Introduction
A cold is more common in pregnant women because the mother’s immune system has to take care of the baby in the womb. Many expectant mothers worry if they suffer from a cold during their pregnancy. Usually, however, this worry is unfounded, as a cold during pregnancy does not pose a danger to the growing baby in the womb. However, if the cold lasts longer than a week and is accompanied by additional symptoms such as high fever or severe pain, a doctor should be consulted.
How dangerous is a cold in pregnancy for my baby?
The occurrence of a cold during pregnancy causes many expectant mothers concern. However, it is usually harmless and the risk of harming the baby is very low. The clinical picture of the common cold is usually an infection of the throat or nose/upper respiratory tract, caused either by bacteria or viruses.
Since the mother’s immune system has to supply two organisms during pregnancy, such pathogens have an easier time triggering an infection during this time. However, the bacteria or viruses usually do not reach the baby in the womb and are restricted to the head/neck area. With normal cold symptoms such as coughing, slight pain and fatigue, the expectant mother can therefore not be concerned about the health of the unborn child.
Even a slightly elevated body temperature of up to 39°C is still considered harmless. However, a cold during pregnancy is considered potentially dangerous if a fever above 39°C occurs. This also carries the risk for the pregnant woman to suffer a premature birth with possible complications.
If the cold lasts longer than a week and is associated with additional symptoms, a doctor should be consulted for the safety of mother and child and for a speedy recovery. These symptoms can be, for example, the above-mentioned persistent fever above 39°C, severe pain, purulent or bloody sputum when coughing, severe breathing problems or the presence of an underlying disease such as a defect in the immune system. The further procedure and possible therapy with drugs that do not endanger the unborn child can be discussed individually with the doctor.
Last but not least, if you are suffering from real flu (influenza), you should consult a doctor immediately, as this can pose a real danger to the unborn child with complications or permanent physical damage. Risky is also an existing so-called secondary infection with already existing cold, thus an additional bacterial or viral infection of the cold pregnant women. Since the immune system is already strained in this case, it is more difficult for the body to fight the additional infection effectively. The physical weakness of the expectant mother due to the already existing cold further complicates such a situation. For general information on this topic we recommend our overview pages: Colds during pregnancy or infections during pregnancy
