There are many pregnancy symptoms that we are aware of, but there’s one that you may not realize or be prepared for, pregnancy rhinitis. While swollen ankles and heartburn are to be expected, many are not expecting this uncomfortable condition. Simply put, pregnancy rhinitis is nasal congestion that can happen almost anytime during pregnancy and it can last throughout a woman’s pregnancy. However, pregnancy rhinitis typically affects women during the first trimester and again later in the pregnancy. In some cases, pregnancy rhinitis can even last until about two weeks after the baby is born. While the symptoms are the same as the common cold, even for expecting mothers who had no signs prior, pregnancy rhinitis can occur out of the blue and last for weeks or months.
If you are an expecting mother, and suddenly symptoms that resemble the common cold suddenly occur and last for a few weeks or months, there is a good chance you have pregnancy rhinitis. The symptoms associated with pregnancy rhinitis can occur even during non-pregnancy periods, and it often includes:
• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Itchy nose
• Congestion
• A runny nose
• Itchy throat
• Watery, itchy eyes
It is important to know that you should never take nasal decongestants and any other medication to treat your rhinitis without consulting first with your doctor. Many drugs are not pregnancy safe and need to be avoided. Luckily, there are a few ways to naturally treat pregnancy rhinitis that are not harmful to your pregnancy, and they are relatively simple ones at that. One way is to use Breathe Right strips that you can purchase at your local drugstore. These handy strips help manually open up the nasal passages so you can breathe better, especially at night. The other method is to perform saline irrigation, which you can do with a neti pot or even a squirt bottle. Saline irrigation uses a solution containing salt and sterile water to flush out the nasal passages.
All in all, pregnancy rhinitis is generally harmless, but some symptoms can potentially harm the baby. If you are pregnant and are experiencing symptoms that directly interfere with your ability to perform daily activities make sure you contact your doctor. Especially if you are having issues sleeping, which can directly interfere with your child’s ability to get the oxygen they need to develop properly. If you believe you may have pregnancy rhinitis and live in the NYC metro area, contact us today to make an appointment.