Antibiotics For Sinus Infection During Pregnancy

How To Safely Take Antibiotics In Pregnancy

The best way to take your antibiotics is to follow your doctors instructions. Because antibiotics have been used too much in the past, your doctor might be careful about what they give you.

Your doctor will choose the best type for you. They might think about other factors before giving you antibiotics. These might include:

• Avoiding antibiotics in the first trimester
• Testing to confirm the type of infection
• Giving the smallest dose possible
• Giving antibiotics for the shortest time possible
• Using only one type of antibiotic
• Only giving antibiotics when necessary

Antibiotics can interact with other medications or over-the-counter drugs. Your doctor might tell you not to take antibiotics with any other medicine.

Take as directed. Sometimes when you take antibiotics you start to feel better right away. Its important to take your medicine until its finished and the way your doctor says. This might help stop the bacteria from becoming resistant to the medicine.

Use other safe remedies. If you have a common cold or other minor conditions, your doctor likely wont give you antibiotics. Instead, ask about other over-the-counter medicine that is safe for you to take when you’re pregnant. Other self-care practices for the common cold might be helpful, including:

• Hot shower
• Saline nasal spray
• Warm salt water gargle

If you dont get better or you have new symptoms, make sure to talk to your doctor to rule out more serious conditions.

What Are The Symptoms Of A Cold During Pregnancy

A cold usually begins with a sore or scratchy throat that lasts for a day or two, followed by the gradual appearance of other symptoms, including:

• A runny, then later stuffy, nose
• Sneezing
• Mild fatigue
• A dry cough, particularly near the colds end, which may continue for a week or more after other symptoms have subsided
• Low-grade fever

Sinus Infection Relief During Pregnancy

For most people, the first sign they have a sinus infection is a headache affecting the front of the face.Pregnancy complicates sinus infection treatment because fewer medications can be used safely. Many naturopathic treatments can provide symptomatic relief. If you suspect you have a sinus infection and you are pregnant, talk with your obstetrician to determine the best course of action.

If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.

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Which Antibiotics Are Safe During Pregnancy

Here’s a sampling of antibiotics generally considered safe during pregnancy:

• Penicillins, including amoxicillin, ampicillin.
• Clindamycin.

Correspondingly, can you use amoxicillin while pregnant?

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Can a pregnant woman use antibiotics?

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Bacterial Infections And Pregnancy

During pregnancy, your body protects your baby from many illnesses. These include the common cold or a stomach bug. But some infections, including bacterial infections, can pass through the placenta and harm your baby.

If an infection passes through the placenta, it can make your baby very sick. Some infections can cause birth defects or breathing problems or keep your baby from growing well. If left untreated, certain infections can also make you more likely to have a miscarriage or have other problems with your pregnancy. If you think you may have an infection, talk to your doctor.

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Cold Medicine And Pregnancy

Coming down with the common cold is always unpleasant, let alone if youre pregnant. While many medications are off-limits during pregnancy, there are some remedies to relieve your symptoms.

Common Cold Medicine and Pregnancy: Go Natural

Before you consider taking drugstore medicines for the common cold, you might want to consider some good old-fashioned home remedies, says Elisa Ross, MD, an obstetrician and gynecologist on staff with the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

The reason: No over-the-counter medicines are really treating the cold or helping you get better, they just control symptoms.

Dr. Ross suggests:

• Chicken soup

Common Cold Medicine and Pregnancy: Whats Safe?

If you cant get enough relief from those home remedies, its possible to use common cold medicines with a few precautions. First, guidelines say its best to avoid all medication during the first trimester.

In the first 12 weeks the baby is making its organs, and so in general, if people dont need to take something during that time it would be great if they didnt, says Dr. Ross. more serious consequences at the beginning of the pregnancy.

Next, Ross says the safest bet is to look for medications with the fewest ingredients possible.

There are also specific medicines to avoid during pregnancy:

• Any herbal medications or remedies

Common Cold Medicine and Pregnancy: The Safe List

• Zinc lozenges

Acetaminophen / Phenylephrine Pregnancy Warnings

This drug should be used during pregnancy only if the benefit outweighs the risk to the fetus.AU TGA pregnancy category: B2US FDA pregnancy category: Not assigned:-There is no data on use in pregnant women to know this drugs risks, including the risk of fetal harm or reproductive effects.-Acetaminophen is commonly used during pregnancy and has been assumed safe recent data questions the safety, especially with routine use or varying genetics. -Routine use of acetaminophen during pregnancy is not advised.-Phenylephrine is a sympathomimetic used in emergencies to treat hypotension and alleviate eye and ear allergic symptoms.-Phenylephrine could cause constriction in uterine vessels , reducing uterine blood flow, potentially causing fetal hypoxia.-Phenylephrine may interact with oxytocic or ergot derivatives to cause persistent maternal hypertension cerebral vessel rupture is possible.-Sympathomimetic amines are teratogenic in some animal models, but are not suspected to cause human teratogenicity.-First trimester exposure to phenylephrine may be linked to fetal abnormalities.-Patients with a preeclampsia history should use phenylephrine with caution due to its vasoconstrictive properties.-Phenylephrine may reduce placental perfusion.

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Diagnosis And Test Of Sinusitis

A nasal endoscopy will help your doctor determine the condition inside the nose, and if an allergy is suspected, you may need to undergo further tests, too.

When we speak about pregnancy, there is always a grave concern around the health of the baby. One common question every expectant mother would ask if a sinus infection could hurt her baby. Lets take a look at it.

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Use Of Topical Corticosteroids For Crs Maintenance Therapy During Pregnancy

Evidence Level: Zero no studies on topical nasal steroids for CRS during pregnancy.

Expert Panel Recommendations: All modern nasal CCS should be safe to use for CRS maintenance during pregnancy at recommended doses including budesonide, fluticasone and mometasone. The off-label use of budesonide irrigations or CCS nasal drops is not recommended.

Underlying Values & preferences: Places value on maternal sinonasal inflammation control and quality of life during pregnancy while prioritizing fetal safety.

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What Causes A Sinus Infection During Pregnancy

Some possible triggers of a sinus infection during pregnancy include:

• Hormones: The different hormones released during pregnancy, namely, estrogen and progesterone, human growth hormone , and placental growth hormone , cause enlargement of the nasal mucous membranes, thus facilitating increased blood flow into the nasal passages. This further leads to swelling of the nasal veins causing congestion or worsening existing sinusitis .

• Infections: Although not specific to pregnancy, bacterial, viral, and fungal infections can be one of the contributing factors to sinusitis . Due to altered immunity, women may be more susceptible to such infections during pregnancy.

• Allergies: Nasal congestion may also occur due to an allergic reaction, such as allergic rhinitis or other seasonal allergies.

• Common cold: Stuffy nose is one of the common cold symptoms, and a pre-existing cold may increase the risk for sinusitis .

What Is Sinusitis In Pregnancy

Sinusitis is the medical term for an infection of the sinuses, which are air-filled pockets around your nose. Theyre lined with a membrane that produces mucus, which, under normal circumstances, efficiently drains away. But when your sinuses are inflamed and swollen, that drainage slows down, the fluid builds up and you end up feeling as if you have a bad cold.

While you might be more susceptible to a sinus infection in pregnancy, the condition manifests itself the same way it would for anyone, pregnant or not, says Omid Mehdizadeh, MD, an otolaryngologist and laryngologist at Providence Saint Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, California.

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Infections Related To Pregnancy

The report states that most pelvic infections in women are caused by a mixture of aerobic and anaerobic organisms. Aerobic organisms include groups A, B and D streptococci, enterococci, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella species, Proteus species, Staphyloccus aureus and Gardnerella vaginalis. Anaerobic pathogens include Peptostreptococcus species, Prevotella bivia, Prevotella disiens, Bacteroides fragilis, Porphyromonas asaccharolyticus, Fusobacterium species, Clostridium species and Mobiluncus species. Other organisms include genital mycoplasmas, Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

• Intra-amniotic Infection. According to ACOG, the most extensively studied regimen for amniotic infection is a combination of ampicillin, 2 g intravenously every four to six hours, or penicillin, 5 million U every four to six hours, plus an aminoglycoside such as gentimicin, 1.5 mg per kg intravenously every eight hours. This combination has excellent activity against group B streptococci and E. coli.

What Sinus Medicine Is Safe When Pregnant

The Hippocratic Oath takes on a much greater meaning for a pregnant woman: âI will apply dietetic measures for the benefit of the sick according to my ability and judgment I will keep them from harm and injustice.âMost people mistakenly assume it says, âFirst, do no harm,â but whichever way a patient wishes to take it, the pregnant patient is thinking not of herself, but of her baby. Sinus medicine may relieve the womanâs symptoms, but at what cost to the baby?

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What Are The Different Types Of Sinus Infections

Sinusitis is divided into two types according to its severity and progression. They are :

• Acute sinusitis: It is also called sinus infection or rhinosinusitis, a short-term inflammation of the sinuses. It can result from a common cold, bacterial infections, or viral infections in the upper respiratory tract.

• Chronic sinusitis: Acute sinusitis takes the form of chronic rhinosinusitis when the inflammation continues for more than three months. This can be due to underlying conditions such as asthma, allergy, or nasal polyps.

Is It Safer To Skip Allergy Medication Altogether When Im Pregnant

If your symptoms arenât bad, your doctor may suggest other treatments instead. You could allergy-proof your home or rely on saline nasal sprays.

But if allergy symptoms are a big problem â making it hard to sleep, for instance â taking medication may be better for your health and your babyâs.

If you have allergic asthma, you need to take the medication as prescribed. Uncontrolled asthma can cause serious problems during pregnancy.

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Medication: How To Alleviate Sinus Congestion While Pregnant:

Medications used to treat acute sinus infections include cefprozil and amoxicillin-clavulanate. Acetaminophen is also regarded as safe to use during pregnancy for pain relief and/or headaches. Additionally, short-term use of decongestants, antihistamines, expectorants, and cough suppressants for upper-respiratory infections are generally regarded as safe during pregnancy in limited amounts.However, you will need to avoid aspirin, and ibuprofen . You may want to talk with your doctor for specific information on which medications pose the least risk for you and your baby. Overall, while there are some safe medications to take during pregnancy, it is best to limit your use of medication while pregnant and opt for other safer remedies.

How To Cope With A Sinus Infection During Pregnancy

A sinus infection can be quite uncomfortable in and of itselfbut when one strikes during pregnancy, things can get confusing. For one thing, you might be unsure as to whether its actually a sinus infection or just a run-of-the-mill pregnancy symptom. For another, its not always clear as to whether the typical treatments are safe for baby. Thats why we talked to experts about what its like to suffer a sinus infection during pregnancy, what causes it and how to treat it safely.

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What If I Take Antibiotics Before Realizing Im Pregnant

While many antibiotics are considered safe during pregnancy, Dr. Salinger cautions that a few, in particular, are associated with an increased miscarriage if taken before 20 weeks. A 2017 study found that azithromycin , Cipro, and Bactrim increased the risk of miscarriage during the first trimester. That said, the risk is said to be very low.

If you took one of these antibiotics before realizing you were pregnant, try not to panicafter all, you didn’t know! The best thing you can do is make an appointment with your healthcare provider to discuss the next steps and ensure all is well with baby.

Are There Any Natural Remedies That Can Help Sinusitis

Where possible, tackling this head pain head on is usually the best way to go.

Luckily, there are some handy home remedies you can try to ease the pain of the symptoms:

• If your nose is congested, try saline nose drops, which will dry up some of the secretion, helping you to breathe easier and keep your airways moist

• Try a simple linctus

• Or you can make your own honey and lemon drink ?? if you have a sore throat or cough

• Steam inhalation could help to unblock your airways, so get a bowl of hot water and place your head over it, with a towel over your head and breathe in and out deeply

• Keep hydrated ? by drinking lots of fluids, especially orange juice for vitamin C ?

• If you cant sleep because your face is bunged up, try and raise the head of your bed, by adding extra pillows so that youre sleeping propped up

• If things are getting particular uncomfortable, invest in a humidifier.

Youll also find that certain things work for your specific set of symptoms, like many of our mums.

Lou66 says: I suffer terribly from sinusitis and I have been using Sterimar which is a natural sea water nasal spray that is totally safe in pregnancy. Ive found it makes a huge difference, more than the endless antibiotics and decongestants I was given pre-pregnancy.

Also I put a saucepan of boiling water in my room at bedtime, keeps the air moist and helps to stop your nasal passages drying out.

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Looking For Sinusitis Treatment In The Dallas/fort Worth Area

If youre suffering from sinusitis during pregnancy, take the first step toward finding relief by contacting one of our numerous convenient Dallas/Fort Worth area offices.

At DFW Sinus Select, our sinus doctors provide the highest quality, state-of-the-art specialty medical care in a personalized and compassionate manner.

Contact us to schedule your consultation today.

Can I Take Dayquil While Pregnant

Medications to avoid during pregnancy

Decongestants like Sudafed and DayQuil are generally cautioned against after the first trimester and only in a limited amount. Avoid non-steroidal nasal sprays containing oxymetazoline. Dont take supplemental vitamins or herbal remedies without medical approval.

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Safe Options For Treatment

While there may be temptations to go for the common over-the-counter medications for fast relief, some of these drugs could be dangerous, based on the period of the pregnancy.

A doctor might prescribe corticosteroids to handle nasal congestion, butonly following the initial trimester.

It is highly recommended to avoid the following drugs when pregnant, although a few doctors may prescribe them at small dosages, particularly for those suffering from allergies:

• Oral decongestants
• Antihistamines
• Ibuprofen

Other effective OTC medications and home remedies are okay to take during pregnancy. A doctor can advise the most ideal treatment options for your unique needs.

When To See The Doctor

If you try the home remedies and they do not work, then you should consider visiting a doctor. A sinus infection that is diagnosed early can be treated faster. Do not wait for too long once you begin to notice symptoms of sinusitis. Use the medicines prescribed by the doctor so that you can manage the symptoms better.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Sinusitis During Pregnancy

Sinusitis is quite common and can be even more so during pregnancy. Around 20% of pregnant women suffer from sinusitis.

The tricky thing about dealing with sinusitis during pregnancy is figuring out whether your symptoms are pregnancy-related or are sinus issues. In addition to all the other parts of your body that it affects, your pregnancy can also make you more prone to nasal inflammation.

If youre pregnant and suffering from the following symptoms, you may be suffering from sinusitis:

• Yellow or greenish discharge from your nose
• Difficulty breathing through your nose
• Pain and pressure around your face, especially around the cheeks and eyes
• A bad cough

Safe Constipation Remedies During Pregnancy

• Metamucil, Citracel, Fibercon, Benefiber
• Stool softeners colace ,1 tablet 2-3 times a day, pericolace ,1 tablet 1-3 times a day
• Laxatives such as Milk of Magnesia, Correctal, Fleets enema and Miralax
• Imodium liquid or capsules for diarrhea
• Psyllium, which is the basic ingredient in Konsyl and Metamucil
• Colace

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Which Antibiotics Are Not Safe During Pregnancy

Some antibiotics have shown an increased risk of birth defects in studies. They were assigned category C , category D , and category X .

Below are the classes of antibiotics associated with safety concerns related to use in pregnancy .

• Aminoglycosides: Streptomycin in the first trimester has been related to congenital deafness and should be avoided. Other aminoglycosides have not shown many adverse effects and may be used for the short-term under strict medical surveillance.

• Tetracyclines: These category D antibiotics have proven teratogenicity . They can bind to calcium in the developing fetus, causing permanent discoloration of bones and teeth. Large doses may also lead to maternal liver toxicity.

• Fluoroquinolones: These consist ofOfloxacin, Ciprofloxacin, and Levofloxacin. Although they are classified as pregnancy category C, they are generally contraindicated in pregnancy. Studies have associated Fluoroquinolones with renal toxicity, cardiac defects, and central nervous system toxicity in the fetus. They may be recommended when there is no alternative.

• Other antibiotics under category B should be used with caution in pregnant women due to the lack of adequate human data confirming their safety. A few examples are below.