Red nose pregnancy
On TikTok, women are sharing their pregnancy nose. But what causes it?
Culture Matters
Women on TikTok are describing their experiences with red, swollen noses during their pregnancies.
By Kalhan Rosenblatt
On TikTok, parents are sharing a physical change they didn't anticipate after conceiving: pregnancy nose.
The pregnancy nose videos are simple: They juxtapose a person's image before becoming pregnant with images of their swollen noses afterward. On TikTok, the hashtag #PregnancyNose has more than 16 million views.
The side effect is not the first surprising physiological change during pregnancy that TikTokers have shared on the platform. One user — colloquially called "the girl with the list" — even keeps a running tab on the less commonly known side effects, symptoms and physical changes that can happen during pregnancy. Pregnancy nose is the latest to capture the platform's interest.
However, Dr. Shannon M. Clark, a professor in maternal-fetal medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, who also has a TikTok account with roughly half a million followers, said the symptom isn't uncommon. She herself experienced pregnancy nose.
"There's typical physiological changes of pregnancy that occur in everyone, the first being basal dilation, where you have dilation of the blood vessels of the body," Clark said. "I had it when I was pregnant with my twins. That's why my nose wasn't only swollen but it was more red."
In videos posted to TikTok, women expressed shock at the degree to which their noses swelled.
One user, while showing an image of herself before getting pregnant, said she "never had a big nose" prior to her pregnancy. While showing her "after" photo, she asked, "Who is that?"
Another user stated, "Talk about pregnancy nose... I morphed into a whole new person.
"
Clark explained that the swelling is due to an increase in hormones during pregnancy, which causes basal dilation. She said additional reasons for the swelling are due to an increase in blood flow to help the growing pregnancy. Parts of the body that have a mucus membrane, like the nose, also experience a noteworthy increase in blood flow.
She also warned that while pregnancy nose is a common, harmless change, if a pregnant person is more than 20 weeks along and notices their face and hands beginning to swell, in addition to symptoms like blurred vision and headaches, they should notify their medical provider.
"Those are all signs of preeclampsia," she said. "Preeclampsia in pregnancy is a complicated condition and needs to be monitored and diagnosed properly."
Clark also warned that while it's not always a negative to share conditions like pregnancy nose on social media, she advised those looking for pregnancy advice to take what they see on social media with some skepticism.
She mentioned that she sees pregnancy misinformation on platforms like TikTok, which can scare those who are expecting for the first time.
“Social media can be very helpful when taken with a grain of salt,” she said.
Kalhan Rosenblatt
Kalhan Rosenblatt is a reporter covering youth and internet culture for NBC News, based in New York.
11 Pregnancy Symptoms to Call Your Doctor About
Baby may not have officially arrived yet, but those mom instincts kick in early—so it’s normal to worry about your child’s wellbeing during pregnancy. Chances are, you and baby are doing just fine, and the real challenge is figuring out how to relax. But sometimes things do go awry. The key is knowing which red flags to look for. Here, experts explain the pregnancy symptoms you should never ignore, since they may be your body’s way of telling you something important.
Bleeding
Understandably, vaginal bleeding or spotting during pregnancy might freak you out a bit—but the good news is that a tinge of blood is often no big deal.
For example, if you recently had sex or a vaginal exam, you might have just irritated your cervix a bit (it’s more sensitive when you’re pregnant). However, “spotting that doesn’t go away within a day or if it’s moderate to heavy bleeding—saturating more than one pad in an hour—or if it’s accompanied by pain, fever or chills, you want to report it immediately to your provider,” says Crystal Stamps, CNM, a certified nurse midwife at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Bleeding can be a sign of something serious—possibly a miscarriage during early pregnancy or placental abruption or placenta previa later on—so definitely notify your OB or midwife any time you experience it.
Abdominal Pain
Some aches and pains are to be expected during pregnancy. After all, baby’s getting bigger by the day, and your muscles and ligaments are doing a whole lot of stretching. The pulling or sharp, stabbing sensations that you might feel on one or both of your sides or over your pubic bone caused by round ligament pain isn’t worrisome.
“What you should report immediately is severe pelvic or abdominal pain that’s not relieved by a heating pad, soaking in a warm tub or Tylenol,” says Stamps. If it’s accompanied by nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, it could indicate something that needs treatment, like a GI virus, kidney infection or UTI—so pick up the phone. And if it’s accompanied by bleeding or other symptoms, it could be miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy or a cyst.
Swollen Hands or Face
Yup, everything’s getting bigger, and a little bit of swelling is to be expected. But pay close attention to your hands and face. By itself, a little puffiness in your face isn’t abnormal. But accompanied with other symptoms—such as headaches that aren’t resolved with Tylenol, gastric pain, dizziness or changes in vision—swelling in your hands or face could be a sign of preeclampsia, Stamps says, which is a complication that requires close monitoring and possible intervention. Early detection is important with preeclampsia, so let your doctor know if you experience any of the signs.
Rapid Weight Gain
No, don’t stress about gaining weight during pregnancy—after all, you’re supposed to! But according to Rhonia Gordon, MD, an ob-gyn at NYU Langone Health in New York City, if you put on more than five pounds in one week, call your healthcare provider immediately to rule out preeclampsia.
Itching
Here’s another (completely annoying) pregnancy symptom that could mean nothing at all, or it could indicate a risk to you and baby. Your skin could be itchy simply because it’s dry and stretched or because you have a rash called PUPPP, which is aggravating but not harmful at all. But if you have all-over itching, or your itchiness is severe, talk to your OB. They may have to do a special test to rule out cholestasis of pregnancy, a rare liver disorder that can cause serious issues, such as preterm labor and stillbirth. Before you panic, take a deep breath and know that according to Gordon, cholestasis impacts only about 0.3 to 5 percent of pregnancies.
A Persistent Headache
For many moms-to-be, headaches that come and go are par for the course during pregnancy (you can thank those hormones coursing through your body). But if your headache doesn’t go away after some Tylenol, rest and/or hydration, “we want to hear about them,” says Stamps. “They’re a major symptom of preeclampsia.”
Persistent Back Pain
Back pain is pretty common in your third trimester (you’re sporting a big baby bump, after all). But if that pain just doesn’t quit, call your doctor. They can check to make sure it’s just normal pregnancy pain and not a sign of kidney or bladder infection, cyst, miscarriage or preterm labor. “When back pain is associated with fever or chills or urinary frequency/pain with urination, report it immediately,” says Stamps.
Blurry Vision
Maybe you got up too fast and you’re experiencing some normal pregnancy dizziness. But blurry vision that’s persistent or comes with other symptoms, such as swelling, abdominal pain, headache or rapid weight gain could be a sign of preeclampsia or gestational diabetes, both of which require medical treatment.
Report it immediately, Stamps says.
You’re more vulnerable to cold and flu germs while you’re pregnant, so a fever is actually pretty likely to happen sometime while you’re pregnant. Still, let your doctor know if you have any fever of 100.4 or greater, Stamps says. There are a number of viruses and conditions that can cause fever, and it’s important to get yours diagnosed and treated.
Baby Moving Less Often
Feeling baby kick? Make a mental note so you can start to develop a sense of baby’s habits and patterns. “Babies have sleep and wake cycles,” says Gordon. “If you’re concerned that the baby is moving less than usual, try drinking something cold or having a sweet snack and then lay on your side.” That may help entice them to get moving again. While you’re relaxed, start doing fetal kick counts every time baby moves. During a two-hour period, you should be able to track at least 10 movements, says Gordon. If you don’t, call your doctor for a professional check-in on baby.
Gush of Fluid
This isn’t your average pregnancy discharge. Feeling constantly wet down there or having a trickle (or gush!) of fluid can mean your water has broken. If that’s the case and you’re not in labor yet, you’re likely to be within 24 hours. Either way, it’s important that your doctor knows ASAP.
Updated February 2020
Expert bios:
Crystal Stamps, CNM, MSN, is a certified nurse midwife at the University of Chicago Medical Center. She earned her certification from the Frontier School of Midwifery and Family.
Rhonia Gordon, MD, is an ob-gyn and clinical assistant professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at NYU Langone Health in New York City. She earned her medical degree from Ohio State University in 2015.
Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such.
You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.
Plus, more from The Bump:
Top Pregnancy Fears: When to Worry and When to Let Go
How to Deal with Stress During Pregnancy
How to Find Your Inner Zen with Pregnancy Meditation
Rhinitis in pregnant women
Otorhinolaryngologist, surgeon at GMS Clinic Oleg Abramov talks in his article about rhinitis of pregnancy (hereinafter referred to as RH).
It was no coincidence that I chose this topic after a series of publications on the social network about allergic rhinitis (hereinafter referred to as AR), as recent studies note that although the cause of RB is not completely clear, the combination of AR, which is especially poorly controlled together with RB, can lead to severe nasal congestion, to insufficient oxygen supply, and, as a result, to increased fatigue, irritability, frequent SARS, sleep disturbance, which can certainly affect the development of the fetus.
Moreover, the presence of AR is associated with snoring in women during pregnancy, and together they can provoke the development of sleep apnea syndrome (stopping breathing during sleep), which leads to arterial hypertension, preeclampsia, slowed fetal growth and low Apgar scores. Therefore, the relevance of this problem is only growing. nine0003
Definition and concept
Rhinitis of pregnancy is a disease accompanied by nasal congestion and discharge, periodic sneezing without signs of inflammation, allergies, or other causes. This condition can occur in any trimester of pregnancy and usually resolves within two weeks after delivery.
Occurrence
Nasal congestion is a very common problem during pregnancy (occurs in about 65% of cases), which can occur due to various reasons. RB, according to various sources, occurs in 9-40% of cases, and in one of the last observations there is an increasing incidence, that is, most of all RB is observed in the 3rd trimester - 38.
9%, including those who did not have problems in the 1st and 2nd trimesters.
Causes and mechanism of occurrence
The mechanism of occurrence is not fully understood, and it is believed that RB occurs due to hormonal changes, in particular, under the influence of progesterone, estrogen, hCG and other hormones, the concentration of which gradually increases during pregnancy. Some authors believe that the occurrence of RB is associated with the worsening of concomitant AR. Some studies show that hormonal action leads to relaxation of the smooth muscles that make up the vessel wall of the nasal mucosa, resulting in nasal congestion. Such findings are supported by other studies that show that oral contraceptives cause similar effects in the nasal cavity (but not in everyone). Other studies show that elevated body mass index, overweight, multiple pregnancies provoke or aggravate RB. nine0003
Progression and potential risks
RB, in the absence of adequate treatment, has an adverse effect on the course of pregnancy and can lead to the development of rhinosinusitis, which is especially difficult to tolerate in the 3rd trimester.
On the other hand, pregnancy is a special period in a woman's life, during which a large number of drugs are prohibited, and ENT pathologies, these restrictions have not been spared either. Very often I hear at the reception: "Doctor, I'm pregnant and I've been suffering with my nose all this time, but the doctors tell me - there's nothing to be done, I need to endure it." On the other hand, the opposite situation is often observed: “Doctor, I am pregnant and I cannot live without vasoconstrictor drops.” These situations, of course, are not correct, since on the one hand there is a way out and optimal treatment, and on the other hand, constant exposure to vasoconstrictor drugs is not a way out of the situation at all. nine0003
Diagnostics
At the moment, there is no specific test to confirm or exclude RB. The diagnosis is made on the basis of the patient's complaints and the exclusion of other pathologies of the nasal cavity.
Choice of therapeutic tactics
Saline solutions
Before considering more serious medications, we should start with our favorite saline solutions.
It should be noted that we are not talking about ordinary saline solutions, but hypertonic saline solutions (with an increased salt content, approximately 19-23 g/l). Such sprays are sold in all pharmacies, but they will not be sold to you right away (you need to ask). Several studies have noted significant efficacy in reducing congestion when used in AR, chronic rhinosinusitis. Also, comparative studies show their greater effectiveness compared to conventional isotonic solutions. Examples: Physiomer - hypertonic solution (my favorite), Aqualor-congestion, or Aqualor-severe runny nose, Aquamaris Strong.
As is known from past publications, intranasal glucocorticosteroids (iGCS) are the most effective in the treatment of AR today. They have proven efficacy in reducing nasal congestion, as well as nasal itching and watery eyes, and allow adequate control of symptoms. But, given their hormonal effect and possible harmful effects on the fetus, there are certain risks in their use.
It should also be noted that at the moment there are no studies that provide reliable data confirming the danger of their use. Modern ICS — mometasone (nasonex, desrinit) and fluticasone (avamys, flixonase) has a very low systemic bioavailability, less than 1% and proven efficacy, thus can be considered as initial therapy for RB. The studies did not reveal a statistically significant relationship between the development of fetal defects and the use of these drugs. nine0003
Who are the US FDA and why is everyone listening to them?
Everything is very simple (it’s a pity that everything is not so simple with us). I copy the explanation from Wikipedia: “An agency of the US Department of Health and Human Services, one of the federal executive departments. The department is engaged in quality control of food products, medicines, cosmetics, tobacco products and some other categories of goods, and also monitors compliance with legislation and standards in this area. nine0003
Budesonide (Tafen Nasal) is classified as category B according to the FDA's classification for drug effects on the fetus, which means that there is evidence that the drug is safe to use during pregnancy.
The bioavailability of budesonide is 33%. This drug has moved from group C to group B, thanks to several high-quality studies in Sweden since the beginning of the 21st century, proving its safety.
Also, according to the current recommendations of the American Academy of Allergology and Immunology (AAAAI), ICS are considered safe and effective in the treatment of rhinitis and rhinosinusitis during pregnancy. But at the same time, there is no indication of specific drugs. Other competent medical associations also do not give any recommendations in terms of choosing a drug. Therefore, summing up all of the above, and also according to the latest review, mometasone, fluticasone, budesonide can be considered as safe and effective agents in the treatment of RB. It should also be noted that an experienced ENT doctor should be involved in prescribing the drug and managing the patient, since these drugs are sold without a prescription in the Russian Federation; we strongly recommend not to self-medicate.
nine0003
Yes, I will not take these hormones!
In some situations, acute respiratory viral infections during pregnancy may be accompanied (largely due to concomitant RB or AR, or their combination) with a prolonged runny nose, nasal congestion and heaviness in the face - classic symptoms of rhinosinusitis. This disease, if not adequately treated, can lead to serious complications, so the correct diagnosis of this disease is extremely important. Antibiotics of the penicillin series are classified as category B according to the FDA and can be used in the treatment (ORS). If you are allergic to penicillins, some cephalosporins or lincosamides (Clindamycin) may also be used. All of them belong to categories A and B. ICS are included in the treatment standards for acute rhinosinusitis (more details in the next publications) and can provide recovery in combination with saline solutions without antibiotics. nine0003
P.S. The decision on treatment is individual for each case and should be collective between the doctor and the patient.
I hope this review has made it possible to clarify some aspects in the features of RB and make it clear that RB is not a sentence and can be adequately controlled.
Source: rumyantsevamd.ru
What will tell the skin of the face during pregnancy
It is often possible to guess that a woman is expecting a baby even before the appearance of characteristic roundness in the abdomen. You just need to look at it: very often the skin of the face in the early stages of pregnancy changes noticeably. This is due to the hormonal changes taking place in the body. Not always such changes please the expectant mother, but it is important to understand that they are completely natural. nine0003
FACE COLOR AND PIGMENTATION
The first thing you notice is the change in skin tone during pregnancy. Often, too bright blush plays on the cheeks of the expectant mother. This indicates an increased load on the vessels, which is quite natural during the gestation of the baby.
If a woman has had freckles before, they may become even more noticeable. Brown-haired women and brunettes often face chloasma, popularly known as the mask of pregnant women. In this case, individual areas on the forehead, cheeks, chin, as well as on the back of the nose and under the lip darken. Because of this, the skin of the face acquires an uneven tone. Skin pigmentation in expectant mothers is completely natural: this is a consequence of an increase in the level of progesterone in the body. But do not think that such changes will remain forever. Even if the skin of the face deteriorated during pregnancy, as a rule, after the birth of the baby, the previous shade gradually returns to it. So it is not necessary to resort to complex procedures to combat pigmentation, just be patient. nine0003
EDEMALS
Many pregnant women experience swelling. They are especially noticeable on the face. Due to swelling, it becomes larger and rounder. Such changes can be expressed to varying degrees.
How to determine if edema has appeared? To do this, gently press on the skin with your finger. If a hole has formed on it, most likely, we are talking about the presence of edema. In this case, it is important to consult a doctor leading the pregnancy in a timely manner. The specialist will adjust the diet, as well as prescribe treatment, if necessary. nine0003
EXCESSIVE HAIR
At the end of the first trimester of pregnancy, many women notice that the amount of body hair has increased. Noticeable hairs can also appear on the face. This is due to the increase in the level of androgens - sex hormones that occurs during this period. To remove facial hair, you can use tweezers, sugar or wax epilation. At the same time, during pregnancy, the use of chemicals to combat unwanted vegetation is not recommended. In fact, it is not at all necessary to remove the hairs that have grown on the face and body: they will disappear by themselves about six months after childbirth. nine0003
RASHES
Many women complain that perfectly clean skin deteriorated during pregnancy: pimples appeared on it.
Rashes can be associated with both an allergic reaction and hormonal disorders. When it comes to allergies, a small, well-marked rash usually appears on the skin, which may be accompanied by itching. With hormonal changes associated with an increase in the level of progesterone, the work of the sebaceous glands is activated. As a result, acne may appear on the face of a pregnant woman. The emergence of such problems contributes to an unbalanced diet, genetic factors, lack of fresh air. If acne appears, it is necessary to consult a dermatologist, be sure to inform the specialist about the ongoing pregnancy. The doctor will select therapy taking into account the condition of the woman: not all components of therapeutic creams, lotions and other products are allowed for use during this period. nine0003
DOES SKIN ALWAYS GO FOR THE WORSE?
You shouldn't think that carrying a baby inevitably leads to a deterioration in the appearance of the expectant mother. It often happens that the skin of the face during pregnancy shines with health and beauty! Hormonal changes can improve cell function and have a rejuvenating effect on the body.
In addition, it is in the power of the expectant mother to properly care for the skin to help it maintain elasticity, softness and a healthy tone.
HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR SKIN DURING PREGNANCY
Use suitable cosmetics. During this period, it is especially important to study the composition of cosmetics. To cleanse the skin, it is recommended to use mild products without aggressive components. If rashes appear, the best option is the remedies recommended by the doctor with antiseptic components. You can use cosmetics designed specifically for pregnant women.
Protect your skin from the sun. At any time of the year, it is important to apply a cream with an SPF factor before going outside. Exposure to ultraviolet light can increase the pigmentation that appears under the influence of hormonal changes. nine0003
Choose gentle treatments. Deep peels and traumatic mechanical cleansing of the face are not suitable for pregnant women, because during this period the skin becomes especially sensitive, the pain threshold decreases.
