Strep Throat During Pregnancy
Contents:
- What is a Strep Throat?
- A Strep Throat During Pregnancy: Symptoms
- Treatment
- How is a Strep Throat During Pregnancy Dangerous?
- A Strep Throat During Pregnancy: Preventive Measures
Strep Throat in Pregnancy
If a woman suddenly gets a strep throat during the course of pregnancy, it may do an irreparable harm to her future baby. That’s why it’s so important not only to cure the disease the way it should be cured, but also take preventive measures against it.
What is a Strep Throat?
The question is what should a pregnant woman do if she suspects that she has a strep throat? First of all, it is necessarily to know that not all pains that occur in your throat are the symptoms of a strep throat. Besides, it is rare for pregnant women to have a strep throat. In the majority of cases, these are children of school age and younger that get ill with this disease. If you start feeling pains in your throat, you shouldn’t right away specify them as a case of a strep throat on your own. It’s most likely that you have caught a simple ARVI. Even though it may also be unpleasant, luckily for you it’s not so dangerous as a strep throat. If an infectious disease specialist or an ENT specialist (only these specialist, not a GP) proves that you have a strep throat, then, you need to know something about the disease.
Doctors characterize a strep throat as an acute infectious and allergic illness the main symptom of which is the inflammation of the lymphadenoideus throat tissue. You can get this disease if your hands are dirty. Also, through the foods you eat and the things you use. It is an airborne disease that’s passed on you if you contact with an ill person. The following resources of infections also contribute to having a strep throat: a purulent disease of nose or of accessory sinuses of the nose or even a tooth decay.
A Strep Throat During Pregnancy: Symptoms
In case of a strep throat, a sharp increase of body temperature up to 39-40 °C occurs in the very beginning of the disease. This is due to the fact that a strep throat often begins in its acute stage. Besides, ab indisposition, weakness and a loss of appetite occur. Lymph glands under your lower jowl get bigger and pain occurs. Your voice becomes nasal. However, the main symptom, that is the first to occur, is a strong pain in your throat. Because of it, you’re unable to swallow. It is hard for you to breathe and speak. If you have all these symptoms, what should you do?
You need to urgently call a doctor!
Treatment
If you really have a case of a strep throat, then, under no condition you should start curing it on your own, since it may be dangerous not only for you, but also for your future baby. The best way to get rid of a strep throat is antibiotics. Everyone knows that antibiotics are forbidden in case of pregnant women. That’s why you shouldn’t even think about choosing the appropriate antibiotics on your own. Only you doctor can prescribe to you appropriate antibiotics. You also shouldn’t act in an opposite way – refuse taking any antibiotics at all. Nowadays, in the list of drugs, there are enough antibiotics that are allowed to take during pregnancy, especially, on the last stage of it. Drinking a lot of liquids is also quite helpful in fighting off a strep throat. These shouldn’t be juices or tea with lemon because acid environment aggravates the throat mucous even more. As a result, a complication may occur. That’s why you’d better drink warm milk (not hot). It’s also recommended to treat your throat with antiseptics (chlorhexidine or myramistin). You may do it in turns with rinsing your throat with chamomile or sage decoctions.
Your doctor will tell you in case of what temperature you should start trying to bring it down and what medicine you’d better use for it. As for us, we want to remind you that apart from drugs, there are also means of folk medicine that have proved to be effective for centuries and that also can help bringing the temperature down. They include: rubbing down using a solution of vinegar and water, tea made of lime decoction and many others. Besides, irrespective of the fact that there is a loss of appetite, you need to eat since during the disease your organism and your future baby are really in need of energy. Even before you go to your doctor, you need to start rinsing your throat very often. You’d better do it every hour. Keep in mind that you shouldn’t use drugs for rinsing. There should be a not so strong salt decoction that should be warm. Attention! Under no condition you should put your feet in a hot water to warm them up, especially, on the early stages of pregnancy! This can provoke a spontaneous abortion! Moreover, pregnant women that have varicosity or a high arterial pressure are forbidden to take warm baths for feet no matter what the stage of the pregnancy is.
How is a Strep Throat During Pregnancy Dangerous?
When the organism of a man is fighting actively against the causative agent of a strep throat (streptococcus), heart, kidneys or junction illness may occur. When your organism is trying to get rid of streptococcus, it influences not only on the tonsils in the throat, but also causes very dangerous diseases. In order to decrease the activity of the immune system people that have a strep throat, apart from antibiotics are also prescribed antihistamines. They decrease the possibility of complications occurring. However, we know that an organism of a pregnant woman differs from the organisms of other people. That’s why it’s possible that your organism will react on these drugs in an unusual way. In order to avoid this you should remember that only a professional is allowed to prescribe antihistamines. Besides, you should stick to a bed rest in order not to provoke any other complications. Follow all recommendations of your doctor and do not try to keep yourself busy with something. Give your organism a chance to have a rest.
A Strep Throat During Pregnancy: Preventive Measures
The best preventive measure is to avoid communicating with people who have the illness. Besides, during the second half of the pregnancy, you need to consult an ENT professional and a dentist. They will check whether you have any infections that can provoke any diseases including a strep throat. A strep throat can be caused by a tooth decay, or occur as a result of an upper respiratory tract inflammation. If there are any, the doctors will take care of that. Consulting these doctors is a great preventive measure in case of pregnant women. If one of your family members gets a strep throat, you should take necessary precautions. Do not use the same crockery that the ill person uses, wear a mask. If it’s possible, isolate the ill person and avoid contacting with him or her.