There is a lady I follow on Instagram she is an influencer, she is currently seven months pregnant and the most recent video I watched about her, she was speaking about how she now has a very serious catarrh that has refused to go away, in fact she had stayed up all night crying because of her inability to breathe, she wondered if it was the weather or pregnancy.
There was, however, a comment that said she may be experiencing pregnancy rhinitis. This was the first time she was hearing about it, and this was the first time I was hearing about it as well, so I decided to do my research, and she said she wanted to get some research done as well.
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Research results showed that pregnancy rhinitis is a blocked or stuffy nose that happens during pregnancy, and it is not caused by an allergy or cold. At this point, I got a little confused, because if the runny nose is not caused by any of these things, what is causing it then?
Hormones are most likely what we are going to blame for this discomfort, just like other types of discomfort that are associated with pregnancy. Experts say they cannot particularly determine what causes it, but it is believed that a higher level of hormones causes the receptors to respond through the widening of blood vessels in the nose and creating mucus, which will create a blockage and breathing difficulty.
Also, during pregnancy, the body produces more fluids and blood, which could cause swelling even in unexpected places like the nasal passages. Blood vessels in the nose can swell, and with this additional volume, stuffiness is caused.
Medical professionals ascertain the presence of rhinitis if allergies have been ruled out, there is no situation of being sick with a cold or sinus infection, and this stuffiness has lasted for several weeks during pregnancy.
This nasal congestion happens during the latter part of the pregnancy, the third trimester, usually, and it could last for up to six weeks. Based on popular belief, relief should come about two weeks after delivery.
It can be so disturbing that it begins to affect your daily activity, ability to sleep, and concentrate. It also comes with an itchy eye, mucus in the throat, watery eyes, sneezing, and a runny or congested nose. Imagine not being able to sleep as a pregnant woman and having a stuffy nose at the same time; that is not a healthy experience at all.
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The treatment options experts usually provide are designed to help treat the discomfort that comes with this condition. Using corticosteroid, decongestant sprays, which are usually considered safe during pregnancy, but using them for too long can cause a rebound effect, and of course, a nasal irrigation.
Consuming lots of water, exercising (safely), and sleeping slightly upright contribute to the relief of discomfort that comes with a stuffed nose. While pregnancy rhinitis on its own cannot do any harm to your child, your inability to get enough rest can begin to affect your baby when it lingers, so you should be speaking to your doctor about what can be done to help you stay relieved.
There is not a lot of research done about pregnancy rhinitis yet, but a recent study showed that carrying a female child comes with its associated symptoms more than carrying male children. Pregnancy is a lot. I sincerely wish all pregnant women a safe delivery.
For Further Studies.
https://www.babycenter.com/pregnancy/your-body/stuffy-nose-during-pregnancy_1076
https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/pregnancy-rhinitis
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/pregnancy-rhinitis
https://utswmed.org/medblog/pregnancy-stuffy-nose-rhinitis/
Hi, I am Tobi, a writer, speaker, relationship blogger, and lover of good music. I love making friends and learning from people. Want to hear me speak on relationships and general life issues? You can find my YouTube channel where you can listen and watch any episode for free. Please, do not forget to subscribe, friends. I sincerely appreciate every love I get from here. Kindly do well to keep them coming.