What can you take for head cold while pregnant

Which Cold & Flu Medication Is Safe to Take During Pregnancy? | UNM Health Blog

By Maria Montoya, MD | February 04, 2022

You are pregnant and start feeling sick. Before you reach for that bottle of cold or flu medicine, are you certain it is safe for your baby?

When you are pregnant, your baby will be exposed to everything you are exposed to. This means that when you are sick with a cold or flu your baby will not only be exposed to the cold or flu virus, but also any medication you may take.

Typically, with most viruses, you must wait for your immune system to fight the infection. Over-the-counter medications can help soothe your symptoms while you wait.

However, not all over-the-counter medicines are safe to take during pregnancy. Certain medications may hurt the baby or cause problems for you, such as increasing your blood pressure.

Use this quick list of pregnancy-safe natural cold and flu remedies and over-the-counter medications as a starting point. Remember, read the directions on the package for any medication you might take. It’s also a good idea to talk with your doctor or midwife before taking a cold or flu medication.

Natural, Pregnancy-Safe Remedies

Before you try any medications, there are natural remedies you may find adequate relief from first. Here are a couple of safe, natural remedies to try:

Gargle warm salt water
Get as much restful sleep as possible
Sip honey in hot water
Stay well hydrated
Use nasal saline sprays
Try a humidifier

While not all herbs and supplements are safe in pregnancy. You may be able to safely take:

Vitamin C
Zinc
Manuka Honey
Elderberry

Talk with your doctor or midwife before taking any supplements or trying at-home remedies or essential oils during pregnancy.

If natural remedies don’t provide enough relief, consider these pregnancy-safe medications.

Pregnancy-Safe Cold & Flu Medication

It is best to avoid taking medications when possible. If you do need to take something, follow the package directions carefully. Talk with your doctor or midwife before taking medication during pregnancy.

These over-the-counter medications are considered safe for most pregnant patients:

Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
- Safe during the entire pregnancy.
- Take only as needed.
- Try to limit regular exposure.
- Not safe if you are allergic to it or have liver problems.
Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)
- Safe in the second and third trimester
- Not safe in the first trimester due to a small risk of abdominal wall birth defects
- Not safe if you have high blood pressure (hypertension) or a history of heart disease
Chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton)
- Safe during pregnancy.
- Not safe while breastfeeding.
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
- Safe throughout pregnancy.

Watch out for extra ingredients. Many cold and flu medications treat more symptoms than you may be experiencing. For example, Tylenol Cold Multi-Symptom treats headaches, fever, body aches, cough, chest congestion, stuffy nose, and more. If you just have a stuffy nose, this is more medication than you need.

A word about antibiotics. Some sinus infections are treated with antibiotics. In general, pregnant patients should not take antibiotics unless it is necessary. Make sure your health care provider knows you are pregnant if they prescribe antibiotics.

The dangers of high blood pressure in pregnancy

How to spot symptoms and get help

Medications to Avoid in Pregnancy

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medications can hurt your developing baby. Do not take NSAIDs such as these when you are pregnant:

Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
Naproxen (Aleve, Midol)
Celecoxib (Celebrex)
Aspirin (Bayer), unless your doctor or midwife prescribes daily low-dose aspirin.

Do not take these medications during pregnancy. These drugs can hurt the developing baby:

Benzocaine (throat lozenges/throat sprays)
Codeine (a pain and cough medication)
Phenylephrine (i.e., Sudafed PE): it not considered safe while pregnant because studies with animals showed adverse effects to the fetus.

When you don’t feel well, the last thing you might want to do is read a medication label. However, it is worth taking a few extra moments to read the label and avoid additional risks. If you’re not sure what medicine is safe to take, call us. We are always here to help you.

To find out whether you or a loved one might benefit from Ob/Gyn care

Call 505-272-2245.

Categories: Women's Health

Which over-the-counter cold medications are safe during pregnancy? | Your Pregnancy Matters

Most people experience two to three colds during the winter and spring, and pregnant women are no exception. Colds are caused by viruses for which there is no real cure – you can treat the symptoms that make you feel crummy, but medicine doesn’t actually make the cold go away sooner.

Many over-the-counter (OTC) medications you can buy without a prescription come as multi-symptom formulas. These drugs are meant to treat every cold symptom: body aches, congestion, coughing, fever, headache, and sneezing. But not everyone develops every symptom of a cold, and pregnant women should avoid taking unnecessary drugs during pregnancy.

Instead of reaching for a multi-symptom drug, use the guidelines below to find an effective drug that’s safe for the symptoms you’re facing. And, as always, let your Ob/Gyn or nurse know about any OTC drug you take.

What to take for common cold symptoms

Cough

Dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant used in OTC medications such as Robitussin to reduce coughing. Cough suppressants can come in immediate-release and extended-release preparations. The maximum dose for pregnant women is 120 mg in 24 hours. The multi-symptom preparations that contain dextromethorphan often include “DM” in their name.

Guaifenesin is another medication frequently found in cough medications, such as Mucinex. It is an expectorant, so it helps thin mucus from your chest or throat so you can cough it up easier. It comes in immediate-release or extended-release formulations. The maximum dose you should take is 2,400 mg in 24 hours.

Cold medicines containing codeine were used in the past for cough suppression. I don’t recommend these for pregnant women because studies show they really don’t work well, and the fewer opioid-containing medications in our medicine cabinets, the better. For children, there is some evidence that honey can improve nighttime coughing. I certainly think this is an option for pregnant women as well. If you want to try honey, I suggest a spoonful of the real stuff – it’s not as clear that cold medicine with honey listed as a flavoring or ingredient is as effective.

Stuffy nose and sinus pressure

Decongestant medications reduce stuffiness and sinus pressure by constricting the blood vessels in your nose, which reduces swelling. Pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine are available over the counter as Sudafed and are safe for many women to use during pregnancy. However, women who have high blood pressure should not take pseudoephedrine without first talking to a doctor. The drug can raise blood pressure and can cause jitters and racing heartbeats.
Because pseudoephedrine can be used to manufacture methamphetamine, it’s now kept behind the pharmacy counter. You’ll have to provide identification to purchase it, and stores track how much you purchase. The maximum dose of a typical decongestant is 240 mg in 24 hours.

Sneezing, runny nose, and watery eyes

These symptoms are the result of histamine release, which is an immune response to an invading virus. Chlorpheniramine, such as Triaminic Allergy, and diphenhydramine, such as Benadryl, are safe to take during pregnancy. However, both can cause drowsiness, so these are best taken at bedtime. The maximum dosage for chlorpheniramine is 32 mg in 24 hours.

When compared to placebos, antihistamines have the most successful results within the first couple days of treatment. Patients didn’t report any relief of symptoms between days three and 10. Newer antihistamines, such as loratadine (Claritin), are approved for allergies, not colds, so there isn’t information about how well they work for cold symptoms.

Sore throat

Pregnant women can take acetaminophen (Tylenol) for a sore throat with a limit of 3,000 mg in 24 hours. An antihistamine may help if the sore throat is due to postnasal drip because it can dry up those secretions.
Sprays or lozenges that contain benzocaine, a local anesthetic, can help numb the throat. Menthol and phenol, such as Chloraseptic, are antiseptics that also help soothe throat discomfort. Sucking on hard candy can keep saliva flowing, which might reduce throat irritation.

A word about antibiotics

So many patients call asking for antibiotics for a cold, usually when they’ve had symptoms for several days. There are a few times when antibiotics are appropriate, for instance, strep throat or sinus infections caused by bacteria. But antibiotics simply don’t work against viruses that cause the common cold. Overprescribing antibiotics for viral illnesses leads to antibiotic resistance, which means the bacteria grow stronger over time and become tougher to beat with antibiotics.
If a doctor prescribes an antibiotic for cold symptoms, it’s usually a short, three-day round of drugs. The patient often feels better after finishing the medication but probably would have recovered in that timeframe anyway without the drug.

To sum up …

If you come down with a cold while pregnant and you want to take something for symptom relief, look for medications that are formulated for your specific symptoms. Avoid multi-symptom formulas, especially those containing acetaminophen. It can be easy to take more acetaminophen in a day than is safe because it’s in so many medications. Finally, be patient with cold symptoms – it can take a week or more for a cold to go away.

Treatment of acute respiratory viral infections, acute respiratory infections and influenza in pregnant women in the clinic Health Territory

The first signs of acute respiratory viral infections - what should a future mother do?

How to help your body cope with illness, how not to harm the unborn child, and when serious professional help is needed? To help mothers, the specialists of our Center (obstetrician-gynecologist, midwives, homeopaths, ENT, naturopath and aromatherapist) offer an algorithm of actions that is consistent with all modern data from international recommendations.

But, most importantly, remember that an expectant mother, like no one else, is very important emotional mood - positive emotions will help you quickly cope with all the troubles.

Let's repeat, following our specialists: "Word and thought are material!".

At the first sign of a cold (sore throat when swallowing, hoarseness or sore throat, runny nose, headache, body aches, weakness) - stay at home, keep a gentle regime, put on masks for all family members, remind everyone wash your hands more often.
If it is impossible to get to a homeopath for the exact prescription of an individual remedy, you can take complex homeopathic remedies: "Ocillococcinum" once (!) Or homeopathic remedies "Agri" (according to the scheme in the instructions), "Influenza-Heel" (also according to the instructions).
For pain in the throat, drugs - Tonsilotren, Tonsilgon or Angin-Heel will help. Necessarily - regular gargling with infusions of herbs (eucalyptus, calendula, chamomile) three to seven times a day.
With a runny nose - "Corizalia" (with the first symptoms of a runny nose with strong discharge). You can use nose drops - hypertonic solutions of sea water, "Pinosol" (if there is no allergy). With nasal congestion - alkaline inhalation. If it helps you to breathe over boiled potatoes, then you can breathe.
For coughs and colds, you can drink ginger tea - pour half a glass of grated ginger on a coarse grater to the top with good honey, insist for a day. Drink by adding 1-2 tsp. mixture per cup of hot water. Useful cranberry juice. With a dry cough, homeopathic preparations "Bronhalis-Heel" and "Tartefedrel" can be used.
If hypothermia occurs and you feel chilly, drink hot tea with dried raspberries or raspberry jam. Chicken broth (strictly fresh) also helps.
Aromatherapy will help not only to alleviate the symptoms, but also to cope with bacteria. Have an antiviral and antibacterial effect - noble laurel, peppermint, eucalyptus. Oils can and should be mixed (up to 8 drops per “portion”). To the above, you can add orange or lemon oil. And for evening-night spraying, add a soothing one to antiviral and microbial ones - lavender oil or tangerine oil. To treat a runny nose, cough, sore throat, you can prepare the following mixture: 4 tablespoons of peach oil (used as a base), 1 drop of lavender, 2 drops of eucalyptus, 1 drop of tea tree. This mixture is instilled into the nose 1-2 drops after washing the nose with a sea water spray.
Motor mode (at the first sign - stay at home, but if you feel well, do not refuse a short walk in nature, in the park (not in the mall!).
Mood. To improve your mood, you can hang garlands of Christmas trees (a variant of natural aromatherapy), pine twigs, cones. Let the sun into the house - light candles, and put bright fruits in prominent places - in the bedroom, for example - oranges, lemons, grapefruits, pomelo (again, natural aromatherapy) or pineapples - any favorite fruit. To wake up in the morning and immediately see a lot of bright "suns" by the bed, which accumulated all this joyful energy for us.
And most importantly - be sure to tell your doctor about your health! The doctor will recommend you what is especially important for you.
“If the temperature does not exceed 38.5, do not take antipyretics. If you have a very high temperature, severe weakness, bad breath, severe cough and any deviation from the course of a common cold, and if there is no improvement within THREE DAYS, be sure to consult a doctor ”(chief physician of the Health Territory, obstetrician-gynecologist Alexander Sergeevich Gavrilenko).

For help in preparing the material, we thank the obstetrician-gynecologist of the Health Territory Irina Stepanovna Arefyeva.

Additions and recommendations of our specialists:

Elena Lvovna Ten, ENT, homeopath.

“If the cold has penetrated deeply, then there is a watery coryza or sore throat, and then a cough. Then you can drip into the nose "Derinat" (not contraindicated for pregnant women, but recommended after consultation with a doctor) or "Pinosol". Gargle with calendula, and I also recommend gargling with NATURAL (!) apple cider vinegar (2 teaspoons per glass of water) 3-4 r / d. it is necessary to treat the whole body, to understand the cause of the cough! Is it just from hypothermia? Then it will pass quickly. But, if there is a “weak link” in the respiratory (lungs) or genitourinary (kidneys) systems, or there may be a problem in the intestines, then the treatment must be comprehensive.

Olga Bannikova, obstetrician.

“You can turn on the aroma lamp for a long time (for the whole night, for example). But if you are not sure about the body's response, try turning it on for 2 hours, then wait a few hours and turn it on for another 2 hours. It is better to use ultrasonic aroma lamps (they are more efficient and, unlike those heated by a candle, are designed for a large area of application - 20-30 sq.m)”.

Yulia Krushanova, microbiologist, Ph.D., specialist in medical aromatherapy and Ayurveda:

“You can prepare a universal solution for an aroma lamp: 5 ml of alcohol, 200 ml of water and 10 drops of a mixture of oils: coniferous oils, oils of lemon, leuzea, bergamot, grapefruit. This aroma mixture is good for both prevention and treatment. There is some correction for oils for the aroma lamp: you can’t evaporate thyme in the lamp (too active oil, can give bronchospasm), the aroma of orange increases appetite (it would be better to use lemon, grapefruit, bergamot), leuzea oil can only be used cold (that is, without heating in an aroma lamp with candles). In general, cold water sprays are preferable to heating, since when heated in an aroma lamp, some components of essential oils undergo changes and are destroyed, without having a beneficial effect. For the same reason, an ultrasonic aroma lamp is preferable to an aroma lamp heated by candles. It is very important that the aroma lamp heated by candles does not run out of water in the bowl, since it is clear that the oil should not burn, it should evaporate from the surface of the water.

Laima Lankmane, naturopath and herbalist:

“It is especially important for a pregnant woman to carefully read all the instructions for herbal preparations - first of all, this applies to the first trimester, when the body of the expectant mother is extremely sensitive to everything and undergoes a strong hormonal restructuring. But even during the entire pregnancy, one should be careful with herbal remedies and it is better to consult with your doctor before use. With hypothermia, the first signs of the disease, you can - ginger with lemon, honey (better bite, because when heated above 40-50 degrees, it not only loses many of its nutritional properties, but can also harm a sensitive stomach), green teas and all natural drinks with a lot of vitamin C (for example, rosehip broth helps well). Leaves of linden and dry raspberries - yes, but raspberry jam (unless, of course, it is a frozen berry) will not bring much benefit. Unfortunately, during prolonged cooking, berries lose many of their antibacterial and phyto-properties. In addition, in the jam, in addition to the taste “from childhood”, there is a lot of excess sugar that you don’t need now. However, if a cup of tea with a spoonful of such jam lifts your mood and spirit, then definitely this is a medicine! And do not forget that the word and thought are material!” Source: Bone, K. (2003), A Clinical Guide to Blending Liquid Herbs, Churchill Livingstone, USA

Health Territory doctors will always be happy to answer your questions! 8 (495) 988 52 52

Colds during pregnancy: how to treat?

Any cold or respiratory disease in early pregnancy, during the primary formation of the fetus, can lead to unpredictable consequences and complications. The matter is complicated by the fact that most medications are absolutely contraindicated for use during gestation.

In this regard, the treatment and prevention of colds in pregnant women is an important issue, which should be approached with particular responsibility! The main thesis is: be careful with medicines and apply mild preventive measures based on alternative medicine methods to avoid respiratory diseases and flu.

"One for two - immunity"

This is a very fragile system, it is not necessary to interfere in its work, but it is necessary to support and strengthen it. Pregnancy belongs to the category of special, albeit temporary, conditions during which a woman needs additional protection.

This issue will help simple recommendations that are available to everyone:

• During the period of frequent weather changes, it is necessary to dress warmer, paying special attention to footwear.
• During an epidemic, it is better for a pregnant woman to refrain from being in crowded places - transport, metro, shops and hospitals. If there is an urgent need, to prevent possible infection, a protective respiratory mask should be worn before leaving the house.

• Be especially careful about hygiene after visiting the street and public places. Upon returning home, the first thing to do is wash your hands thoroughly.

Interesting: More than 90% of all acute respiratory infections are caused by viruses, about 10% are bacteria and other pathogens. Accordingly, any soap can be used, not necessarily antibacterial.

• Before going outside, you can lubricate the nasal mucosa with oxolinic ointment. Upon returning home, flush the upper respiratory tract with soda solution.

• Rationalization of nutrition and intake of vitamins will strengthen the immune defense. It is especially useful to eat fruits and vegetables that are enriched with vitamins and have not undergone heat treatment.

Interesting: our grandmothers also said: in order not to get sick, you need to drink chicken broth! Strange, but until recently, scientists did not attach much importance to this prophylactic. Pulmonologist Stefan Rennard decided to find out if this was true or not. The professor conducted a study and proved that the use of chicken broth affects the mobility of neutrophils, white blood cells that protect the body from infections and activate the immune system.

Vitamins can be taken using ready-made pharmaceutical multivitamin complexes. Before choosing a drug, you should consult your doctor.
Compliance with the regimen and duration of sleep - at least 9 hours a day. The possibility of psychotraumatic situations should be minimized.
Maintaining cleanliness in the living quarters (ventilation, wet cleaning).
Humidification is an important aspect in the prevention of influenza and respiratory diseases. If air conditioners or heaters are used in the pregnant woman's house, it would be best to purchase a mechanical humidifier.

Medications for prophylaxis

Grippferon - a drug in the form of drops for the nose, which provides the prevention and treatment of influenza, is not contraindicated for pregnant and lactating women. The drug stimulates an increase in immunity, has a pronounced antiviral effect that can protect against colds, infections and influenza varieties.
Ascorbic acid - can be used as a separate source of vitamin C in a synthetic version, with a reduced daily intake from food. Ascorbic acid not only prevents infection, but also fights viruses that have already entered the body of a woman.
Viferon - nasal ointment, which is prescribed for the prevention of influenza and respiratory infections during an epidemic. The ointment has protective and immunomodulatory effects, and also allows you to deal with disorders that are already occurring in the body at the time of use. Viferon in the form of a nasal ointment has no contraindications for use in pregnant women at any time, including the first trimester.
Aquamaris is a natural drug in the form of a nasal spray that allows you to moisturize the nasal mucosa, thereby reducing the risk of influenza viruses entering the nasal cavity.

I would like to say a few words about such a method of prevention as vaccination. Most often, the expectant mother may be at risk of becoming infected due to the annual influenza epidemic . This disease is dangerous for a pregnant woman precisely because of its complications: pneumonia, bronchitis, otitis media. Influenza in a pregnant woman can also affect the health of the fetus. Most of all, it is dangerous in the early stages of pregnancy, when the tissues and organs of the human embryo are laid and formed. Viral intoxication or drug exposure can lead to pathology of the child's organs. In later pregnancy, there is a risk of infection of the fetus.

The most dangerous consequence of influenza in a pregnant woman is threatened miscarriage or premature birth!

It is quite natural that expectant mothers often wonder whether or not to vaccinate.

Studies have concluded that the use of inactivated ("killed") influenza vaccines does not have a teratogenic effect on the fetus and does not harm the health of a pregnant woman. After consulting with your doctor about such an inoculation, you can come to an optimal solution. If an influenza epidemic is inevitable, and a pregnant woman has no contraindications, then vaccination should be done. If a pregnant woman has a negligible risk of infection, she does not come into contact with a large number of people, or is opposed to vaccination, then you can not do it. According to research, it is known that vaccination of mothers reduces the risk of influenza infection of a born child by 63%. Seasonal influenza prevention is carried out in September, October. Vaccinations for pregnant women are recommended from the second trimester of pregnancy.

In the period of a planned pregnancy, a flu shot is given 1 month before it: the formation of immunity occurs 2-4 weeks. Protection after vaccination lasts about a year.

If infection does occur, action should be taken immediately if at least one symptom of the disease is detected. The health of a pregnant woman and her unborn child depends entirely on her responsibility and respect for her own body.

Proven folk remedies will be used first. Since pregnant women cannot steam their legs, steam their hands, and this will facilitate nasal breathing. Bundle up, put on woolen socks and crawl under the covers: warmth, peace and sleep are good for colds. Do not forget to drink plenty of water - hot green tea with lemon and honey, lime blossom tea, cranberry juice, rosehip broth, dried fruit compote. Ginger in the form of tea also helps, not only with catarrhal symptoms, but with nausea in the morning.

Various hot milk drinks are also suitable. Honey can be added to milk, and it is best to boil it on onions. It must be emphasized right away that not all herbs for colds during pregnancy can be used. Here is a list of medicinal plants that are contraindicated: aloe, anise, barberry, elecampane (grass and root), sweet clover, oregano, St. John's wort, strawberries (leaves), viburnum (berries), raspberries (leaves), lemon balm, lovage, wormwood, licorice ( root), celandine, sage. Accordingly, preparations containing these plants should not be taken.

The use of medicines for colds during pregnancy must be treated with great care!

The following drugs are contraindicated : Pertussin, Tussin plus, Joset, Glycodin, Ascoril, Travisil, Broncholitin, ACC, Grippeks, Codelac, Terpinkod. Do not use lozenges and lozenges for sore throat or cough are also undesirable due to the likelihood of allergic reactions.

Spray Pinosol, judging by the components indicated in the instructions, is not dangerous during pregnancy. However, the essential oils contained in the preparation - pine, peppermint, eucalyptus, thymol, guaiazulene (wormwood oil) - can lead to an allergic reaction with swelling of the nasal mucosa.

Viferon suppositories are allowed to be used only after 14 weeks from the start of conception. This drug contains recombinant human interferon alpha-2, ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol acetate and has antiviral, immunomodulatory and antiproliferative effects. It is used in the treatment of various infectious and inflammatory diseases in adults and children (including newborns). In the form of an ointment, Viferon is used to treat herpetic lesions of the skin and mucous membranes. The ointment is applied in a thin layer to the affected areas of the skin 3-4 times a day for 5-7 days.

The homeopathic preparation Stodal, which includes predominantly herbal ingredients, acts on various types of cough and has an expectorant and bronchodilator effect.