Winter is of course, a cold season and it can be difficult during those months to stop catching a virus. Should pregnant women be particularly worried about winter viruses that are common? Will a cold or flu damage a child or cause a miscarriage to occur? Read more below.
Cold and Flu Viruses and Chances of Miscarriage
Although cold and flu viruses will definitely make you miserable (especially if you are pregnant and some drugs are off-limits), miscarriage is not likely to occur.
The influenza virus obviously played a part in miscarriages during the 1918 flu pandemic. During that time, one in 10 pregnant women were thought to have had early miscarriages, above and above what would be considered the expected occurrence. A century later, a study of 100 influenza studies in pregnancy showed that they were at risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, and preterm birth, especially when pregnant women experienced complications from influenza.
Having a fever during pregnancy (a temperature that's higher than 100 degrees Fahrenheit) is linked with an increased miscarriage risk. If you do catch the flu, your doctor may advise you to keep your fever well controlled with Tylenol (acetaminophen) while you are sick. Remember: Always ask your doctor before taking any over-the-counter pill while you're pregnant because many—like Sudafed (pseudoephedrine), Dayquil (acetaminophen, dextromethorphan, phenylephrine), Aleve (naproxen), Advil (ibuprofen), Motrin (ibuprofen), Bayer (aspirin), and Excedrin (aspirin, paracetamol, caffeine)—are not considered safe.
Other Pregnancy Concerns Beyond Miscarriage
During pregnancy, developing a fever (temperature above 100 degrees Fahrenheit) is associated with an increased risk of miscarriage. Your doctor may advise you to keep your fever well controlled by Tylenol (acetaminophen) while you are sick if you get the flu. Before taking any over-the-counter pills, always ask your doctor while you are pregnant, since many are not considered healthy, such as Sudafed (pseudoephedrine), Dayquil (acetaminophen, dextromethorphan, phenylephrine), Aleve (naproxen), Advil (ibuprofen), Motrin (ibuprofen), Bayer (aspirin), and Excedrin (aspirin, paracetamol, caffeine).
Should Pregnant Women Get the Flu Vaccine?
The flu vaccination has been studied extensively and does not appear to pose any risk with regard to miscarriage. Both the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend the flu vaccine for all pregnant women, at any point in pregnancy. This is because the vaccine protects not only the women themselves, which is valuable, but also their babies, who are born with some protection against flu viruses.
The Difference Between Cold and Flu
A cold and the flu can cause similar symptoms, even though they're triggered by different viruses. Symptoms of both may include fever, fatigue, body aches, and dry cough. With a cold, a person is more likely to have rhinorrhea (a stuffy and runny nose). Furthermore, colds usually don't have the potential to lead to more serious problems that would result in hospitalization, such as pneumonia or more severe bacterial infections. With the flu, symptoms usually hit suddenly and they're typically more severe.
Based on your symptoms alone, your physician may have trouble distinguishing cold from flu because they're both so similar. However, special tests can be done to distinguish between them.
Although anyone is at risk of catching the flu, the flu is more common among the following patient populations:
Pregnant women
Older people
Children
People with chronic medical conditions, such as asthma or heart disease
Fortunately, most people who get the flu recover after a few days. However, some people do develop pneumonia, a serious lung infection that can sometimes be deadly. Other respiratory infections can result from the flu, including bronchitis and sinusitis. The flu can also result in an ear infection (the middle ear is connected to the respiratory tract).
The flu can also exacerbate other illness. For example, the flu can make asthma worse and serve as a trigger for asthma attacks. Additionally, the flu can make heart failure worse.
There are some key steps that you can take to lower your risk of catching a cold or the flu. In addition to getting vaccinated, avoid close contact with people who are sick, wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, and disinfect things that you touch a lot (like your phone, your computer, doorknobs). Of course, general health habits like getting enough sleep, eating nutritious foods, being active, managing stress, and staying hydrated can all boost your immune system and help you fend off disease.