Common Cold During Pregnancy: Does It Really Affect The Babies?

Pregnancy is a phase in a woman’s life when she needs to stay safe and healthy so that the mother-to-be can get rid of all the disorders that might affect the health of the baby and that of the mother. Many gynecologists and expert professionals often suggest women who are expecting to take necessary precautions so that they do not catch a cold when they are pregnant with their babies. Colds during pregnancy are quite similar to any common cold, but these colds can make the expecting mother feel sick and even more uncomfortable along with the other health issues that she might be facing during her trimesters in pregnancy. For instance, when a pregnant woman has to suffer from pregnancy-related health issues such as morning sickness, pain and discomfort in the belly, cramps and aches, back problems, and so on, a common cold is an add-on to the suffering. Moreover, when a woman is pregnant, her immune system becomes a bit weaker as well, which increases the chances of developing common colds, which in fact, might affect her quite frequently and take longer time to get cured.

This article will discuss in vivid detail the occurrence of the common cold during pregnancy- its symptoms, what are the best medications, natural remedies, how it can affect the baby, and ways to prevent it, which will be a wonderful and beneficial guide to expecting and would-be mothers.

Pregnancy and common cold:

It is indeed quite difficult for the expecting mother to suffer from a common cold during her pregnancy because along with the other health problems and the pregnancy-related complications that she might have been going through, the congestion and infections caused by the common cold can make it even more challenging for the mother-to-be to eat well and sleep. But here is one important fact that will make you feel relieved in most cases, common colds in pregnancy do not have any negative impact on the growth and development of the baby. Besides, common colds during your pregnancy will never have any long-term effects on your health, nor will they affect your labor and childbirth. A common cold during pregnancy and childbirth can only increase some of the health complications and discomfort during pregnancy. For instance, if you have a fever or congestion in your chest that can result in breathing issues, the symptoms might linger for a longer time in your pregnancy, and you need to seek professional support from your gynecologist or an experienced healthcare expert.

Common cold and the baby in pregnancy:

When the mother-to-be develops a common cold during pregnancy, many experts say it does not cause any severe harm to the developing baby inside the mother’s womb. This is because, when you are pregnant, your baby is mostly protected by a sac known as the ‘placenta’, your immune system, and the baby is developing an immune response system of its own.

Make sure you are using safe medications when treating common colds in your pregnancy because using unsafe medications can cause harm to the growing baby, particularly if you are in the first trimester of your pregnancy when the embryo is in its most developing stage.

Doctors often prescribe medications that are mostly safe and free from side effects for treating a common cold in pregnancy or you may also go for over-the-counter medications. It is always advisable to see a physician when you are trying to treat the common cold during pregnancy so that you can heal the common cold easily and effectively. There are different types of relief measures used for treating common colds, such as nasal sprays, antihistamines, and so on that are safe to use while you are pregnant. Apart from medications and antibiotics, you can also choose natural and home remedies for curing common colds during your pregnancy so that you can stay away from any negative health effects. Even if you are using natural remedies because you are in your pregnancy phase, it is better to ask your healthcare professional once.

What are the most common symptoms of a common cold during pregnancy?

The main question that might now occur in your mind is whether the symptoms of a common cold remain the same even in pregnancy or not. The answer is yes. You would feel the symptoms resemble the typical signs of a cold or influenza. Just because you are pregnant and there are already certain health issues that you have been facing due to your pregnancy, the symptoms of a common cold can seem ever more painful for you. You may experience the following symptoms of common colds in your pregnancy:

Do symptoms of the common cold become worse when you are pregnant?

The answer to this question often differs from one woman to the other based on her stage of pregnancy, whether she is suffering from any pregnancy-related complications, her immune system, and many other factors related to her overall health. This is because influenza or the common cold viruses that are responsible for causing such health issues remain the same before and after your pregnancy, so ideally the symptoms of a common cold should not get worse when you are pregnant. But yes, some expecting mothers might suffer from extra discomfort during pregnancy if they get a cold. Moreover, common colds can increase the body aches and fatigue of the expecting mother, because she already has been tired and suffering from body pain due to her pregnancy.

Many expecting mothers are often worried about whether it would be safe to give birth to their child if she gets a cough and cold. The answer is yes, and childbirth is generally not affected by any common cold infection of the mother during her pregnancy. If necessary, you can always talk to your healthcare expert for better guidance.

Best medications for treating a common cold when you are pregnant

Treating a common cold nowadays is easy, but when it comes to healing cough and cold in case of pregnancy, it becomes severe. Some over-the-counter medications are safe for relieving cough and cold. Apart from that there are natural supplements such as elderberry syrups or medicines that consist of vitamin C and zinc extracts that will help you to boost your immune system. If you think that your common cold is serious, especially when you are pregnant, you should always take the advice of your healthcare professional. Certain medications are often considered to be safe for healing a common cold during pregnancy, such as:

• Benadryl or diphenhydramine
• Chlor-Trimeton (chlopheniramine)
• Menthol cough drops
• Dextromethorphan
• Oxymetazoline nasal spray
• Loratadine
• Fluticasone

A word of caution

Though these medications are almost safe to cure common colds in pregnancy, do consult your healthcare professional before using them.

Then, what are the best natural solutions for cold relief in pregnancy?

Certain practices are considered safe and effective to cure cough and cold when you are pregnant. Many expecting mothers want to follow steps that do not involve the application of medications because some common cold medications might contain harmful chemicals and components that might cause harm to the fetus. Follow these steps for common cold relief during your pregnancy if you want to cure common cold in pregnancy without any medications:

How to prevent the common cold when you are pregnant?

It is very difficult to prevent infections of a virus that leads to a common cold. Moreover, when you are pregnant, the risk of getting affected by cough and cold increases because your immune system becomes much weaker. Still, there are certain healthy ways that you can follow to avoid colds, such as: