When one is expecting a child the growing belly can make it difficult for one to take deep and full breaths. That is why; one might feel some breathing problems during their pregnancy tenure.
Respiratory disorders in pregnancy are not a very uncommon thing. There can be a tendency of bronchitis or inflammation in the lower respiratory tract as well. This can make deep breaths even harder.
Bronchitis is a kind of inflammation of the airways that can also cause some extra mucus. Acute bronchitis can also happen due to some infection attacks. This leads to a lot of coughing, fever, shortness of breath, sore throat and chest pain. When pregnant, one has to be more careful in this situation and they need to immediately call a doctor for a check-up.
Bronchitis is fairly common, especially during the winter months. Taking preventive steps is important to help you and your baby to stay safe and sound. Here are some ways to try and prevent this situation and disease.
Bronchitis can be the result of a bacterial or viral infection. Both are unfortunately very easy to catch. One of the best ways to protect against bronchitis is to wash your hands often. One needs to avoid exposure to people who are already suffering from bronchitis or any other kind of respiratory problems. If one has an infection, the pregnant woman should stay as much away as they can from them.
The flu virus can also cause bronchitis. So it is a good idea to get the annual flu shot every year. The flu does not contain live virus and so a shot pee year can make one safe from these attacks. Getting the flu shot can also boost your baby’s immune system for about six months after birth. That means your little one will be less likely to get affected by the flu virus.
Also, in order to prevent bronchitis one also should avoid cigarette smoking. This is a strict no when one is pregnant. Smoking always irritates the airway linings and it hampers the natural defence system of a human body. Also, it is very harmful to the growing baby inside the body.
No matter what, if it is just a respiratory disorder, one needs to see a doctor immediately if they are pregnant. Seeking medical help is very necessary if one dace following symptoms like
- chest pain
- coughing up blood
- fever of more than 100.4°F, or 38°C
- shortness of breath that does not get better with rest
While a large portion of bronchitis-related cases is due to a virus, sometimes bacteria can lead to bronchitis. Bacteria related bronchitis can be treated with antibiotics if symptoms become severe or do not seem to get better even after a week.
Apart from respiratory infection medicine during pregnancy, one can also go for home treatments. They can also help one to get better. But yes, consulting a doctor before doing anything sounds better because there is another life growing inside you and you should not take any risk.