Coughing in pregnancy is normal and can occur at any time because during pregnancy the woman undergoes hormonal changes that make her more sensitive to allergies, flu and other problems that can cause coughing.
What you can do when coughing in pregnancy is to avoid cold, heavily polluted or dusty places in the air. The pregnant woman should also drink about 2 liters of water a day and take warm teas, with honey and lemon, which calm the cough. Here's how to prepare homemade syrup that is safe to take in pregnancy by clicking here.
When a pregnant woman has a long-term cough or is associated with other symptoms such as fever, she should seek a general practitioner to diagnose the cause and initiate appropriate treatment. Know some possible causes here.
What to do to calm the cough naturally
Keeping the throat always well hydrated can be helpful in decreasing and controlling the cough. So some tips that can help relieve this discomfort are:
- Take a sip of water (room temperature);
- Take 1 tablespoon of honey;
- Leave a basin or bucket with hot water near by adding 2 drops of eucalyptus essential oil.
One strategy that can be helpful is whenever you cough at night, hug a pillow or cushion every time you cough because it decreases the effects of coughing in the abdominal region.
Cough remedies
In some cases, when dry cough is persistent and the pregnant woman has abdominal pain due to coughing due to stretching of the abdominal muscles and repeated contractions due to cough, the doctor may prescribe a syrup or anti- such as Cetirizine, to alleviate and cough.
In case of cough with catarrh one should not take these remedies mentioned above because they decrease cough and in this case it is important to help eliminate the secretions of the lungs and airways.
Warning Signs
Some warning signs that may indicate that you need to go to the doctor are:
- Persistent cough;
- Coughing up blood;
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing;
- Fever;
- Chills or shaking.
These signs and symptoms may indicate complications and the presence of viruses or bacteria that need to be combated with antibiotics or other medications. At the doctor's office, the doctor may check for signs and symptoms, listen to the lungs to see if the air is coming through the lung, or if there is any blocked area, and may also ask for tests such as the chest X-ray to assess if there are any diseases that are causing coughing and treatment.
Cough in pregnancy harms baby?
Coughing in pregnancy does not hurt the baby because it is not a dangerous symptom and the baby does not notice it. However, some causes of coughing can do harm to the baby, such as diseases such as asthma, bronchitis or pneumonia, as well as taking teas, home remedies and pharmacy remedies that are taken without medical knowledge.
Therefore the pregnant woman should seek a doctor whenever she has persistent cough or other respiratory diseases to start treatment with medicines that do not harm the pregnancy, avoiding complications.
Severe coughing does not cause uterine contractions, nor does it displace the placenta, but can be very uncomfortable and cause pain in the muscles of the abdomen when it becomes repetitive. Thus, it is important to seek medical help to eliminate the cough, and to be more rested.
