Influenza in pregnancy should be treated under the guidance of the doctor, with a recommendation for rest, consumption of plenty of fluids and a balanced and healthy diet in order to strengthen the immune system to fight the virus responsible for the infection. In addition, if the symptoms are persistent or signs of severity are perceived, such as difficulty breathing and mental confusion, it may be recommended that the woman be hospitalized to be monitored and complications for the baby are avoided.
During the flu it is important to adopt some precautions to avoid new infections and transmission of the virus to other people, such as avoiding indoors and with large numbers of people, avoiding the sharing of towels and cutlery and washing your hands frequently, since the hands correspond to the main route of transmission and contagion of infections.
What to do
It is important that as soon as signs and symptoms of flu appear, the woman is at rest and has a diet rich in foods that help strengthen the immune system, such as acerola, pineapple, strawberry, orange and tangerine. Know other foods that improve the immune system.
To combat cough, which can be very uncomfortable in pregnancy, what you can do is drink plenty of fluids to facilitate the elimination of secretions, and it is also interesting to suck on a ginger or honey candy, as they are able to prevent the throat is dry and irritated.
Flu during pregnancy is easily combated by the body itself, with the symptoms disappearing in a few days. However, during this period it is important that the pregnant woman adopts some measures not only to prevent transmission to other people, but also to prevent new infections, being recommended:
- Avoid sharing food, glasses and cutlery; Avoid going indoors and with a large concentration of people; Wash your hands frequently; Avoid shaking hands, kisses and hugs; Avoid putting your hand in your mouth.
The use of drugs should only be done under the guidance of the doctor, as many drugs are contraindicated during pregnancy due to the potential risk to the baby, such as Aspirin and Ibuprofen, which are often recommended in influenza, but which can interfere in the baby's development or delaying labor.
When to go to the doctor
To avoid complications for the mother and baby it is important to go to the doctor when signs and symptoms of severity appear, such as difficulty in breathing, persistent fever above 38º C, decrease in blood pressure and mental confusion, for example, being recommended in these cases that the woman go immediately to the hospital to be under observation.
In the hospital, to check the severity of the infection, nasopharyngeal material is usually collected, which is analyzed in the laboratory, and Oseltamivir is administered in order to prevent the progression of the viral disease.
Natural treatment for flu in pregnancy
The natural treatment for influenza is a way of complementing the treatment recommended by the doctor and aims to accelerate the woman's recovery by relieving the signs and symptoms presented, being indicated for this purpose to perform nebulization with saline, to relieve the nasal congestion, and gargling with water and salt for a sore throat or using a honey spray with propolis for the throat.
In addition, consumption of lemon and honey tea can help to strengthen the immune system. See in the following video how to prepare tea:
Also check out a complete list of teas the pregnant woman cannot take.
