6 Safest Flu Medicines for Pregnant Women
Even after trying to maintain health, pregnant women can still get the flu. Especially when the weather is erratic and the body is not fit. But even though many cold medicines are sold on the market, you can't just choose them. Find out about various flu medicines that are safe for pregnant women in the following reviews.
Is it safe for pregnant women to take cold medicine?
Some cold medicines may be safe to drink during pregnancy. However, other flu drugs may not be safe because they are feared to affect the development of the fetus in the womb.
If the gestational age is still less than 12 weeks, you should first consult a gynecologist before taking flu medication. Because the first 12 weeks of pregnancy is a critical period in the development of the vital organs of the fetus.
In general, you should never take any type of medicine without first consulting your obstetrician. Remember, taking a cold medicine can actually be dangerous for your baby's development in your womb.
The choice of cold medicine for pregnant women
Basically, influenza alias flu can heal by itself. Existing treatments usually aim to strengthen the immune system so you can recover quickly.
But if you are pregnant and feel you need to take medication, you can take paracetamol without having to redeem your doctor's prescription. Paracetamol is included in the list of flu drugs that are safe for consumption by pregnant women. This medicine does not cure the flu, but effectively relieves flu symptoms such as fever, headaches, muscle aches, and body aches.
Use this medication in the recommended dosage. If the recommended dose of paracetamol does not make your condition improve, do not hesitate to consult a doctor immediately.
Other maternal flu medicines that are safe for consumption include dextromethorphan and expectorant drugs containing guaifenesin. Antihistamine drugs, such as Benadryl and Claritin are also safe for consumption as flu drugs for pregnant women if the cause is allergies.
Citing the CDC page, antiviral drugs are also generally safe for pregnant women to take during flu. This drug is only available by prescription and is most effective if taken within 48 hours (2 days) after flu symptoms appear. Research shows that antiviral drugs have greater benefits for pregnant women than the potential risk of side effects.
In addition to relieving symptoms and making you recover quickly, antiviral drugs can also prevent serious flu complications, such as pneumonia. Doctors often prescribe oral anti- oseltamivir as a cold medicine for pregnant women.
Rules for taking flu medicine for pregnant women
As mentioned above, pregnant women should not take cold medicine arbitrarily. It is important to consult a doctor before taking any type of medicine. Because what mothers drink and eat can affect the fetus in the womb.
Read carefully the rules for using flu medicine. Take the medication according to the recommended dosage and time period. Never extend, stop, add, or reduce drug dosages at random.
In addition, it is also important to pay attention to the ingredients contained in it. Generally, flu medicines for pregnant women that are sold in the market are a combination of several types of symptom relievers, such as fever, antihistamines, pain relievers, decongestants, and so on.
Most people do not realize that they take medicine with double doses because they do not read the composition of the ingredients contained in the drug. For example, you take a fever-lowering medication that contains paracetamol. After that, you take cough medicine which turns out to contain paracetamol too. A number of combination drugs may also contain drugs that should not be taken during pregnancy.
Therefore, avoid taking drugs that contain lots of ingredients to deal with many symptoms. Instead, choose a single medication to deal with one specific symptom that you are experiencing.
Other flu drugs that are safe for pregnant women
If pregnant women worry about the safety of the flu drugs mentioned above, it is OK to relieve flu symptoms in other ways. You can treat flu with traditional methods that have been known for a long time.
Here are some simple, safe ways you can try to relieve flu symptoms while pregnant.
1. Get enough rest
Citing on the page of American Pregnancy, pregnant women with flu are at high risk of experiencing a number of serious health problems due to flu complications, one of which is pneumonia. Remember, when you are pregnant, whatever happens not only affects your body, but also the fetus in the womb.
Enough rest is the most effective cold medicine for pregnant women recommended by a doctor. Avoid doing strenuous activities for a while or until your condition is fully recovered.
2. Drink a lot
For runny noses, sore throats, and coughing because the flu quickly improves, you should drink plenty of water. Why?
In fact, drinking water can be a natural cold medicine for pregnant women. When you get the flu, your body fluids will decrease and make you more susceptible to dehydration. If you don't drink a lot, instead of quickly recovering, your condition will get worse.
In addition, drinking lots of water can also help thin the mucus under your nose, so you can breathe more easily. So that your body fluids are fulfilled, make sure you drink at least 8 to 10 glasses per day.
3. Warm Compresses
If you experience pain in the sinus area, which is the area around your eyes and cheekbones, you can do a warm compress to help relieve the pain.
You can also hold hot water in a large basin. Then, place your face on the basin to breathe the steam. For the steam to go nowhere and the water does not cool quickly, use a small towel to cover your head.
Breathe the steam produced slowly and repeat this method until your breathing begins to feel relieved.
4. Use extra pillows
Put additional pillows under the head to relieve respiration and reduce the accumulation of mucus in the nose and throat. However, make sure the pillow used is not too thick and hard, yes!
Instead of relieving flu symptoms that you experience, using a thick and hard pillow makes your neck ache due to a pillow. However, make sure you are comfortable while sleeping.
5. Use a humidifier
Dry rooms due to the use of air conditioning can make your flu worse. Well, so that the air in your room is more humid, you can use a humidifier as a cold medicine for pregnant women.
This moisturizer is also effective in helping to relieve the upper respiratory tract, reduce the sensation of itching in the nose and throat, and avoid dry mouth.
However, using a humidifier should not be originated. Excessive humidifiers can make air in the room too moist. If the air is too moist, the fungus and bacteria are very easy to breed.
6. Eat healthy food
In fact, eating lots of nutritious foods can turn out to be the next cold medicine for pregnant women. Yes, to get well soon, it's also important to pay attention to the food intake that you will eat. Make sure the food you consume is nutritious and highly nutritious.
Do not forget, eat lots of vegetables and fruit, especially those containing vitamin C so that your immune system increases so you quickly recover from the flu.
Prevent flu during pregnancy with vaccines
Pregnant women can also get a flu vaccine before they get sick and have to go back and forth to buy cold medicine. Quoted from American Pregnancy, vaccines or flu shots proved to be safe for pregnant women and babies in the womb.
In addition to preventing flu infections during pregnancy, flu vaccines can also protect babies from exposure to flu viruses for up to 6 months after pregnancy. The flu vaccine can be done at any time during pregnancy.
Avoid getting a flu vaccine in the form of nasal spray (LAIV). The vaccine contains live virus strains so it is not recommended to use it during pregnancy.
