Angina in pregnancy

Tonsillitis during pregnancy is a disease of viral or bacterial etiology, the causative agents of which can be adenoviruses, pneumococci, streptococci, and staphylococci. Tonsillitis manifests itself as acute inflammation of the tonsils - lymphoid tissue of the throat. The disease is transmitted by airborne droplets, and transmission is also possible by contact and even household means (through dirty, bacteria-infected objects).

The immunity of a woman during pregnancy is somewhat reduced, so as not to harm the emerging life - the fetus - with its active properties. In addition, the period of pregnancy is quite long, one way or another it captures the cold period during nine months, when acute inflammatory diseases and viruses are activated.

Angina is dangerous for any person, regardless of age or gender; it can provoke cardiac, rheumatic, and urological pathologies.

Symptoms sore throats in pregnancy

Signs and symptoms of sore throat during pregnancy:

• A sharp increase in body temperature, up to 39-40 degrees.
• A sore throat that is characterized by its increasing severity.
• Difficulty swallowing, even swallowing liquids is difficult.
• Redness of the tonsils, often with white coatings visible on them.
• Weakness, aches.
• Chills.
• Loss of appetite, possible nausea.
• Painful to the touch lymph nodes under the lower jaw.

Forms

Tonsillitis is caused by various pathogens, the course of the disease depends on their type. The most common is tonsillitis of bacterial etiology, that is, provoked by streptococci or staphylococci. Also, inflammation can be caused by enteroviruses, adenoviruses

In clinical practice, it is customary to classify tonsillitis as follows:

1. Catarrhal tonsillitis, which differs from bacterial tonsillitis in that there are no white spots or plaque on the swollen and reddened tonsils. The tonsils are covered with mucus, all other symptoms are similar to those of purulent tonsillitis.
2. Purulent tonsillitis. Purulent tonsillitis during pregnancy can be in the following forms:
   • Follicular (the mildest form), with characteristic white dots (pustules).
   • Lacunar tonsillitis, in which the tonsils are covered with a yellowish film-like coating.
   • Necrotic angina or agranulocytran is the most severe form, in which the tissue of the tonsils becomes necrotic.

Purulent tonsillitis is the most common during pregnancy. You can distinguish its forms yourself by the following signs.

Follicular tonsillitis during pregnancy, as well as in all other patients, is characterized by specific white-yellow spots that are “scattered” on the surface of the inflamed tonsils. These spots are the source of inflammation.

Lacunar tonsillitis is characterized by the fact that the tonsils are gradually covered with a specific white-yellow film, practically covering their entire surface, thus creating a lacuna (cavity).

The necrotic form of angina most often develops against the background of scarlet fever, which in itself is a deadly threat to the fetus. With this type of angina, the tissue of the tonsils dies, becomes necrotic.

Angina in early pregnancy is fraught with severe toxicosis, placental abruption due to hyperthermia, there is also a risk of miscarriage or intrauterine abnormalities in the development and formation of organs and systems of the fetus. Angina in the first weeks of pregnancy, as a rule, is much easier to bear and less dangerous. This is explained by the fact that the mother's immunity has not yet switched to a different mode of operation, and adequately performs its defense. Angina in the first trimester of pregnancy carries much more threats, especially if a woman is diagnosed with a purulent, follicular form. Bacteria can be carried with the bloodstream and provoke general septic poisoning of the body, which often leads to termination of pregnancy or freezing of the fetus.

Angina in late pregnancy is no less dangerous, since the reserve properties of the mother's body are already depleted, there is a risk of developing myocarditis and even heart failure. Also, quite often, angina in late pregnancy provokes the development of glomerulonephritis. In addition, purulent angina can cause weak labor.

Complications and consequences

Tonsillitis during pregnancy threatens the health of the mother and the health of the fetus if the disease becomes acute or is in an advanced state, which happens with improper, usually self-treatment. Is tonsillitis dangerous during pregnancy? Of course, there are dangers, among them the following pose the main threat:

• Laryngeal abscess with large purulent lacunae (cavities).
• Meningitis, which can develop due to the spread of infection into the cranial cavity.
• Septic intoxication of the body.
• Inflammation of the lymph nodes - lymphadenitis.
• Infectious polyarthritis.
• Pyelonephritis.
• Rheumatic myocarditis.

Tonsillitis can also occur in an atypical form, especially at the very beginning of its development. Tonsillitis without fever during pregnancy occurs periodically because the mother's immune system directs its resources to preserving the fetus, rather than to adequately responding to the invasion of bacteria. This onset of tonsillitis is fraught with a rapidly developing exacerbation, when the body temperature can rise to 40 degrees within one or two hours.

What else is dangerous about tonsillitis during pregnancy? Of course, it is a threat to the baby's health, because any illness of the mother affects all the developing organs and systems of the fetus, in addition, hyperthermia in the mother during illness causes oxygen starvation in the child. Fetal hypoxia can end very badly - miscarriage or death of the fetus. Tonsillitis during pregnancy can have the most serious consequences, so at the first alarming signs, the expectant mother needs to see a doctor and get timely help.

Treatment sore throats in pregnancy

Treatment of angina during pregnancy should be as gentle as possible, but at the same time comprehensive. It is well known that medications for angina during pregnancy are a risk of intrauterine pathologies of the fetus. However, the bacterial form of angina is treated only with antibiotics, so drug treatment is inevitable. The modern pharmaceutical industry produces many drugs that can affect the mother's body, bypassing the placenta and without having a detrimental effect on the fetus. The following can be named among the relatively safe antibiotics:

• Cephalosporin group – cefazolin, cefepime.
• Macrolides – sumamed, rovamycin, clarithromycin.

It is contraindicated to reduce the temperature with acetylsalicylic acid. Only paracetamol-based drugs are allowed. Only a doctor should prescribe, only he knows how to cure sore throat during pregnancy and not harm the health of the mother and baby.

Treatment of angina during pregnancy requires adherence to the following rules:

• The expectant mother must stay in bed. It is allowed to get up only in case of extreme necessity to fulfill natural physiological needs and, possibly, to eat, although it is better to eat in bed. Even a relatively healthy woman who is not expecting a baby, and all other people who have fallen ill with a sore throat, are strictly contraindicated to endure a sore throat, so to speak, "on their feet". When it comes to the health of the expectant mother, it is worth thinking about what effect a sore throat has on pregnancy and how many risks and threats it carries.
• The food intake should correspond to the desires of the pregnant woman and her appetite. You can't force her to eat, supposedly for the benefit of the baby. The fact is that there is a risk of transferring the infection with food into the body, when pustules are damaged and opened during swallowing. Of course, you shouldn't starve either, there should be a measure in everything. The food should be dietary, at a comfortable temperature. Spicy, hot dishes are excluded, as well as rough, irritating food. It is better to steam dishes and make them as finely chopped as possible.
• It is necessary to drink plenty of fluids, which helps to quickly remove toxins from the body. The temperature of drinks should not be too high. Hot teas, milk, etc. are unacceptable.
• Frequent, regular gargling is a must. It is better to make a solution from special pharmaceutical preparations - chlorophyllipt, furacilin. Sprays or rinses with miramistin or 0.1% chlorhexidine solution are also effective. Irrigation of the throat with Bioparox is possible, which does not pose a danger to the course of pregnancy. The generally accepted method of saline gargling is ineffective, moreover, it can provoke complications.
• In no case should you steam, warm your feet or take hot baths. Also, wrapping your throat with warm scarves or compresses is unacceptable. Any heat treatments of this type carry the risk of miscarriage or the spread of infection throughout the body, including sepsis.

During pregnancy, treatment of purulent tonsillitis is the prerogative of the doctor. Only the attending physician has the exclusive right to prescribe and recommend medications, methods and treatments for tonsillitis. All kinds of folk remedies, which I recommend as a panacea, can harm the health of the expectant mother. The use of many herbal remedies, herbs is contraindicated during pregnancy, so how to treat tonsillitis during pregnancy, how to cope with its consequences, it is better to ask the doctor.