A month ago we told you that the experts of the Spanish Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (SEAIC) had warned of the high levels of pollen that would be recorded this spring in the central area of our country. No doubt bad news for allergic to different pollens that occur at this time of year.
Itchy nose and eyes, sneezing, tearing, asthma or difficulty falling asleep are just some of the multiple symptoms that environmental allergies have, and pregnant women are a particularly vulnerable group. Today we tell you what you should keep in mind if you are pregnant and suffer from pollen allergy.
The first thing you should do is put yourself in the hands of specialists
Environmental allergies are very uncomfortable, because the symptoms they present are continuous and in many cases they adversely affect our daily tasks. And is that the constant itching of the nose, tearing and sneezing end up becoming really annoying companions.
During pregnancy, one of the main questions that arise when we feel bad or have some kind of pain is if we can medicate to alleviate itWe already know that not all medicines are compatible with pregnancy.
It should be noted that the mother's pollen allergy will not cause any harm to the baby, but it is important that it is controlled, because some of the problems associated with allergies can affect the fetus and the mother.That's why we should put ourselves in the hands of specialists as soon as the first symptoms appear (taking into account that in some occasions, allergic rhinitis appears for the first time when we get pregnant). If we are already allergic to pollen and we are looking for a pregnancy, it is best to be cautious and tell the doctor during the preconception consultation.
"The particularity of each case further justifies the importance of going to the consultation and ignore the advice that works on other pregnant women allergic "- emphasizes Dr. Carmen Vidal, head of the Allergy Service of the University Hospital Complex of Santiago de Compostela and president of the Immunotherapy Committee of the Spanish Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (SEAIC).
Yes you can medicate, but with proper supervision
In general, experts say that Many of the medications used to control allergy symptoms can still be used in pregnancy, provided that they are drugs of long experience and those of the latest generation are avoided, which have not been tested in clinical trials with pregnant women.
In this sense, and according to Dr. Jaime García Campos in the blog of the Alergomálaga clinic, certain nasal sprays with corticosteroids, some antihistamines, rescue aerosols and maintenance treatments with inhaled corticosteroids could be used.
As for getting vaccinated (immunotherapy), from SEAIC they tell us the following:
"As a general rule, it is not recommended to start the administration of a vaccine during pregnancy, but if the woman becomes pregnant when she is already in the maintenance phase and the tolerance is good, you can continue with the pattern "
Pay attention to asthma!
Bronchial asthma can be a symptom of allergy, and poorly controlled in the mother it could cause problems in both her and the baby, such as prematurity, low birth weight or other perinatal complications.
Therefore, it is essential to know identify and cut in time an asthmatic crisis during pregnancy using the appropriate drugs:
"The risk / benefit ratio in the use of these drugs is in favor of their use whenever indicated. In fact, Most of the complications that arise during pregnancy in an asthmatic woman are due to inadequate disease control or to a lack of diagnosis "- indicate from the SEAIC.
Tips for day to day
Apart from the medication we can also follow a series of recommendations aimed at mitigating, as far as possible, allergic symptoms during this spring:
Ventilate the house for a short time and always do it first and last hour of the day. The rest of the day, keep the windows closed.
Avoid exercising outdoors or spending a day in the countryside.
When you get home from the street, change your clothes and shower.
Do not lower the windows of the car and use a pollen filter.
Consult the predictions of the SEAIC or mobile applications such as Pollen Control (available for Android and iOS).
Do not dry clothes outdoors because in times of much pollen it stays attached to the fibers.
Wear sunglasses to avoid direct contact of pollen in the eyes.
If the allergy is high even in enclosed spaces, experts also advise using indoor air purifiers that filter most of the environmental particles, reducing symptoms considerably.
Perform nasal washes with seawater and with oil sprays (sesame or olive), as as indicated by Dr. García Campos, when applying a film or protective barrier is created on the nasal mucosa that minimizes the entry of allergens.
We can also use nasal filters or masks that cover the nose and mouth
But above all, and as we have said at the beginning, Do not self-medicate and always put yourself in the hands of specialists.
IStock photos
Via With A of Allergy, SEAIC
In Babies and More This spring allergy to pollen comes strong: how to recognize and relieve symptoms in children, Allergy shots: everything you need to know, Do not put your baby at risk: medicines prohibited during pregnancy, "Asthma and pregnancy, two scenarios to care for", a complete application
