Sore Throat During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a time when women need to be extra careful about their health. This is because as it is there is an extra demand that they have on their body when it comes to nutrition and oxygen. So in this state, contracting any kind of disease would put both the mother and the child at an added risk. One common condition seen that many expectant mothers complain of is sore throat. One needs to be quite careful while taking medication for cold and sore throat during pregnancy. This is because there are many medications that are contraindicated during pregnancy. Though it is very easy to treat a sore throat, pregnancy is a time when one needs to stress on using natural remedies rather than medications.

What Can You Take for a Sore Throat?

• Prepare tea as usual (make sure that it's decaf). Add one teaspoon of lemon juice and one teaspoon of honey. Mix together and sip it while it's hot. Make sure that it's not too hot, as this will only irritate the throat.
• Take water in a kettle and bring to boil. Place ginger slices in the water and prepare tea with this water as usual. Add one teaspoon of lemon juice to this mixture and sip while hot. This will help get rid of a cold as well.
• Take some warm water and add salt to it. Gargle with this solution but be sure not to swallow it. The salinity in the mixture irritates the bacteria and alters their cellular osmotic balance.
• Herbs like basil leaves also help when it comes to sore throat and pregnancy. Take a kettle full of water and add 15-20 crushed basil leaves to it. Bring this solution to a boil, then strain and let it cool for a while. You can gargle with this solution or can even drink it.
• Boil some water and add a spoonful of coarsely powdered cinnamon to it. You may also add a pinch of pepper powder and two teaspoons of honey. Drink this solution while it's still warm.
• Take a glass of lukewarm milk and add a pinch of turmeric to it and drink this solution. You may also add honey to it if you want. This is one of the oldest and the most effective ways of dealing with a sore throat. Pregnancy is especially a time when a woman needs to increase her intake of calcium as it is, so having milk with turmeric all the more increases the chances of soothing a sore throat.

How to Avoid Sore Throat

• Take adequate rest, especially during the first trimester. This way, the chances of you contracting a cold and sore throat go down considerably. Overworking yourself during the first trimester only makes the pregnancy even more difficult.
• Eat a balanced diet when you're pregnant. Eating right helps to prevent the chances of contracting any kind of infection.
• Completely avoid smoking and drinking when you're pregnant.
• Stay hydrated all the time when pregnant, as a state of dehydration increases the susceptibility of catching a cold.
• Before taking any kind of medication for sore throat, pregnant women should consult a doctor.

As we can see from above, when it comes to sore throat, pregnancy is not the best time to contract it. If one does suffer from sore throat during pregnancy, it is best to use natural remedies to treat it. However, if sore throat persists for long, it is best to visit a doctor and get the condition diagnosed and treated, as it could be a serious disease or disorder, like pneumonia.