Introduction
The term sore throat during pregnancy usually refers to pain coming from the throat area. This is usually pain caused by an infection and inflammation of the mucous membranes. However, sore throats can also come from other parts of the neck. For example, infections often cause swelling of the cervical lymph nodes, which can lead to pressure pain.
Causes
Sore throat during pregnancy can have various causes. In most cases it is a harmless cold due to a viral infection that does not need further treatment. However, bacteria can also be the cause of sore throats.
Often in this case the tonsils are also inflamed, which can lead to a more severe course of the disease. Allergies or chemical pollutants such as smoke and dust can cause an inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa and thus trigger sore throats. There are some pathogens that cause sore throats and for most people the course of the disease is very uncomplicated.
For pregnant women, however, it is more difficult to carry out drug therapy, for example with antibiotics, as many drugs can harm the unborn child. Particular attention should be paid to infections such as toxoplasmosis or listeriosis. These pathogens can be transmitted from mother to child and thus cause serious damage.
Toxoplasmosis is a normally harmless infectious disease transmitted by cats. Once an infection has occurred, the cat produces antibodies and usually cannot be infected later. Toxoplasmosis is usually accompanied by mild symptoms such as fever, fatigue, headache and aching limbs.
Sore throat often occurs as a result of swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck. Toxoplasmosis is only dangerous during pregnancy. During this time, the infection can spread to the unborn child and cause severe damage, sometimes resulting in the death of the child.
Listeriosis is an infectious disease that can be transmitted via contaminated food. In normally healthy individuals, the disease usually causes flu-like symptoms. Pregnant women have an increased risk of the disease by up to twelve percent.
Even in them, symptoms such as fever and sore throat are often dismissed as simple flu. The disease is dangerous for the unborn child. It can lead to an inflammation of the placenta (placenta), which means that the bacteria are transmitted to the child.
This leads to blood poisoning, meningitis and pneumonia in children. In the worst case, the child may die. More about this: Prohibited foods during pregnancy
