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The danger of bronchitis during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester

To be able to protect yourself from various infectious diseases, such as ARVI, bronchitis or tonsillitis, is always difficult enough. While waiting for the birth of a child, it may even be. Bronchitis is especially undesirable during pregnancy during the 3rd trimester.

And if it so happened that a woman could not protect herself from bronchitis during pregnancy during the 3rd trimester, it is necessary to do everything possible so that the possible damage to the health of the unborn baby is minimized.

This conditional period of bearing a child begins from the 27th week of pregnancy and lasts until the beginning of the birth process. The 3rd trimester is characterized by the active formation of all children's organs and systems. In particular: the brain, lungs, nervous system. The baby's body is gradually preparing for an independent life outside the mother's body.

Doctors, as a rule, strongly recommend avoiding any infectious pathologies at any stage of pregnancy. And although during the 3rd trimester, bronchitis is also an alarming situation, correct and timely treatment can no longer damage the baby too much.

IMPORTANT! A sick woman in any trimester of waiting for the baby should. Any independent and uncontrolled intake of any medications is dangerous to the health of the expectant mother, and especially her baby.

Causes of bronchitis in a pregnant woman

In most cases, expectant mothers are more likely to suffer from bronchitis and other infectious diseases. This susceptibility to viruses is due to the following reasons:

• pregnancy significantly reduces the defenses of the woman's body;
• the breathing of the expectant mother is mechanically hampered by the changes caused by the growing baby. The uterus actively enlarges, squeezes the nearby organs and reduces the volume of the lungs;
• when visiting the clinic for a routine examination, delivery and passage of an ultrasound scan. Especially in the cold season, a pregnant woman often comes into contact with sick people. A woman's weakened immune system does not always resist infections, which include;
• hypothermia or overheating of the body;
• often the cause of bronchitis is active or passive smoking of a woman in an "interesting" position. Any form of smoking in the bronchi of a woman increases the production of phlegm. It forms a positive environment for the penetration and reproduction of various infections.

Symptoms of the disease

Bronchitis during pregnancy (3 trimester), a woman can easily confuse with other, less dangerous colds. Bronchitis has a number of specific features:

1. Coughing attacks torment a woman most often at night. Do not allow her to rest normally.
2. The cough pesters the pregnant woman in the daytime. The duration of the attacks, despite the treatment, has already lasted more than a week.
3. Elevated or high temperature that does not drop to normal values ​​for more than 5-6 days.
4. Difficulty breathing with gurgling due to excess bronchial mucus, which provokes painful bronchospasm.
5. A pulling or sharp feeling, which is worse after a violent attack of coughing.

Bronchitis during pregnancy during the 3rd trimester can be much more serious than the same disease in an ordinary patient.

The high position of the diaphragm due to the growing baby in the woman's abdomen significantly complicates the passage of pathogenic mucus from the bronchi. The mucus in the organs stagnates and does not allow and effectively get rid of the inflammatory process. The foci of infection have a very negative effect on the state of health. As a mother in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, and a growing baby.

IMPORTANT! Any of the above alarming symptoms requires an early contact with a medical institution for the advice of a specialist.

Why bronchitis is dangerous during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester

The main danger that lies in wait for a woman in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy is the potential for infection of the fetus. The permeability of the placenta in the last weeks of pregnancy changes and therefore the likelihood of intrauterine infection of the baby increases. What can happen to a baby if the infection is not cured:

• the baby can be born with a low body weight;
• in the future, various pathologies of the body associated with inflammatory processes may appear;
• a woman in the 3rd trimester causes her breathing difficulties. It, in turn, is the main cause of fetal hypoxia. Lack of oxygen threatens the baby with various developmental disorders;
• the main indicator of bronchitis is a strong cough, which is extremely undesirable for a woman on the eve of labor. Coughing fits can trigger preterm labor;
• body temperature, which always accompanies bronchitis, often aggravates the symptoms of toxicosis of a pregnant woman. It also causes fatigue even with the slightest physical exertion.

How should bronchitis be treated during pregnancy?

The main task of treating bronchitis during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester is to relieve painful coughing fits and remove pathogenic mucus from the bronchi.

First of all, the expectant mother should be helped to ensure bed or semi-bed rest. To reduce pain in the throat and chest, a woman is advised to drink a lot of warm liquid. This can be tea with raspberries, honey, ginger or lemon. Herbal teas from medicinal plants, warm milk and compotes, as well as ordinary mineral water. Adequate drinking helps to "flush" pathogenic microbes from the bronchi and nasopharynx, and facilitates their evacuation.

They will help to cure bronchitis in expectant mothers with soda or alkaline mineral water, vitamin therapy, medical cans and mustard plasters. Respiratory gymnastics exercises give a very good effect.

Medicines for pregnancy in the 3rd trimester

At the discretion of the doctor, all groups of drugs can be used with the exception of antitussives. It can be bronchodilators, mucolytics, expectorants. In most cases, with the timely start of treatment, the doctor manages to cope with bronchitis.

In the presence of a strong and prolonged cough, obvious symptoms of body intoxication, fever, the doctor may prescribe antibacterial drugs. Since the woman's body, placenta and crumbs in any trimester of pregnancy are a single interconnected system, a specialist in prescribing medicines is always guided by the following factors:

1. The expected benefit of a drug must outweigh the anticipated harm.
2. The effect of treatment on the mother and the fetus can be very different.
3. Some drugs can have a negative effect on the child in the long term.

General preventive measures will help to avoid bronchitis during pregnancy. They are simple and common in all infectious diseases. The expectant mother should rest, eat well,. Observe the daily routine and enjoy life more.

Pregnancy is one of the best periods in every woman's life, but few expectant mothers manage to avoid acute respiratory infections, especially when the weather is cold and damp outside. Hypothermia against the background of reduced immunity during the period of bearing a child leads to a cold, which often ends with bronchitis during pregnancy. Why is this disease dangerous for a woman, and what should be remembered if the doctor made such a diagnosis? Let's talk about this.

How bronchitis develops during pregnancy

Viruses and bacteria are often the causative agents of bronchitis in pregnant women; allergic bronchitis is extremely rare. Pathogenic microorganisms, getting on the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract, begin to multiply actively, which causes swelling, inflammation and impaired blood circulation. Under favorable conditions for bacteria, inflammation spreads to the bronchi, as a result of which their lumen narrows and intense sputum secretion begins - viscous bronchial mucus.

In the case of viral bronchitis, stagnation of sputum and impaired blood circulation in the wall of the bronchi can result in the addition of a bacterial infection and the transition of bronchitis to a purulent form. A severe cough, which occurs as a result of irritation of the bronchi with sputum, is especially dangerous in bronchitis during pregnancy, as it leads to tension in the abdominal muscles.

Symptoms of bronchitis during pregnancy

Usually, acute bronchitis begins during pregnancy with signs of common ARVI. There is general malaise, decreased appetite, fatigue, in some cases, a slight increase in body temperature is possible. A woman may complain of nasal congestion, sore throat, rare coughing. With the onset of bronchitis, the cough becomes dry and obsessive, chest pains may bother. Only a week later, the cough softens, a small amount of sputum begins to separate. By nature, it can be viscous, mucous or mucopurulent. In rare cases, bronchospasm joins the above symptoms of bronchitis during pregnancy, which is characterized by persistent coughing and difficulty in exhaling. Acute bronchitis can last 1 to 4 weeks.

As for chronic bronchitis, its characteristic manifestation can be called a periodic cough with a small amount of phlegm. At the same time, the general condition of the patient is satisfactory, and the body temperature does not go beyond the normal range. At the same time, there is an increased risk of exacerbation of chronic bronchitis during pregnancy. Respiratory dysfunction and oxygen starvation, which accompany the disease, can cause fetal hypoxia, premature birth, bleeding, uterine hypertonicity, preeclampsia, and even spontaneous abortion.

Treatment of bronchitis during pregnancy

So, what rules should be followed when treating bronchitis during pregnancy? First, you should determine the severity of the disease. When there are no pronounced signs of intoxication or severe complications such as myocarditis or pneumonia, therapy can be carried out at home. In the absence of edema, a woman is recommended to drink plenty of water - it can be herbal teas, mineral alkaline waters, tea or milk.

For sore throat, it is advisable to use anti-inflammatory herbal decoctions, but you should refrain from taking antibiotics if possible. If a pregnant woman is worried about a strong cough, expectorant mixtures are prescribed based on marshmallow root or thermopsis.

Often, bronchitis during pregnancy becomes protracted, which is easily explained by the physiological changes occurring during this period in the female body: the bronchial mucosa swells, and the movement of the diaphragm is very limited. And although in most cases this ailment does not significantly affect the course of pregnancy, in some cases the disease can lead to intrauterine infection of the fetus. Only timely and effective treatment can prevent such an outcome of events.

Antibiotics may be prescribed to the woman to avoid serious complications. However, it is not worth taking them without the doctor's instructions, since only a specialist can determine the minimum safe therapeutic dose for the expectant mother. Also, antibiotic therapy is used for the development of purulent processes. From the second trimester of pregnancy, semi-synthetic penicillins and cephalosporins can be used for this purpose. At the same time, it is impossible for pregnant women with bronchitis to take antibiotics such as Levomycetin, Streptomycin, Biseptol, sulfonamides and tetracycline drugs.

As a rule, the treatment of bronchitis during pregnancy involves the use of cough relievers, including:

• Warm tea with honey and lemon;
• Milk with soda;
• Lime tea.

To cope with a dry cough or improve sputum production, you can do inhalations, as well as take expectorants that stimulate coughing (Bronchicum, Sinupret, thermopsis-based medicines) and thinning phlegm (Ambroxol, Halikmol, Bromhexin, Mukaltin). However, expectant mothers should not drink antitussive drugs, which contain codeine or ethylmorphine hydrochloride, as well as expectorant iodine drugs - these substances can pass through the placental barrier and suppress the respiratory center of the fetus.

In addition to the above means, the fight against bronchitis during pregnancy involves good rest and daily walks in the fresh air. This will allow the mucus accumulated in the airways to leave the woman's body freely and painlessly. A warm, plentiful drink will help to avoid intoxication of the expectant mother.

The room in which the pregnant woman is located should be well ventilated. The optimum air humidity for the patient is 60-70%, and the temperature is 19-22 ° C. If the disease has not had time to turn into a severe form, compliance with the above recommendations is quite possible to cure bronchitis without the use of drugs. Let's take a closer look at how each of these tips helps to ease the course of bronchitis during pregnancy:

• Relaxation. This is the main means of fighting bronchitis, since the human body throws all its strength into getting rid of the infection that has got into it. To speed up the healing process, the expectant mother needs to sleep at least 8 hours a day and stay in bed;
• Drink plenty of fluids. The fluid facilitates the free release of mucus that has accumulated in the bronchi. It is not at all necessary to drink only plain water - teas, compotes, juices, brews and warm milk will be no less useful. However, caffeinated beverages should be avoided;
• Air humidification. This is necessary so that during bronchitis during pregnancy the mucous membrane does not dry out, otherwise the multiplication of microbes cannot be avoided. A humidifier will help to cope with this task.

Text: Inga Stativka

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Pregnancy for any woman becomes a crucial period in which one should take care not only of oneself, but also of the life and health of the unborn baby. Mom does her best to avoid all kinds of diseases so as not to harm the fetus growing inside her, but, unfortunately, her efforts are not always crowned with success. It often happens that unfavorable weather conditions and viruses floating in the air nevertheless settle in the body of a pregnant woman, causing all kinds of diseases. This is also facilitated by the fact that during pregnancy a woman's immunity is weakened, and therefore she is more susceptible, one of which often becomes bronchitis.

As a rule, bronchitis overtakes a pregnant woman in spring or autumn - when the weather is damp and unstable, and viruses that provoke the disease are easily transmitted from person to person through the air. Most often, the expectant mother meets with acute, or primary bronchitis. Its symptoms are a runny nose and a cough - at first insignificant, but getting worse every day, often without sputum separation. Bronchitis may be accompanied by fever, pain in the respiratory tract, weakness and malaise.

With proper and timely treatment, bronchitis does not pose a danger to the baby, and also does not affect the course of pregnancy. And it is imperative to treat bronchitis for pregnant women, otherwise the consequences can be very unpleasant. In addition to the fact that bronchitis is accompanied by a painful cough and shortness of breath for the expectant mother, it is also potentially dangerous for the fetus. So, if you do not start to treat bronchitis in time, there is a danger of the disease turning into a more serious form: in this case, intrauterine infection of the baby is possible. Also, due to the fact that with a suffocating cough, the bronchi and lungs of women are not sufficiently ventilated, the baby is poorly supplied with oxygen, and this is fraught with development in the fetus. In addition, since the abdominal muscles continually contract during coughing, it can result in uterine bleeding. And therefore, in the presence of the first and not very serious signs of bronchitis, you should immediately begin the appropriate treatment.

The first thing a pregnant woman with bronchitis needs is an abundant warm drink. It should be tea with or honey and lemon, warm milk with butter and (or soda), decoctions of thyme or coltsfoot. To help quickly "expel" viruses from the body, as well as supply the pregnant woman with vitamins, apples, onions, etc. will help. If the cough is dry and sputum is not coughing up, the doctor may prescribe expectorants and mucolytic agents: bromhexine, mukaltin, a mixture of thermopsis, inhalation using essential oils of camphor, thyme, thyme. Local heating with the help of cans will also be a good adjuvant for bronchitis. According to indications during pregnancy, some of the antibiotics are also allowed - if there is a threat of infection of the fetus. These antibiotics can be penicillin, cephalosporins, amoxicillin. In each individual case, the duration of antibiotic use and the dose is set by the doctor individually. And it is advisable to take it only after proper consultation with a doctor and strictly according to the instructions.

There are also many recipes in traditional medicine that help to cure bronchitis. This is a radish with honey, and marshmallow root powder, and a tincture of garlic with lemons. Folk remedies are the safest, but not always effective for completely getting rid of bronchitis, and, nevertheless, they should not be neglected.

Especially for- Tatiana Argamakova

Often, when carrying, the patient is faced with such a serious problem as inflammation of the bronchi. Pathology in itself is considered quite common, and even among mothers in a position with their weakened immunity, it is very common. Treatment of bronchitis during pregnancy in the 1st trimester is a rather complicated process, because taking any medications at this stage of gestation is dangerous and is not recommended by specialists.

Do not postpone a visit to the doctor, this can lead to complications.

Pathological inflammation of the bronchi can proceed according to a different scenario.

1. Acute bronchitis is characterized by the duration of clinical manifestations up to 14 days, the pathology usually proceeds without any complications and is quite simply treated. In addition, acute bronchitis is not reflected in the fetal development.
2. In the chronic course of bronchial inflammation, patients have a lingering cough of a periodic nature, but the general state of health does not change much. Usually, such bronchitis worsens during gestation and can provoke the spread of infection and fetal infection.
3. Obstructive bronchitis is characterized by swelling and inflammation of the bronchial mucosa. In addition to violations of the functionality of the bronchi, narrowing of the lumen of their channels occurs, which is fraught with suffocating attacks and tissue hypoxia.

Any bronchitis in pregnant women threatens respiratory dysfunctions. As a result of oxygen deficiency, dangerous complications of fetal development can occur.

Why does the disease happen in pregnant women

Pregnancy is accompanied by increased loads of the patient's body, suppression of the immune status, because the mother's body works to protect and crumbs and create the most favorable conditions for development for it.

When the immune status is suppressed, the patient becomes defenseless against a variety of ailments, which are difficult enough to be therapeutic in the process of carrying crumbs. The problem is that the usual medications necessary for mommy's recovery cannot be taken at this stage.

Tea with honey and lemon will relieve the condition

In addition to a weakened immune defense, other factors can also provoke the development of bronchitis. For example, hormonal changes. They provoke the transformation of the bronchial mucosa, which creates an ideal habitat and reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms. As a result, pathogenic microbes, when penetrating into the bronchi, are activated and begin to multiply intensively, which provokes bronchitis.

If a pregnant woman stays in a room with a humidity above normal for a long time, an ideal environment for fungal activity is formed, as a result, the patient breathes air masses saturated with fungal microorganisms. They settle on the pulmonary tract, provoking dangerous pathologies of the respiratory system.

Bronchitis during pregnancy in the 2nd trimester usually begins due to the pressure of the uterine body on the diaphragm, which interferes with air exchange, depletes the pulmonary structures. Also, the cause of bronchitis can be a bad environmental situation, the slightest overheating or hypothermia. With the abuse of cigarettes, the bronchopulmonary structures actively secrete a mucous secretion, which creates ideal conditions for pathogens that provoke infections.

How pathology manifests itself

In general, the symptoms of bronchitis in patients of different age and sex are almost identical. The pathological process begins with a slight malaise, accompanied by headaches and sore throat. Then the symptomatology is complemented by a cough. The clinical picture of bronchial inflammation is determined by the form of the pathological process.

1. For acute (primary) bronchitis, typical manifestations are: dry cough and nasal sinus congestion, and the patient sometimes cannot breathe fully, an emetic reaction occurs, a tireless cough, bronchospasm. In addition, sore throat worries, chest pain, weakness, hyperthermia and general malaise are felt.
2. Chronic bronchitis during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester and at other times usually proceeds without pronounced manifestations. Usually, this form of pathology is accompanied by a cough with sputum, although the patient feels quite tolerable. Chronic bronchial inflammation is of 2 types: obstructive and non-obstructive.
3. The obstructive type is accompanied only by a cough with sputum, but painful manifestations do not bother.
4. With a non-obstructive type of inflammation, the bronchi become overgrown with fibrous structures and begin to squeeze. The patient's breathing becomes difficult, she constantly coughs, but she cannot clear her throat. In the process of coughing, there is a pronounced painful discomfort in the sternum.

At first, the cough is paroxysmal and dry, then it is moistened, accompanied by respiratory cramps, wheezing rales may disturb. Excretion of sputum is quite difficult, although it is produced in large quantities. To cleanse the respiratory structures, phlegm must be removed.

Mucous swelling makes breathing difficult, and unpleasant discomfort occurs behind the sternum. The patient is worried about general weakness due to insufficient breathing. Even blue skin or suffocating attacks may appear. Such a clinical picture requires an immediate appeal to an obstetrician-gynecologist in order to secure the development of the baby.

Difficulties of therapy

Treatment of bronchitis in pregnant women, like other ailments, is fraught with many difficulties. Firstly, it is not always permissible to use funds that help speed up recovery, since they negatively affect gestation. Secondly, pregnant women should not undergo an X-ray examination of the breast area.

Too intense coughing is unacceptable, because it is fraught with increased uterine tone and even spontaneous interruption. Bronchial inflammation in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy is a dangerously increased risk of fetal infection, the occurrence of intrauterine pneumonia. Therefore, the problem must be approached with extreme caution.

Therapy methods

At the first signs of an inflammatory process, you must immediately contact a specialist who will select the safest therapy without any consequences for the baby. Therapy of bronchitis in the first is carried out with caution, since it is at this stage that all the most important structures of the fetus are laid. But already from the 12-week period (the second stage of gestation), the list of approved medicines is noticeably expanding.

Strict bed rest with plenty of drink is prescribed. It is better to give preference to warm herbal tea, to which it is recommended to add a lemon wedge and a spoonful of honey. In the room where the pregnant woman stays, the temperature should not exceed 20 ° C, and the air in it should be regularly ventilated. Nutrition should be complete, with a lot of vitamins. And to alleviate the condition, you can put compresses, mustard plasters or cans.

In the third trimester, bronchitis is most dangerous by the spread of the infectious process to the fetal structures. With timely diagnosis, effective therapy is prescribed, which allows you to quickly and safely eliminate the ailment. Pathology does not interfere with traditional delivery, and in its mild form, no special precautions are required at all. But with a reduction in pulmonary volume up to 60%, the patient undergoes an operative delivery by cesarean section.

Medicines

How to treat bronchitis during pregnancy can only be recommended by an obstetrician-gynecologist. Of course, it is impossible to do without medicines.

• In the early stages, patients undergo anti-inflammatory therapy with drugs like Bioparox. It is a topical medication that is effective for initial lesions of the respiratory system, and is absolutely safe for fetal development.
• If antibiotic therapy is necessary, patients are prescribed drugs of the penicillin group (Ampicillin, Flemoxin, Amoxicillin).
• From stages 2-3 of gestation, there are many more options than treating bronchitis in pregnant women. For example, it becomes possible to use cephalosporin antibiotics, which are classified as conditionally safe drugs.
• In parallel with antibiotics, the attending physician also prescribes agents that relieve bronchial swelling and facilitate the removal of sputum, for example, Ambroxol, Bromhexin, Sinupret or Mukaltin.
• In the last trimester of gestation, when intrauterine infection is detected, therapy with mucolytic and antibiotic drugs is supplemented with Interferon or Immunoglobulin, which is administered intravenously. Such therapy is carried out in a stationary setting.
• Additionally, at any time, mineral or soda inhalations are used, which help moisturize the respiratory tract, accelerate the healing of inflamed mucous membranes and facilitate the excretion of sputum.
• As a means of antipyretic action, it is permissible to use only Paracetamol or Panadol.
• If a cough causes attacks of suffocation and bronchospasm, then bronchodilator drugs must be taken.

In the early gestational periods, mom should limit the intake of medications as much as possible, even if it is banal Paracetamol or herbal tablets and syrups. It is best to support the maternal immune system with vitamins and an abundant drinking regimen, which helps to flush out toxic substances and cleanse the bronchopulmonary tree.

Home Ways

Home and folk remedies are quite effective in the treatment of bronchitis, especially in the first weeks of gestation. One of the common methods of home treatment is inhalation, which can be carried out with various herbs, potatoes or soda-salt solutions and oils (eucalyptus, cedar, pine).

It is also useful to drink large quantities of lime or raspberry tea with the addition of natural honey, milk with honey and butter. You can make homemade mustard plasters by mixing equal parts flour and honey and applying the mass to your chest.

It also helps with bronchitis and radish, in the center of which everything is cut out and filled with honey. The root vegetable is placed in the refrigerator chamber for several hours, and then the juice that has emerged is taken in a large spoon. There are many effective home remedies, however, before using them, consultation with an obstetrician-gynecologist is required.

What is the danger of the disease

When carrying a fetus, any ailment is perceived by pregnant women with anxiety, however, bronchitis in such patients usually proceeds without any complications for the fetus and mother. But this does not mean at all that you can safely ignore the disease, avoiding its therapy. Bronchitis should always be treated, regardless of the patient's position.

If you start bronchitis in the first weeks of gestation, then it can provoke freezing of fetal development or spontaneous miscarriage. An intense cough of a pregnant woman causes the uterine muscles to be in a strong tone, which causes an interruption. In the later stages, against the background of bronchitis, respiratory failure may develop, leading to fetal hypoxia, fraught with premature resolution of the burden.

To minimize the likelihood of developing an inflammatory process in the bronchi, the patient should take care of preventive measures in advance. To do this, you need to exclude smoking (passive too), provide immune support, avoid hypothermia and contact with patients. After recovery, you should be regularly monitored by a gynecologist, not missing scheduled examinations. If the baby is behaving too restlessly, which indicates hypoxia, then you need to consult a specialist.