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Treat hay fever during pregnancy

The pollen flies reliably every spring anew and can trigger annoying hay fever symptoms. However, during pregnancy and breastfeeding, women should carefully consider the use of anti-allergic nasal sprays or eye drops so as not to endanger the health of the child.

What to do if you are allergic during pregnancy?

When it comes to health complaints, pregnant women have the problem of having to do without many conventional medications. This is also true when treating pollen allergy, because not all active ingredients are safe for the baby. What you can do in any case against the allergy 

  • Allergy sufferers should avoid pollen as much as possible during pregnancy. Rather stay indoors and ventilate only when the pollen concentration is particularly low. This is in the cities early in the morning, in the countryside after 19 clock.
  • Keep the apartment clean and vacuum daily upholstery and carpets. Here, the pollen settle particularly well.
  • Wash your hair in the evening and take off your clothes even before going to bed, to carry as few allergens as possible with you to bed.
  • At the first hay fever symptoms such as sneezing, stuffy nose or itchy eyes can provide relief Home remedies. Proven nasal rinses with saline, cold compresses against itchy eyes or inhaling water vapor.

Pregnant women suffering from allergic asthma  should continue drug treatment under medical supervision and adhere exactly to the dosage. Anyone who independently discontinues medication or takes lower doses thus risks a dangerous asthma attack, which can also be dangerous for the baby.

If pregnancy is planned, pollen-allergic women with severe hay fever can undergo specific immunotherapy (SIT), also called hypo- or desensitization, in advance. This usually lasts 3 years.

What can I take for hay fever during pregnancy?

Sometimes nasal rinses and eye compresses are simply not enough to make the discomfort more bearable. Then, however, medicines must come. However, you should always discuss the use of anti-allergic nasal sprays, anti-allergic eye drops and anti-allergic tablets with your doctor beforehand. Because the fact that many allergy medications are available over-the-counter does not mean that they are also suitable for pregnant women. This is primarily because clinical studies with expectant mothers are rarely carried out and accordingly results on effect and possible side effects are missing.

In general, nasal sprays and eye drops are to be preferred to taking tablets, as they are applied locally and put less strain on the organism. Many allergy sufferers these means already help to get through the hay fever better. But even here you should always ask a doctor for advice to be on the safe side, before using over-the-counter medications with mast cell stabilizers or antihistamines against the allergy.

For the sake of your child, always inform yourself very carefully about the safety of the preparations. By the way, this also includes natural remedies, because the intake of some plant extracts can also affect the pregnancy and the development of the child. In addition, always read the package insert carefully and adhere exactly to the application recommendation.

In case of severe allergic symptoms, the doctor may also prescribe preparations with active ingredients similar to cortisone for a short time. However, they should only be used in case of severe allergy symptoms and only according to the doctor's instructions.

Which nasal spray is safe for hay fever during pregnancy?

From a medical point of view, nasal spray with sea salt, such as hysan® Salinspray is considered safe. With it, you can at least unclog a stuffy nose. By regularly using hysan® Pflegespray you can also moisturize the nasal mucous membranes and help them fight off pollen. 

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Can pregnancy trigger hay fever?

Since allergies can be affected by hormonal fluctuations, it is quite possible that you will get hay fever for the first time during pregnancy. Equally, however, it's also possible for pregnant pollen allergy sufferers to have milder symptoms in the spring than the years before. Scientists have not yet been able to fully clarify exactly how immune system and hormone levels are related. But observations show that periods of hormonal change during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause can have an impact on the development of allergies 

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