Flu While Pregnant
What To Do If You Have A Flu While Pregnant
The best remedy for the flu while pregnant, is prevention of the flu. The most effective way to prevent the flu, while pregnant or not, is to get vaccinated against the flu. This year there has been the additional worry about the H1N1 flu. Pregnant women were among the groups most strongly urged to get the H1N1 vaccine along with the seasonal flu vaccine.
Further prevention is available through limiting your contact with sick people. It’s best to avoid hospitals and doctors’ offices, except for prenatal care of course. If your job requires you to be around people who may be sick, you need to take special care in washing your hands, and avoiding touching your face, mouth, or eyes. Experts also suggest that you use hand sanitizer gel frequently.
If you do come in contact with someone that knows they have the flu, contact your doctor. It is possible that you will be given anti-viral medication, such as Tamiflu, to get a jump on preventing the virus from making you seriously ill and harming the fetus. In fact, for possible exposure to the H1N1 flu, the Centers for Disease Control has advised physicians to give pregnant women anti-viral medications. Taking your prenatal vitamins, eating healthy, and drinking plenty of fluids will also help your immune system to function properly and allow your body to combat the flu.
Although most women who are pregnant do not like to take any medications, some medications are safe for women and their fetus during pregnancy. Before taking any over the counter cold or flu medications, always consult your obstetrician, even if there are no written warning on the medication label. Pregnant women should also consult their doctor before taking any herbal medications or supplements as some herbs are known to cause damage to the fetus and some can even cause abortions or still born babies.
Cough drops and throat sprays do not usually have a large concentration of medicine. Even if your doctor tells you that a specific medication is safe, do not combine it with any other medication. Sometimes medications that are safe by themselves are not safe in combinations. Robitussin alone is considered safe for most pregnant women. Tylenol, or acetaminophen, is commonly considered safe to take during pregnancy, and is very effective to relieve aches, pains, and to reduce fevers. Regardless of the medication you are taking, be sure to only take the recommended dosage. Over the counter flu medications do not actually cure you, they only help relieve you of your symptoms, so if you can live with the symptoms it is better to avoid medications.
Flu can result in serious complications for the elderly, children, pregnant women, and people with compromised immune systems. One problem that can lead to serious complications is dehydration. It’s important to drink plenty of water or even suck on ice when you are ill. If you cannot get enough liquids orally, a doctor may have to give you fluids intravenously.
High fevers are common when you have the flu. This can also be a cause of dehydration. A very high fever can be dangerous to you and your fetus. If you have a fever of more than 101 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s important that you see a doctor, as this can be a sign of an infection.
The most serious complication of the flu is pneumonia. Pneumonia happens when there is an infection in the lungs. The infection can be bacterial or viral. Bacterial is the most common and is treatable with antibiotics. Pneumonia can be very serious and is the leading cause of hospitalization and fatality from the flu. This is why it is so important to work on flu prevention.