Coping with cough in pregnancy

Cough can be a real nuisance while you are pregnant. It may come frequently and not all over the counter drug are safe to treat cough at this stage. When you are pregnant, your immune system needs to protect your developing baby rather than warding off everyday illnesses. This means you are more susceptible to all germs that cause not only coughs, but colds too.
Will unborn baby be affected by cough?
When you cough, your tummy moves up and down, which your baby may feel. But s/he will not be physically affected by your coughing. If you find that it is uncomfortable when you cough and you feel as if you are straining your tummy muscles, use a hand to support your lower abdomen.
Natural remedies for cough:
* Keep hydrated by drinking lots of fluids, preferably water but also fruit juices.
* Lemon juice with honey and boiling water was really good to sip at to reduce the coughing spasms.
* Maintain a healthy diet, trying to up your intake of fruit and vegetables, and try to keep oily and spicy food off your menu.
* Rest when you need to and make sure you have a good night’s sleep and do not strain your throat.
* Try hot water gurgle.
* Try lozenges containing honey or glycerol to coat the throat. These are the safest option to reduce coughing during pregnancy.
* Ginger tea or a spoonful of grated ginger juice can also help in providing much relief to sore throat.
Ways to prevent or minimise coughs in pregnancy?
Essentially, there is no such effective way to prevent cough. But there are ways you can minimise coughs, like any adult person. The following ways will help you minimise:
* Follow good hygiene by washing your hands regularly with soap and hot water or by using antibacterial hand drops, which are safe to use during pregnancy.
* Cough into a tissue or your hand (and then wash it) so as not to spread germs.
* Keep in mind that you don’t strain your abdomen while blowing your nose or spitting off cough.
Coughing and your pelvic floor
Many women experience a weakened pelvic floor in pregnancy. The strain of coughing may consequently cause a little leak or two. While this is entirely normal, it is a reminder that you need to work hard on developing the strength of your pelvic floor muscles.
When to consult a doctor:
* Cough usually caused by a viral infection and should clear up within two weeks, but if you have a persistent cough (more than 2 weeks in duration), you should see your doctor.
* You have a temperature, are coughing up green/yellowish mucus, finding it harder to breathe than normal and generally feel unwell. Together, these symptoms could indicate that you have a chest infection. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics. If your chest infection is left untreated, it may affect your unborn baby.

The write up is compiled by Dr Mohammad Azizur Rahman, Assistant Professor, Department of Respiratory Medicine, MH Samorita Medical College & Hospital, Dhaka.
E-mail: mohammadrahmandr @gmail.com