Pregnant women often think they have a cold or allergies when actually they are experiencing something called pregnancy rhinitis. It usually occurs after the second month of pregnancy and symptoms can include sinus congestion, post nasal drip, sneezing, coughing and even a runny nose. No wonder so many women think they have a cold!
The current theories about why this happens are:
1. The blood flow throughout the body increases to feed the fetus and the small capillaries in the nose swell as they are filled with extra blood. This creates inflammation within the sinus cavity.
2. Increase in hormones contributes to nasal swelling thus creating nasal congestion. The rise in estrogen produces more mucus and the rise in progesterone thickens it.
While a lot of women turn to pharmaceuticals for relief, I think that is unnecessary. First of all, the list of safe pharmaceuticals is always changing making it unclear as to what is acceptable for pregnant women to take. In addition, nasal decongestants are designed to dry out your sinuses which can also dry all of the mucous membranes in your body. This is not desirable during pregnancy when the body is trying to increase mucus production for the fetus.
Below are safe and natural remedies to help with the symptoms of pregnancy rhinitis:
- Drink plenty of water to help thin the mucus.
- Steam over a pot of hot water or better yet use a humidifier. Some women get great relief using one in their bedroom when they sleep.
- Rinse with a saline solution.
While nasal congestion may be uncomfortable doing pregnancy, it is only temporary and the symptoms should subside a few weeks after delivery.
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