during pregnancy and cough.

For more information on how to prepare milk with honey and soda for coughs, watch the video:

What to remember

1. A severe paroxysmal cough can increase the tone of the uterus, which will lead to adverse consequences. Therefore, it is important to start treating this symptom in a timely manner.
2. To treat cough while expecting a baby, preference is given to natural herbal preparations or traditional medicine.
3. Cough medications during pregnancy, their dosage and course of administration should be prescribed by the attending physician. While waiting for the baby, self-medication is unacceptable.

If a person coughs a lot, this symptom significantly worsens his life. However, coughing causes the expectant mother great discomfort. Since it significantly weakens during pregnancy, a woman can catch a cold at any stage of pregnancy. Sometimes even short contact with a patient or slight hypothermia can provoke colds or ARVI .

However, if we talk about the dangers of coughing during pregnancy, it should be noted that it is only a symptom of the disease, and can be evidence of a variety of ailments. This is a reflex reaction aimed at clearing the airways from bronchial secretions. Consequently, it is not the symptom itself that requires treatment, but the disease that provoked it. Sometimes a person coughs due to allergic reaction , manifested in response to external stimuli.

Pregnancy and cough - this combination can be a problem, because during the period of bearing a baby, especially in the early stages, a woman should not take effective expectorants or cough suppressants. By the way, most herbal remedies should not be taken during pregnancy. Therefore, those expectant mothers who prefer folk remedies when coughing so as not to harm the baby also often risk harming the baby. After all, such drugs also have side effects.

Children's cough syrup should not be used either. Despite the fact that such medications seem safe at first glance, because they are given to children under 3 years of age, in fact, the drug approved for children can negatively affect the fetus.

Therefore, in order to protect the health of mother and baby, medications allowed for pregnant women should be prescribed by a doctor, as well as the regimen for taking them.

Why is coughing dangerous?

In most cases, cough is a sign of a bacterial or viral respiratory disease. Therefore, in the absence of proper treatment, the disease can gradually become chronic, and complications are also likely to develop. In such conditions, the likelihood of premature birth and intrauterine infection increases. The risk of developmental defects in the baby also increases.

In addition, immediately at the moment when the expectant mother coughs, the tone of her uterus increases. And this condition threatens miscarriage.

If the expectant mother has low placentation or placenta previa, then due to strong muscle tension during coughing, bleeding from the uterus may begin.

And coughing attacks can significantly increase the severity of nausea and worsen the condition.

Treatment of cough during pregnancy

We will discuss below what you can drink when you cough in order to quickly cure the disease that caused it.

The most important period in the process of fetal formation is the first months after conception. It is at this time that all systems and organs of the unborn child are actively formed. Accordingly, then there is a high risk of developing severe pathologies and malformations of the fetus, which can be caused by prohibited drugs. Of course, at this time it is better not to get sick at all, so the expectant mother needs to be very conscious about her health. But if a woman still gets sick, she can only take medications approved by her doctor. Only a doctor can tell you how to treat a cough during pregnancy, after conducting all the necessary research and making a diagnosis.

If the question arises about how to treat cough in the 1st trimester during pregnancy, the doctor will recommend the most gentle treatment methods that are safe for the woman and baby.

However, during this period all medications are only relatively safe. Sometimes a woman, without thinking about how to treat her throat during pregnancy in the 1st trimester, sucks lozenges. But even they contain active ingredients, the effect of which can negatively affect the fetus. Cough lozenges sold in stores contain extracts of eucalyptus, mint, as well as preservatives and flavorings that are not at all beneficial for the baby.

During the first trimester, it is acceptable to use some medications, as can be found in the table below.

Treatment of dry cough during pregnancy

How to treat a wet cough

How to cure a severe cough during pregnancy in the 2nd trimester?

The second and 3rd trimester is the time when all systems and organs of the fetus are finally formed and mature. During this period, the child is actively preparing for birth and life after it. Therefore, in both the second and third trimesters, it is better not to take large amounts of medications.

However, if we talk about what can be used in the 2nd trimester if you need to get rid of a cough or treat a throat, then it should be noted that during this period the restrictions are no longer so strict. If necessary, the doctor may advise that pregnant women can also take some synthetic drugs for cough.

The tables indicate how to cure a cough in the 3rd trimester and in the second.

For dry cough

If the cough is wet

However, only the attending physician can correctly determine how to treat a dry cough during pregnancy or what to take if you have a sore throat.

Physiotherapy – treatment at home and in medical institutions

The safest way to treat cough while pregnant is physical therapy, as it is a non-drug method. This method is most effective for dry cough.

However, some methods still cannot be used.

Allowed methods:

• gargling;

Should not be used:

• radiation treatment;
• banks;
• mustard plasters;
• foot baths;
• electrotherapy;
• hot baths.

However, expectant mothers should not once again visit medical institutions where a lot of patients are concentrated. Moreover, a number of physiotherapy procedures can be successfully carried out at home. Almost every forum where treatment problems for pregnant women are discussed contains advice on how to carry out inhalations or how to treat the throat with gargles.

Inhalations

To carry out inhalation, you can use nebulizer or use the most ordinary teapot. The vapors are inhaled through the spout of the kettle, onto which a funnel twisted from cardboard is placed. To carry out inhalation, you need to adhere to some important rules:

• body temperature should not be elevated;
• the solution for inhalation should have a temperature of 30 to 40 degrees;
• the duration of inhalation is about 10 minutes, such “sessions” need to be carried out 3-6 times a day;
• After the session you need to not talk or eat anything for about half an hour.

The following mixtures can be used as solutions for inhalation:

• Dilute 50 g of baking soda in one liter of boiling water, then cool the mixture slightly.
• Dilute 10 g of honey in one glass of warm water. Whether honey can be used during pregnancy in any medicinal product depends on whether the woman has had allergic reactions to this product.
• Dissolve 10 g of pre-chopped garlic and eucalyptus leaves in one liter of boiling water. After this, you need to cool the mixture a little.
• Dilute 20 g of sage in one glass of boiling water and cool slightly.

Gargling

If you are a pregnant woman or just have a sore throat, gargling is an excellent treatment method in this case.

You need to prepare this product before you start rinsing. When the liquid becomes homogeneous, it should be cooled. You need to gargle up to 8 times a day; for one gargle, one glass of the prepared solution is enough. Rinse after meals.

Expectant mothers can use the following rinsing solutions:

• An infusion of 10 g of chamomile flowers poured into one glass of boiling water.
• A solution of half a teaspoon of baking soda in one glass of warm water.
• An infusion of 10 g of plantain leaves poured into a glass of boiling water.
• An infusion of 10 g of linden leaves poured with a glass of boiling water.

Traditional methods for treating cough during pregnancy

You can learn about what you can drink for a cough during pregnancy from numerous traditional medicine recipes. However, even when talking about traditional methods of treating an expectant mother, you need to know that you should consult a doctor about what you can take.

In addition, it is important not only to know what to drink, but also to clearly monitor how the body perceives this or that treatment method. After all, sometimes even a seemingly ordinary radish with honey can cause undesirable effects if an allergic response develops.

Products with honey

You can use products with honey both externally and internally, provided that the woman does not have access to bee products. After all, honey is a strong allergen, and if any negative effects occur, its use should be stopped.

The use of honey internally helps dry cough gradually become productive. However, you can also use products with honey when it is wet. This treatment will help speed up the process of clearing the bronchi from mucus.

External use

• You can rub the chest area with honey - this procedure is carried out in the morning and evening.
• At night, you can put compresses on your chest using warmed honey. The compress is covered with cling film.

Application internally

• Three times a day before meals you need to slowly dissolve 1 tsp. honey, slightly warmed.
• Honey can be added to tea and other drinks - 1 teaspoon per glass of liquid.
• You can prepare a remedy from honey and black radish juice (1:2), which you drink three times a day, 2 tbsp. l.

Onion garlic

These are very strong natural antiseptics, phytoncides which effectively destroy bacteria and viruses. Therefore, both onions and garlic can simply be cut and placed indoors to ensure air disinfection. If you put several cut cloves of garlic and onion on plates, you get the so-called indirect inhalation.

You can also use onion and garlic juice separately. To get juice, you need to chop onion or garlic and mix with 1 tbsp. l. honey After half an hour, strain the released juice and take 1 tsp several times a day.

As for whether pregnant women can eat garlic, there are different opinions. After all, some experts claim that it can increase the tone of the uterus and also cause allergic manifestations. But still, most doctors agree that it can be consumed in very small quantities.

Milk

You can soothe a throat that is inflamed due to illness with warm milk. It will also help cope with coughing attacks and calm the nerves.

Milk should be drunk in small sips, it should be warm.

• If you mix it with alkaline still mineral water (1:1), then this mixture will promote the separation of phlegm.
• You can boil milk with sage (1 tablespoon of herb per 200 g of milk). Drink 1 tbsp before bed. l.
• A drink made from milk and figs helps with colds. To prepare it, four dried figs are boiled in half a liter of milk until it turns brown. Drink 100 g of this product warm three times a day.

Prohibited cough medicines during pregnancy

It is important to know not only what medications the expectant mother can take, but also which drugs have been proven to have a negative effect on the fetus. , which are carcinogenic and can cause mutations during development.

How to prevent coughing in expectant mothers

Every woman expecting a child is responsible not only for her own health, but also for the condition of the unborn baby throughout the entire nine months. It is very important to try not to get sick at this time and to prevent the development of those unpleasant symptoms that can negatively affect the condition of the fetus. How cough affects the fetus has already been discussed above. To avoid negative effects, you need to take maximum care of yourself during pregnancy:

• Avoid contact with people with colds and stay as little as possible in places where there are many people at the same time. The latter is especially relevant during periods of epidemic colds.
• If you need to visit any public place, you need to lubricate the nasal mucosa Vaseline or, try to keep your mouth closed. After returning home, you should wash your hands very well, rinse your nose and rinse your mouth with saline or boiled water.
• The room in which a woman stays needs to be ventilated as often as possible and wet cleaned.
• Daily walks in the fresh air are very important - they should be long.
• It is necessary to prevent hypothermia and overheating, and not to change the climate sharply.

As soon as the first signs of the disease appear, you should consult a doctor. You can practice inhalations, traditional methods, or suck on lollipops only if the woman is sure that she is developing a cold.

conclusions

Thus, every expectant mother should take care of her health and try by all means to prevent illness. If the cold still prevails, you should definitely consult a doctor about whether pregnant women can take any cough tablets during pregnancy. Even those cough tablets for pregnant women or cough syrup during pregnancy, which, according to the instructions, can be used by expectant mothers, it is better not to drink without a doctor’s prescription. By the way, if after treatment the cold begins to bother you, you should not take products like. You should also consult a doctor with such symptoms.

If you have a strong cough, you should not follow advice on forums about what kind of cough syrup you can use during pregnancy. And even pharmacists’ recommendations on which cough syrup to choose for pregnant women should not become a guide to action. Only safe means described above and prevention methods will not harm the health of mother and baby. All other drugs can be taken only under the supervision of a doctor.

The female body is designed in such a way that after conception its protective functions are significantly weakened in order to create normal conditions for the development of a new life. But this makes a woman very vulnerable to various diseases. Sometimes it is very difficult to protect yourself from infections and viruses, which often leads to the appearance of, at first glance, a very harmless illness - cough. Perhaps, outside of pregnancy, it is easily treated and does not cause much trouble. But what if during pregnancy it can harm the baby, and most medications cannot be taken? In this case, there are many folk remedies given to us by nature and a number of approved drugs that do not harm the fetus. How and with what to treat cough during pregnancy is the main topic of today’s article.

A cough is usually a consequence of infection of the respiratory tract by viruses or bacteria. If adequate treatment is not carried out in a timely manner, it can have a detrimental effect on the condition of the woman and the fetus. In addition, coughing causes a sharp reflex action, provoking uterine hypertonicity, placental abruption and even premature birth.

To prevent possible complications from coughing, a woman needs therapy. But the optimal course of therapy is calculated depending on the gestational age.

Cough during pregnancy - 1st trimester

The first weeks play a decisive role in the development of the embryo. Even taking excessively high doses of vitamins can play a cruel joke, not to mention pharmaceutical drugs. Sometimes, even the most experienced gynecologist cannot predict how the medicine he prescribes will affect the development of fetal organs. Therefore, treatment of cough during pregnancy comes down to gentle physiotherapeutic procedures (inhalation, heating), taking vitamin complexes and homeopathic remedies (decoctions, drops).

Only in extreme cases is a decision made to carry out drug treatment, when the disease becomes more dangerous than the influence of medications. In such cases, preference is given to herbal syrups and tablets, interferon-based drugs to boost immunity. And if a woman’s condition worsens, she is prescribed a course of antibiotics.

Cough during pregnancy - 2nd trimester

By mistake, many women believe that in the second trimester the baby is no longer in danger. This is partly true, because the fetus is already strong, its organs are already functioning independently, and the placenta serves as a reliable shield from harmful substances. But, although the placenta is like a sponge that filters all elements entering the fetus, it cannot completely exclude the penetration of drugs.

The fetus is still vulnerable to the appearance of various pathologies, so the choice of cough medications is carried out very carefully. But, compared to the first trimester, the list of available drugs is much larger.

Cough during pregnancy - 3rd trimester

The last months of pregnancy are the worst period for a cough to appear. As the fetus reaches its maximum size and progesterone production virtually stops, coughing can cause labor to begin prematurely. At this time, it is considered acceptable to prescribe synthetic cough medications. But their choice remains solely with the doctor.

Drug treatment of cough during pregnancy

The choice of medications depends on the stage of pregnancy and the type of cough. It is very important to first establish the cause of its appearance and the nature of the discharge, and then select the appropriate treatment.

A cough can be provoked by ARVI, different strains of viruses, pneumonia, chronic tonsillitis, throat diseases, measles and even allergic reactions. What exactly causes the cough can only be determined by a doctor based on test results. And the effectiveness of therapy will depend on the correctness of the diagnosis.

• A dry cough during pregnancy precedes a wet one. It greatly exhausts a woman, irritates the mucous membrane of the larynx, and creates a load on the abdominal muscles. Treatment is aimed at stimulating secretion from the bronchial glands to moisten the cough.
• A wet cough is characterized by copious sputum production, which indicates the cleansing of the airways from pathological plaque. To improve the process of sputum discharge, drugs with an expectorant effect are prescribed.

Drugs for the treatment of dry cough during pregnancy

For cough, regardless of gestational age, the following homeopathic and synthetic drugs are prescribed:

• Mucaltin is an expectorant tablet for cough during pregnancy with anti-inflammatory and enveloping properties. It has an antitussive effect, reduces the number of coughing attacks and normalizes impaired bronchopulmonary secretion. The daily dose is 8 tablets.

• Marshmallow root is a complex preparation based on marshmallow root with additional sugars and pectins. Reduces the viscosity of sputum and stimulates normal motor function of the bronchi, has an anti-inflammatory and regenerating effect. Take 15 mg up to 6 times a day.

• Herbion plantain syrup is a preparation containing plantain extract, mallow and ascorbic acid. Gently stimulates mucus production and quickly eliminates cough in early pregnancy. The presence of vitamin C helps improve the body's protective function. A safe dose during pregnancy is 2 scoops 5 times a day.

• Stodal is a combined syrup with an alcoholic extract of plants (bryonia, pulsatilla, etc.). The combination of medicinal injuries dilutes sputum, relieves spasms in the bronchi, and dilates blood vessels. The composition contains alcohol, so during pregnancy the minimum therapeutic dose is indicated - 15 ml three times a day.

• Broncho-gran - homeopathic granules for the treatment and prevention of cough during pregnancy. Restores damaged epithelial ball in the bronchi, improves breathing and relieves coughing attacks. Take 7 granules up to 6 times a day.

• Doctor Mom is a series of pharmaceutical preparations for coughs and colds in the form of syrup, warming ointment and lozenges with different berry flavors. The lozenges and syrup contain ginger and licorice extract. Quickly relieve inflammation and pain in the throat. The ointment is made on the basis of menthol and camphor and has a warming, anti-inflammatory effect.

• Gedelix is ​​a syrup with an extract of ivy leaves. It has a complex therapeutic effect: relieves bronchospasm and promotes phlegm. The daily dose of this cough syrup during pregnancy is 15 mg.

• Bronchicum - lozenges and syrup based on thyme. The product relieves swelling and inflammation in the bronchi, restoring sufficient oxygen supply to the lungs. A mild moistening of the cough and an increase in the outflow of secretions from the bronchi are immediately noted. Pregnant women are recommended to take half a teaspoon of syrup twice a day or up to 6 lozenges a day.

• Faringosept is a lozenge with a pronounced antifungal effect. They have an antiseptic and calming effect on the oral cavity and larynx. If a woman is bothered by a cough and sore throat during pregnancy, the tablets can be taken up to three times a day. The drug does not affect the intestinal microflora and is not dangerous to the fetus.

• Libexin is an antitussive tablet that is indicated only if a woman has a severe cough during pregnancy. The drug exhibits anesthetic and bronchodilator effects for 4 hours after administration. The effect of the active substance - prenoxdiazine - on the fetus has not been established, therefore the duration of treatment and dosage are determined individually.

Starting from the second trimester, the following is additionally used in the treatment of cough:

• Akodin is a syrup that inhibits the cough reflex. It does not have hypnotic or analgesic properties and is active against dry cough of any etiology. Take 15 ml up to 4 times a day. Not prescribed in the first trimester.
• Bromhexine is a mucolytic syrup containing bromhexine hydrochloride. Helps eliminate disturbances in the synthesis and discharge of sputum. It crosses the placental barrier and is therefore taken under medical supervision.
• Stoptussin is an oral solution of buramirate citrate. It affects the nerve endings in the bronchi, stopping irritation and coughing, while sputum and mucus acquire a liquid structure. It is contraindicated in the first trimester due to the risk of developing an inguinal hernia in the fetus.

Drugs for the treatment of wet cough during pregnancy

• Herbion - primrose and thyme syrup. It increases the synthesis of secretions in the bronchi, has a restorative and antiseptic effect on the female body. Contraindicated in bronchial asthma. Take two measuring spoons four times a day.

• Dr. Theiss is a safe and effective cough remedy without strict contraindications during gestation. It is produced in syrup with plantain, which affects the functioning of the glands in the bronchi. Take a tablespoon three times throughout the day. There are also lozenges with echinacea with an immunostimulating effect.

• Bioparox is an antibiotic made in an aerosol for inhalation during pregnancy for cough. It has a persistent bactericidal effect in the oral cavity and nasopharynx. Does not enter the bloodstream, therefore safe for pregnant women. Indicated to prevent the spread of infection, as well as for purulent discharge from the bronchi.

• Bronchipret - drops based on thyme and ivy. Essential oils of plants sanitize the respiratory tract and help mucus move away from the walls of the bronchi more quickly. Take 50 drops three times a day.

• Ambroxol is a synthetic cough medicine. It is prescribed extremely rarely during pregnancy, as it has a large list of side effects. No harmful effects on the fetus have been established, but treatment is carried out with caution.

Folk remedies for cough during pregnancy

If a woman’s condition allows her to avoid prescribing medications, coughing attacks can be stopped using traditional medicine recipes.

Cough drinks during pregnancy

Warm drinks help make a cough productive, relieve irritation in the ENT organs and speed up the coughing up of sputum.

• A very effective remedy is honey for coughs during pregnancy. Honey should be diluted in warm milk (the temperature should not exceed 55⁰C, otherwise carcinogenic compounds will begin to be released in the honey). A glass of milk requires 1 tsp. honey, 1 g soda and ½ tsp. oils You can safely drink 4-5 glasses of this drink per day.
• Compote of dried berries and fruits replenishes fluid deficiency, provides the required amount of vitamins and facilitates the healing process. Take some dried apples, some raisins, some dried hawthorn, some dried raspberries. By 4 tbsp. l. raw materials, add 400 mg of water and boil the mixture in a steam bath for 20 minutes. Let the drug brew and take ½ glass 3-4 times throughout the day.
• You can stop an annoying cough with viburnum. For this you need 2 tbsp. l. Brew dried berries in a glass of boiling water. To enhance the benefits, you can add honey to the infusion. Take in small portions throughout the day. The product is not suitable for women with low blood pressure.

Cough rinse

A dry cough severely damages the laryngeal mucosa, which causes pain when coughing during pregnancy. You can relieve throat discomfort by simply gargling. A decoction of chamomile, calendula and sage, as well as a soda solution, are suitable for this. Rinsing is carried out only with warm broth up to 6-10 times a day.

Cough inhalations

With the help of inhalation, you can completely cope with a cough at first. In addition, this is the safest method of treatment in the first weeks of pregnancy. The effectiveness of this method is ensured by strong hydration and further liquefaction of sputum. This helps a dry cough transform into a wet one and completely clear the bronchi.

It is better to carry out inhalations using a special device - a nebulizer. It maintains an optimal steam temperature that is safe for pregnant women.

If you don't have a steam inhaler, you can breathe in the steam of the herbal infusion over a bowl. You can do this in this way:

1. Pour water at a temperature of 37-40⁰C into a wide container.
2. Lean over the steam at a distance of 20 cm.
3. Inhale the vapors through your mouth, exhaling through your nose.
4. Inhalation duration is 7-10 minutes.
5. You can do from 3 to 6 inhalations per day, provided there are no unpleasant sensations.

For about an hour after the procedure, it is forbidden to breathe cold air, go outside, drink cold drinks, or talk loudly.

For inhalations you can use the following recipes:

• For a dry cough, you need to take sage, chamomile and linden in equal parts. 2 tbsp. l. pour a glass of boiling water over the raw materials and leave. Cool to 40⁰C and breathe in the steam.
• For a wet cough, succession grass, bagoong and yarrow are suitable. The herbs can be mixed or brewed separately using the same recipe as described above.
• Instead of herbs, you can use aromatic oils, but only if you are not allergic to them. Fir, eucalyptus and mint oils are excellent for moisturizing and sanitizing the respiratory tract, as well as relieving coughing attacks. It is enough to add 2-3 drops per liter of warm water.
• You can relieve a spastic cough in acute bronchitis with soda inhalation. You need to add 3 tbsp. l. soda in 1 liter of boiling water, and cool the solution to the required temperature. This inhalation does not cause allergies.

Prohibited plants during pregnancy

If you resort to folk remedies for cough, completely eliminate the use of the following plants:

• Coltsfoot - has a mutagenic property towards the fetus.
• Comfrey acts as a carcinogen during pregnancy.
• Oregano and tansy have an abortifacient effect.
• Ginkgo biloba - impairs the blood clotting mechanism, causing bleeding.
• St. John's wort - affects the condition of the uterus.
• Ginseng and Eleutherococcus - increase blood pressure.
• Echinacea causes allergies.
• Plantain is dangerous for the fetus.
• Barberry and aloe stimulate labor.

Some pharmaceuticals and traditional medicines can be very dangerous for a pregnant woman. Therefore, treatment should be carried out on the initiative of an obstetrician-gynecologist under strict supervision. Only a doctor can determine what is possible for a cough during pregnancy and how long treatment should last.

Video “How to treat cough during pregnancy quickly and safely?”

Pregnancy is a wonderful period for a woman. If she is desired, all 9 months pass in a positive mood. There are actually many advantages of pregnancy, for example: easier work at work and at home, a daily walk, sometimes even with your loved one, dreams of a future child, talking with him and so on. But along with the advantages, all 9 months are fraught with a lot of life-threatening situations for the mother and baby. We are talking about various diseases that a pregnant woman suffers at any stage.

What are the dangers of diseases during pregnancy?

For a maturing baby, it is extremely important that nothing interferes with the formation of its main organs, especially the nervous system, intrauterine development and growth. After all, during this period all the cells, systems and functions of organs are formed. Almost the entire life of the child depends on the correct behavior and way of life of the mother during this period. If a woman does not take care of herself and is at risk of contracting any infection, this can end disastrously for the fetus. For example, a disease such as rubella leads to fetal death. There are also many other infectious diseases that will certainly lead to a delay in the maturation of all body systems of an unprotected baby. This applies to complex diseases. But are seasonal illnesses dangerous: the common cold, cough? What cough remedies can be used during pregnancy?

If you have a cough during pregnancy, what should you do?

A cough in itself does not cause obvious harm to the health and development of the fetus. But there are some nuances that can be dangerous for a woman during this period. If it appears dry, it must be done immediately, since the sputum is not excreted and is absorbed into the blood, gradually reaching the child. In addition, a dry cough may indicate diseases such as bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and so on. With such a cough, you should definitely consult a doctor to determine the diagnosis and receive appropriate recommendations. A cough of any kind at the beginning of pregnancy can also be dangerous, since by trying to clear the throat, a woman can provoke the threat of miscarriage. If it is not possible to immediately consult a doctor, you need to find out what cough remedies can be used during pregnancy. In this case, it is very important to choose the right drug or treatment method. After all, there are medications that under no circumstances should be used for a specific period. The mildest and safest way to cure a cough is to use traditional medicine recipes.

Basic cough remedies during pregnancy

If we divide cough into types, we can distinguish two main ones: dry (non-productive) and wet (productive). The first, due to the lack of sputum production, does not fulfill its main function - protective. Most often, it indicates the occurrence of the following pathologies: laryngitis, viral infections, tracheitis, pleurisy, pneumonia, bronchial tumors. In order to transform this type of cough into a productive one with sputum production, it needs to be treated as quickly as possible. Why such urgency? A dry cough during pregnancy can cause bleeding if the baby's position and placenta previa are low. If such a cough occurs, the doctor may prescribe medications based on herbs or with a chemical composition that is acceptable in this situation. These can be syrups or tablets that inhibit the cough center in the medulla oblongata, and also reduce inflammation and sensitivity of the mucous membrane of all respiratory tracts to irritants that attack them.

Actions of a woman during the 1st trimester

If signs of ARVI appear, and even more so a cough develops, you should immediately consult a doctor. This period is very important due to the fact that in the first 3 months cells actively divide, creating organs and systems of the child’s body. Let's imagine the situation from the inside: in a perfectly protected warm place, inside the mother, the process of forming legs, arms, nose, sponges, and internal organs is actively taking place day and night. And here, the baby’s nervous system, which has just begun its development, feels a threat in the form of a twitching of the abdomen, a strong sound and tension in the mother’s muscles, as well as an infection spreading throughout the woman’s body - all this is a cough.

If a cough occurs during pregnancy (1st trimester), you need to take a very responsible approach to its treatment, because at this time the formation processes slow down. In addition, the supply of nutrients and vitamins to the child is difficult. If this condition continues for a long time, some organs may not form properly or not fully form. This can also occur due to inadequate treatment, such as antibiotics. Cough remedies during pregnancy at this stage are selected to be the most harmless. The main ones:

• Inhalation is an effective remedy for dry as well as wet cough.
• Compresses. There are effective recipes:
• compress with honey (spread liquid honey on your chest, cover with plastic and wrap yourself in something warm);
• from potatoes (boil a couple of potatoes, crush them and, wrapped in plastic and a knitted rag, apply to the chest for 10 minutes);
• compress with cabbage and honey (take a large leaf of cabbage, dip it in boiling water so that it is not cold, then anoint it with honey and sprinkle with a small pinch of salt, then put it on the chest, cover with plastic and a warm blanket), this compress can be done on all night long.
• Gargling - this method is most often used for dry cough. Herbs for coughs during pregnancy are the best way to harmlessly treat the disease, so you can use infusions, decoctions, and mixtures for rinsing.

How to cope with a cough in the 2nd trimester?

Very often there are medications for which the 1st trimester of pregnancy is a contraindication. But already in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters they can be used. Of course, even at this stage of a child’s development, some drugs pose a threat, but the range of cough suppressants has already expanded. Naturally, the doctor prescribes medications. Most often, pregnant women can use for treatment those medications that are allowed to children from birth. Cough during pregnancy (2nd trimester) can be treated with medications such as Mukaltin, Gerbion, Prospan, Pectolvan, Gedelix. Of traditional medicine, all those that can be used in the first trimester are suitable.

Cough during pregnancy, 3rd trimester

When a cough occurs at this stage, the woman begins to worry very much, because the tone of the uterus may be more frequent, and therefore, the possibility of premature birth is possible. Of course, I wouldn’t want to infect the baby at birth when the disease arrived at 9 months. Therefore, the question of quick and harmless treatment is very important, because every expectant mother wants to quickly cure a cough during pregnancy. The 3rd trimester is good because the range of drugs and treatments has already expanded significantly compared to the first. During this period, you can take more necessary medications without harming the fetus. Along with taking medications, folk remedies are actively used during pregnancy. Cough at this time can be treated in the following ways:

• Taking medications such as "Sinekod", "Bronchicum", "Stoptussin", "Fluditek", "Fluifort", "Ambrobene", "Sinupret", "Mukaltin", "Bromhexin", "Pectusin", "Linkas". These drugs contain special chemicals that should be taken with caution in the first trimester of pregnancy.
• The use of herbal preparations: marshmallow syrup, Prospan, Pectolvan Ivy, Doctor MOM, collection, dry

You cannot use thermopsis herb, drugs “Bronholitin”, “Alex Plus”, “Glycodin”, “Terpinkod”, “Tussin Plus”, “Codelac”, “Codterpin” for treatment. Before starting treatment, you should definitely consult a doctor about the benefits/harm to the baby and not self-medicate.

Foods that help relieve cough

An excellent alternative to medications are foods that will help treat cough. Hot milk with butter and soda is actively used at night (1 glass: 1 tsp: 1/3 tsp, respectively). Many people also use honey for coughs during pregnancy. If you are not allergic to it, you can add it to tea, milk, just eat it, put it on lemon and suck it. In addition to the listed remedies, you need to include natural vitamins in your diet - more fruits and vegetables, then no illness will affect you.

What is better: dry cough or wet cough during pregnancy?

In any case, if you compare dry and wet cough, the latter always indicates a healing process. Any cough is undesirable in such an “interesting” position. With a dry cough, it is more difficult to diagnose the cause of its occurrence, so it is fraught with more dangers. A wet cough can provoke the threat of miscarriage with increased expectoration, but it is the first step towards a healthy woman. All specialists are in a hurry to transform a dry cough into a wet one, since it clearly indicates good treatment results.

Advantages of herbal medicine

In the treatment of cough, herbs can be used both for oral administration and for rubbing, inhalation, rinsing, and so on. Herbs for coughs during pregnancy are the most harmless way to normalize your condition. Herbal medicine can be used as an effective additional method of treating cough. After all, herbs cannot replace some of the chemicals necessary for treatment, and if they can, then in very large quantities and over a long period of time. This is not always advisable, so medication is preferred. Decoctions and infusions of thyme, chamomile, coltsfoot, rose hips, linden blossom, marshmallow root, and plantain are good for coughs.

Inhalation for pregnant women with cough

Inhalation can be done using a special nebulizer or the old-fashioned way - using a kettle or saucepan. For this you can use potatoes, mineral water, garlic and onions, honey, herbs. But you need to be careful with aromatic oils. Eucalyptus is often used for inhalation; this method is very effective.

Will gargling help?

Some people are skeptical about gargling when coughing. But in vain, because in the rinsing process not only the tonsils are involved, but also the larynx. The medicinal substance is transported lower to the trachea and bronchi with the help of saliva, where it is absorbed and has a therapeutic effect. Rinsing should be done between meals. To do this, you can use herbal preparations consisting of at least two of the following elements:

• sage;
• chamomile;
• coltsfoot;
• calendula;
• plantain;
• eucalyptus;
• raspberries.

In addition to herbs, you can use soda, apple cider vinegar, iodine, and salt.

Cough is a reflex reaction of the body and a symptom of many diseases. Initially, the function of the cough reaction is protective - to remove pathogenic microorganisms with sputum.

Typically, the cough reflex occurs as a result of irritation of nerve endings, the so-called cough receptors, in the respiratory tract. The cough can be rare and frequent, dry and wet, constant and periodic, painful and painless, strong and weak.

During pregnancy, cough is usually caused by either acute respiratory infections (ARVI, acute respiratory infections) or the presence of chronic diseases (for example, bronchial asthma, ENT pathology, etc.). Typical conditions for pregnancy that provoke cough are various allergic reactions, the susceptibility to which in expectant mothers increases due to the peculiarities of the functioning of the immune system, toxicosis (in the first trimester) and heartburn, which often occurs in late pregnancy. In more rare cases, the causes of cough in pregnant women are neurogenic (psychogenic) reactions, diseases of the middle ear, gastrointestinal tract (it also has cough receptors), cardiovascular system (due to swelling of the respiratory tract mucosa in heart failure), thyroid gland (usually due to mechanical compression).

How to treat cough in pregnant women?

It should be noted right away that the treatment of cough is aimed at eliminating this symptom, that is, symptomatic. This approach is certainly not the most effective. The most effective way to get rid of a cough is to eliminate its cause, of course, if possible. Thus, in case of infectious-inflammatory processes it is necessary to fight the infection, in case of allergies - to look for and eliminate the allergen, in the presence of chronic diseases - to treat them, trying to achieve normalization of the condition.

Agree, it often happens that, having caught a cold and contracting a virus, we do not run to the doctor, but use the usual methods that have been tested in practice. However, self-medication during pregnancy should be excluded: a doctor should prescribe any therapy. Many medications are prohibited for use in pregnant women, and there are many medications that cannot be taken together due to the high risk of various drug complications, and this also applies to seemingly harmless herbal remedies. In addition, it is necessary to first establish the cause of the cough, that is, make the correct diagnosis, on which treatment will depend.

In pregnant women (as well as in everyone else), cough is most often a symptom of a cold. Expectant mothers experience a natural decrease in immunity (this is how nature takes care of preserving pregnancy), resulting in an increased vulnerability to various infectious diseases, especially during the season of colds, acute respiratory viral infections, and acute respiratory infections.

The most vulnerable and dangerous is the first trimester of pregnancy, when, against the background of a natural decrease in immunity, all the child’s organ systems are formed, which imposes very strict restrictions on the use of many medications during this period. In the second and third trimester, after the formation of the placenta, the baby is protected much better, and although there are many drug restrictions, they are not as strict as at the beginning of pregnancy. Thus, the treatment of cough at different stages of pregnancy is different, but some methods are effective and safe in all trimesters.

When coughing, it is recommended that the air in the room be cool and not dry (humidity 50–70%): cool air promotes reflex deepening and slowing of breathing, which makes breathing more efficient, and sufficiently humidified air helps to moisturize mucous membranes, reduce the amount of viscous mucus, and thin sputum, which is one of the causes of cough. Therefore, during the heating season, when the air in apartments is very dry, you cannot do without ventilation and the use of humidifiers (or other methods of humidification). In addition, the air must be clean, for which you need to regularly do wet cleaning and use air purifiers.

There is an opinion that some familiar dishes have a positive effect on coughs: for example, mashed potatoes prepared with the addition of milk help relieve cough. It should also be taken into account that the digestion process is very energy-intensive. Therefore, to save the body’s energy to fight infections (and a signal for this is poor appetite), you should choose foods that are easy to digest, low-calorie, rich in vitamins and minerals: fruits, vegetables, dairy products, compotes, jelly, juices. In order to avoid additional irritation of the mucous membranes and provocation of cough, it is advisable to exclude from your menu very sour, spicy, salty foods and, of course, foods that cause allergic reactions.

When coughing during pregnancy, you need to drink a lot (if there are no contraindications, and the doctor has not recommended that you limit fluid): drinks should be warm, non-allergenic, pleasant for you (teas, fruit drinks, compotes, jelly, still mineral water). Why is this so important? The fact is that such a drinking regime helps to moisturize the mucous membranes, pathogenic agents and viscous mucus are mechanically washed away (gargles are also used for the same purpose), and toxins formed during infectious and inflammatory processes are removed from the body.

Treatment of cough during pregnancy: inhalation and gargling

One of the fairly effective and safe methods of treating cough during pregnancy is inhalation. They can be carried out at any stage of pregnancy either with the help of special devices - nebulizers (their fine spraying facilitates the penetration of the medicinal substance into the lower sections of the respiratory tract), or without special devices, in the old fashioned way, breathing over potatoes, or decoctions of herbs that have an anti-inflammatory effect. It must be remembered that hot steam can burn the upper respiratory tract, so both potatoes and herbal decoctions should be allowed to cool a little, and only then begin the procedure. At elevated body temperatures, hot inhalations are prohibited; cold inhalations and aromatherapy can be used (if there is no allergy to essential oils).

Gargling moisturizes the mucous membranes, removes viscous mucus and pathogens from their surface. For rinsing, it is recommended to use warm decoctions and infusions of herbs (chamomile, linden, rose hips, etc.), water with the addition of soda (soda helps to liquefy and remove mucus), antiseptic solutions (furacilin, miramistin), which have antibacterial and antiviral effects.

Treatment of cough during pregnancy: physiotherapeutic procedures

Most often, for coughs caused by colds, infectious and inflammatory diseases, the following types of physiotherapeutic procedures are used: inhalations, ultraviolet irradiation, UHF therapy, electrophoresis, chest massage.

For coughs in pregnant women, inhalations are most often used.

UHF, like other electro- and heat treatment procedures, is relatively contraindicated during pregnancy, and cannot be performed at all at elevated temperatures.

Since the technique of drainage massage, which helps remove phlegm from the bronchi, includes vibrations, this procedure is not recommended for pregnant women.

Electrophoresis with magnesium is quite widely used when there is a threat of miscarriage, however, this method, but with other components, is useful for coughs: in the case of a wet cough, calcium chloride is used, and in the case of a dry cough, calcium iodide is used.

Ultraviolet irradiation (UVR) has a powerful bactericidal effect. Local use of ultraviolet radiation for infectious and inflammatory processes of the upper respiratory tract in pregnant women is permitted and can be used as an auxiliary method of treatment for cough.

Medicines to treat cough during pregnancy

Many medications are prohibited for use in pregnant women, and even more medications whose effects in pregnant women have not been studied or have not been studied enough. However, in a number of situations, the use of medications cannot be avoided (for example, the prescription of antibiotics for pneumonia or severe bacterial bronchitis is mandatory), and only a doctor can choose a drug that is most effective and safe during pregnancy.

All cough medications can be divided into two groups: antitussives and expectorants, and the simultaneous use of drugs from different groups is unacceptable. Antitussives act on cough receptors (peripheral action) or on the cough center (central action). Expectorant drugs, in turn, are divided into three subgroups: the first of them increases the amount of mucus (baking soda, potassium and sodium iodides), the second, through irritation of the nerve endings in the stomach, activates the cough and vomiting centers in the brain (most herbal remedies: mother -and-stepmother, wild rosemary, thermopsis grass, etc.) and the third subgroup - mucolytics - substances that dilute sputum and promote its elimination (drugs ambroxol, bromhexine hydrochloride, acetylcysteine).

If the attending physician has decided to prescribe you medications, you should not refuse to take them for fear of harming the baby: firstly, if the doctor prescribes medications for you, then it means that in this case you cannot do without them, and secondly, the doctor chooses the most safe means during pregnancy, and thirdly, the disease itself that caused the cough and its complications can be much more dangerous for you and the child than prescribed medications.

Herbal medicine for the treatment of cough in pregnant women

It is important to remember that a number of herbal remedies are contraindicated for pregnant women. Thus, a common cough remedy made from licorice or licorice should not be taken by expectant mothers due to the pronounced effect on water-salt metabolism and the high probability of hormonal imbalance. Aloe, raspberry leaves, barberry, thermopsis grass, elecampane, tansy, hyssop (as well as preparations based on them) can increase the tone of the myometrium (muscle layer of the uterus), cause uterine contractions and provoke miscarriage or premature birth. Plantain, tansy, rhubarb, string, calamus and pine buds have had an adverse effect on the fetus; Thyme and sage can provoke uterine bleeding. Unfortunately, all possible adverse effects of herbal medicine, the interaction of various components of herbal preparations, as well as medicinal plants with various medications have not yet been fully studied. Therefore, the use of any herbal preparation during pregnancy should be approached with caution.

For colds and coughs during pregnancy, linden flowers, lingonberry berries and leaves, blackberries, blueberries, blueberries, chamomile, yarrow, rose hips, birch leaves, and viburnum are allowed. Most of these herbal remedies have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Marshmallow flowers and root help thin and remove mucus, but it is preferable to refrain from using them in the first trimester.

Traditional medicine for the treatment of cough in pregnant women

A number of traditional medicines have proven their effectiveness for coughs. These well-known methods can also be used during pregnancy: radish or onion with honey (in the absence of an allergic reaction to honey), figs with milk, Borjomi mineral water.

Precautionary measures

When treating cough in pregnant women, it is not recommended to use general thermal procedures (hot baths) and thermal procedures on the legs (hot foot baths, applying mustard plasters, etc. are prohibited), since they cause a pronounced blood flow to the pelvic organs and can provoke serious uterine bleeding. It is not recommended for expectant mothers to have mustard plasters or cupping (the latter, previously very popular method of treatment is considered by experts to be inappropriate and even harmful due to injury and hemorrhages of the pleural membrane (it covers the surface of the lungs). At elevated temperatures, any thermal procedures are also prohibited, in addition, Any physiotherapy treatment is not recommended.

Why is a cough dangerous during pregnancy?

A seemingly harmless cough reaction can be quite dangerous for the expectant mother and baby. With a strong, often dry and constant cough, tension in the abdominal wall occurs, and pressure in the chest and abdominal cavities increases. This can lead to a reflexive, involuntary increase in tone and contraction of the muscular layer of the uterus, which can lead to miscarriage in the early stages of pregnancy (especially if there is a threat of miscarriage) and premature birth in later stages.

In addition, with frequent, constant coughing, fetal hypoxia may develop (impaired oxygen supply to the baby), which leads to a delay in intrauterine development.

In the presence of predisposing factors (previa or low position of the placenta), cough can provoke uterine bleeding.

A strong cough in a pregnant woman increases blood pressure.