Pregnancy is one of the best experience a woman can have that completed her womanhood. While having a child is a milestone every couple has been waiting to complete their family. But what if allergies get in the way? What will you do? How will you prevent it? Is it safe during pregnancy? Will it affect your baby? This is the time for you to consult an allergy physician that you can trust while you are dealing with your allergies, especially while you are pregnant. It is understandable that there are a lot of complexities in carrying a baby, but there are ways for you to handle your allergies well without worrying about your baby’s safety.
Find Out What Triggers Your Allergy
Before anything else, you first have to be aware of what you are really allergic at. What causes your irritations and what are the common allergens around you. Based on studies there are a lot of allergy reactors that can affect a person with allergies, here are some:
- Dust Mites
- Pollen
- Pet Fur
- Cockroaches
- Molds
- Foods such as eggs, seafood, and nuts, just to name a few)
- Insect bites or stings
- Over-the-counter medications (aspirin, penicillin, and more)
- Antibiotics
- Chemicals like perfume, paint, gas, and others
- Sound or noise
While you are making yourself aware of the former information the following details will give you an insight on how you can spot that you are having an allergic reaction. Though allergy symptoms may vary depending on what triggers it.
- Itchy eyes, throat, and nose
- Sneezing
- A runny nose
- Irritated nose
- Clogged nose
- Teary eyes
- Skin itch, redness or rashes
While for food allergy, you may also experience the following:
- Itchy skin
- Vomiting, nausea, or diarrhea
- Hives and eczema
- Anaphylaxis, which is the extreme level of an allergic reaction where the airway muscles are swollen or narrowing down causing difficulty in breathing.
If you have a skin allergy, here’s what you should be watching out for:
- Swelling
- Redness
- Itching
- Pain
- Hives
As for drug reaction:
- Redness or rashes
- Inflamed throat and face
- Wheezing
- Vomiting
- Nausea or light-headedness
Treat Your Allergies During Pregnancy
While you are in the process of carrying a growing human being inside your belly for nine months and at the same time you get seasonal or occasional allergic reactions, you should be extra careful in doing self-medication or taking your prescribed meds. Bear in mind that there are chemicals or medicines that may affect your baby’s growth and development. So make it a habit to always ask and consult with your physician and OBGyn about all these concerns.
You will be glad to know that there are over-the-counter drugs and treatment that are safe for expectant mothers to take. These are medications that are supported by the experts and have undergone intensive research and tests.
- Loratadine (Claritin)
- Cetirizine (Zyrtec)
- Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
- Chlorpheniramine (ChlorTrimeton)
Although doctors always remind their patients about the risk of taking oral allergy drugs during gestation period nasal sprays, on the other hand, is deemed to be safer than oral medications. This is because the nasal medication has lesser chances to enter the bloodstream, but, you should limit your usage and void being dependent on it. Because chances are instead of treating your allergy, it might even make it worse.
These are the medications a pregnant, allergic woman should avoid:
- Phenylephrine and phenylpropanolamine
- Pseudoephedrine – this treatment might cause defects in babies during pregnancy.
As a mother-to-be do not depend so much on prescribed medications for your allergies, you have to do your own research and self-care. Watch, browse or read the news about your condition and make it a habit to check your pollen count every single day. Because when the pollen count is high, it means you should stay at home rather than be exposed outdoors. Usually, 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. is when pollen is expected to be active in nature, so avoid going out during that time frame if possible.
Stay clean, take a shower and change your clothes every time you come back from the outside world. This habit can prevent allergens from sticking with you and lingering within your home.
Always wear a protective face mask when you’re heading out and visit your best allergist as much as possible for you to be properly guided on how to deal with your allergies while you’re waiting for that little angel to say hello to the world.
