What is ARVI?
Acute respiratory infections are a common name for a number of infectious diseases caused by viruses and bacteria and occur with symptoms of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract (nose, larynx, trachea, bronchi), and sometimes with damage to the conjunctiva of the eyes.
Infection occurs from sick people. The main way of transmission of the virus is airborne, but it is also possible to get infected through household items (dishes, towels, toys, etc.), as well as when there are drops of the patient’s saliva when coughing or sneezing.
The incubation period takes an average of 2 to 7 days. The virus enters the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract with air flow and is introduced into the epithelium (cells of the outer layer of the mucous membrane), while endotoxin is released, which causes intoxication – poisoning of the body.
The main symptoms of the beginning of the disease include general malaise, weakness, nasal congestion, runny nose (rhinitis), coughing, lacrimation, sometimes headaches and fever. These symptoms may not appear at the same time and do not go away immediately.
Treatment of ARVI during pregnancy
If you are sick, do not despair. Be sure to call the doctor at your home, take a sick leave sheet. Do not forget that your health and your child’s health are more important than force majeure at work.
It is well-known expression that if you treat the flu, then it will pass for 7 days, and if not treated, then for a week. And no matter how skeptical you are about the cold, do not pay no attention to the disease. Often, the easily respiratory infections that occur before pregnancy become more severe, which is explained by the physiological changes that occur in the female body during pregnancy.
With the development of acute respiratory viral infection in the body of a pregnant woman, the blood flow in the mother-placenta-fetus system sharply decreases, and then the baby receives less oxygen. The timely treatment helps prevent the development of fetal hypoxia. Also it is reliably known, that at complication of pregnancy ORVI the frequency of pregnancy miscarriage slightly increases.
A competent consultation of a specialist will help in time to cope with the disease, prevent complications of ARVI, as well as possible complications of pregnancy.
Preparations for ARVI treatment
Modern arsenal of drugs for the prevention and treatment of acute respiratory viral infections is very extensive. In order to prevent acute respiratory infections during the autumn-winter and spring periods, various methods are used: vaccination, the appointment of antiviral and immune stimulating drugs. Unfortunately, most of these drugs are contraindicated during pregnancy. Antibiotics are used only in the complicated course of acute respiratory viral infection in pregnant women, so the appointment of an antibacterial drug should be justified. In each case, the risk of taking an antibacterial drug is evaluated, the likelihood of its impact on the development of the child’s organs, the presence of chronic diseases in the mother, the length of pregnancy, etc.,
To protect your loved ones and reduce the risk of having acute respiratory infections in the family, you can consult your doctor and pick up flu vaccines and antiviral drugs to prevent ARI.
Attention! Ladies, do not self-medicate. During pregnancy, take medication only on the prescription of the doctor in charge and taking into account their possible effect on the fetus.
Doctor’s advice for ARVI
- Regularly ventilate the room, but avoid drafts.
- Do a wet cleaning of the room. In order to breathe easier, we must increase the humidity in the room. Place open dishes with water near the battery or on the battery.
- Keep your feet warm: wear warm woolen socks.
Attention! Hot baths during pregnancy are not recommended. Also, it is not necessary to soar in the hot water of the feet and shins, to carry mustard wrapping of the feet. These procedures increase the risk of bleeding and premature labor.
- For a pregnant woman, physical and emotional rest is important, especially during a period of malaise.
- Sleep should be sufficient, up to 7-8 hours, and full.
- Drink plenty of fluids – up to 1.5-2 liters per day. It is better that these are sour drinks, for example tea with lemon.
- Warm milk with honey or raspberries will allow you to keep warm, active sweating will allow to remove toxins from the body. Also useful is green tea, tea with linden, black currant, birch juice with milk. Minimize the intake of coffee, carbonated drinks.
- Nutrition of the pregnant woman during the illness should be full, saturated with proteins. The products must be easily digestible.