A dry cough during pregnancy may make you feel extremely uncomfortable. It is advisable that pregnant women should not take any over-the-counter (OTC) medication without consulting a doctor. However, you may try out a few home remedies for a day or two. If you are an expecting mother suffering from a dry cough, continue reading this post as we suggest ways to help you with the condition.
What Is A Dry Cough?
A dry cough is a non-productive cough that does not produce phlegm or mucus. It is irritating and is mostly associated with a tickling sensation in the throat. It is often caused by viral infections such as the cold and flu, and sometimes due to throat irritants and allergies. A persistent dry cough relates to the presence of irritants and microbes in the air passages (1) (2).
Causes Of A Dry Cough During Pregnancy
There may be several causes of a dry cough in pregnancy, including the following:
Allergies: They cause a dry cough. If you experience any allergy, exposure to the allergen may create irritation in the air passages, causing a dry cough (3).
Low immunity: The immune system weakens during pregnancy and could make you prone to various infections and allergies that could cause a dry cough (4).
Asthma: If you are already diagnosed with asthma before pregnancy, you are likely to experience breathing difficulties and dry cough during pregnancy (5).
Hay fever or allergic rhinitis: It is an inflammation and irritation of the mucous membrane inside the nose, caused by hypersensitivity. High estrogen levels in the body might aggravate this condition, prompting a dry cough (6).
Heartburn: If the acidic contents enter into the respiratory tract, it could lead to inflammation of the respiratory tract lining, causing a dry cough (7).
Viral infections: Common cold or flu that are a result of viral infections are likely to cause a dry cough (8). Air pollutants: Exposure to air pollutants, such as smog, irritant gas, or tobacco smoke, that irritate the back of the throat may cause a dry cough.
Signs And Symptoms Of A Dry Cough While Pregnant
The following are the signs and symptoms that might develop with a dry cough.
Blocked throat or a wheezing cough Coughing accompanied by nausea Sleeping difficulties
“Depending on the underlying cause, dry cough may last for anytime between one and three weeks during pregnancy,” says Mya Bellinger, a qualified Medical practitioner specializing in internal medicine, immunology, and gynecology.
Are There Any Ways To Prevent A Dry Cough During Pregnancy?
The following tips could help when you have dry cough:
Avoid exposure to allergens such as grass, tree pollen, and fur.
Reduce the probability of acid reflux by improving meal frequency and sitting upright after a meal.
Adopt ways to boost up the body’s resistance
Avoiding exposure to the poor quality of air
Placing a humidifier in the room might reduce nasal congestion Prop your head using a couple of pillows for easy breathing
Relief Measures For Dry Cough During Pregnancy
If the dry cough has just started and is mild, you may try the following measures. Although they might not cure the cough completely, they may provide temporary relief.
Stay hydrated by increasing your fluid intake. Dehydration could worsen your condition and even suppress immunity.
Keep your head and upper body in an elevated position while lying down to prevent sleep difficulties due to a cough.
Lukewarm water with freshly squeezed lemon juice might soothe the throat irritation and alkalize the body.
Warm water, soups, and teas mixed with a teaspoon of honey could treat cough and cold as honey holds antiseptic properties.
Gargling with a warm saline solution might be effective in getting rid of a dry cough.
Do Home Remedies For Dry Cough Work?
People try some age-old remedies for treating cough. But there is little or no scientific evidence to support their effectiveness. Most of them are harmless, so you may want to try after talking to your doctor.
Eating raw garlic, along with your, food might be effective in alleviating the dry cough.
Ginger tea made of the fresh root may soothe the throat and prevent irritation that might cause a cough.
Chamomile tea, with some honey added to it, may also help.
Add a pinch of black pepper powder on a slice of lemon and suck it. It is believed to reduce the symptoms of a cough.
You may try making a natural dry cough syrup by mixing onion juice with honey and drink the mixture.
A paste of basil leaves and honey might help.
Orange juice boosts your immunity and could help in relieving the symptoms.
Note that there are no studies to support these claims. They are based on popular beliefs.
When To See A Doctor?
Although a dry cough is harmless, you should consult your doctor if you have persistent dry cough along with any of these symptoms:
Cold Prolonged appetite loss Frequent episodes of insomnia for an extended period Coughing along with severe chest pain Fever of 102°F and above Persistent dry cough
“For uncomplicated cases, pain during a cough may be associated with round ligament pain. If you have an infection or bleeding in the uterus, you will have more pain with coughing and tenderness to touch,” says Dr. Alan Lindemann. It is better to visit your doctor if these symptoms persist and do not fade away even with home remedies.
Dry Cough Treatment During Pregnancy
Your doctor is likely to recommend the below medicines depending on the severity of the dry cough.
Anesthetic sore throat lozenges (ease throat pain)
Cough drops containing dextromethorphan and guaifenesin (suppress a dry cough) (9)
Hepatitis B and flu vaccinations are also recommended to prevent complications in the baby (10).
Tdap vaccine is suggested for whooping cough (11). The doctor may also suggest you see a physician if the cough does not get better with these medicines or is accompanied by a fever, or if any other illness is suspected.
Will A Dry Cough Affect The Baby During Pregnancy?
A dry cough may not affect the baby as the placenta serves as a barrier and offers enough protection to the growing fetus. But if a cough, cold or flu is not treated for a long time, the infection might spread internally and affect the cognitive development of the baby and impair childbirth. Therefore, do not ignore the symptoms associated with a dry cough and get them checked by a doctor soon.
Does Dry Cough During Pregnancy Cause Any Complications?
In the later stages of pregnancy, dry cough is likely to cause certain complications.
Disrupted sleep pattern is common, and coughing episodes associated with lack of sleep could make the body weak and fragile.
Urinary incontinence is common during pregnancy when the uterus puts excessive pressure on the bladder. It might become severe with a dry cough, sometimes causing urine leakage.
Suppressed immunity due to a dry cough could highly increase the risk of various infections.
Reduced appetite associated with dry coughing might lead to nutritional deficiencies.
It may also cause physical, emotional, and mental stress.
Obstetrician and maternal mortality expert Dr. Lindemann clarifies, “If your cervix is closed, coughing cannot cause a miscarriage. However, if your cervix is thin and 4-5 cm dilated, a cough could initiate the delivery of a placenta, sac, and baby.”
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