Strep throat is a bacterial infection of the throat. Women can get strep throat during pregnancy if they develop diseases such as sore throat and swallowing pain. The good news is that strep throat is not generally more serious for pregnant people than those who aren’t, and there are many treatment options available when you’re expecting. Let’s take a look at everything about strep throat while pregnant, symptoms, treatment, and prevention. This infection is unpleasant, but luckily some treatments are safe for expectant moms.
Symptoms of strep throat
These symptoms usually include sore throat, tender lymph nodes, fever, tonsillar swelling, and drainage. Strep throat results from infection with group A streptococcal bacteria. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) reports that this bacteria causes up to 15 percent of sore throats in adults and up to 30 percent in children. Strep throat starts with sudden and intense sore throat. Other symptoms of sore throat can include:
Symptoms:
Pain and soreness
Headache
Fever 100.4 or greater
Digestive symptoms like nausea vomiting
Sandpaper-like rash (scarlet fever)
Chills
Strep throat has several symptoms that resemble the common cold. But strep throat is caused by bacterial infection and not a virus. Learn more about Fosamax’s side effects.
Treatment in home
A person can also treat strep throat at home by:
Getting as much rest as possible
Gargling with warm
Staying hydrated
Salty water
Using a humidifier
Drinking warm drinks ( such as hot water) and cold liquids
West Nile virus
The West Nile virus is the most common form of mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States. Symptoms such as:
Diarrhea
Fatigue
Fever
Sore throat skin rash
Symptoms of severe illness can include:
Neck stiffness
High fever
Tremors
Seizures
Infectious mononucleosis
Also known as mono, glandular fever, and the kissing disease. Mono mostly develops in adolescents and young adults. Signs and symptoms of mono include:
Soft, enlarged spleen
Swollen tonsils and lymph nodes
Fatigue
Rash
Sore throat
Treatments involve resting, staying hydrated, and using OTC medications to relieve fever and sore throat
Measles
Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that is also known as rubeola. It can sometimes be fatal in young children. Meseals cause a sore throat and rash that comprises large, flat blotches of red skin. Sometimes these blotches develop to overlap. Other symptoms of measles can include:
Dry cough
Runny nose
Conjunctivitis
Inflammation of the eyes
White spots inside the mouth
The best way to prevent measles infections is to get a vaccination. Children can receive the vaccination at 12 months of age
Group B strep infections
During your pregnancy, you have probably heard of a type of infection called Group B streptococcus is a common type of bacteria. Usually, GBS is not serious for adults, but it can hurt newborns. Many people carry Group B strep bacteria and don’t know it. It makes never you sick. GBS in adults doesn’t have any symptoms, but it can cause some minor infections, like bladder or urinary tract infections (UTIs). while GBS may not be harmful to you, it can be harmful to your baby. If you’re pregnant you can pass it to your baby during labor and childbirth. About 1 out of 4 pregnant women 25 percent carry GBS bacteria. The best way to know if you have GBS is to get tested.
Protection of your baby from GBS
GBS bacteria live in the intestines and the urinary and genital tracts. It lives in the body naturally. Your provider uses some quick screening tests during labor to test you for GBS. but these should not replace the regular GBS test that you get at 35 to 37 weeks of pregnancy. If your tests show you have GBS, remind your healthcare providers at the hospital when you go to have your baby. This way, you can be treated quickly. Treatment works best when it begins at least 4 hours before childbirth. It’s not helpful to take oral antibiotics before labor when you treat GBS. The bacteria can return quickly, so you could have it again by the time you have your baby.
Problems can GBS cause in newborn
Babies with GBS infection can have one or more of these illnesses:
Sepsis, a blood infection
Meningitis is an infection of the fluid and lining around the brain
Pneumonia, a lung infection
Pneumonia and sepsis in newborns can be life-threatening. Most babies who are treated for GBS do fine, but even with treatment about 1 in 20 (5 percent) who have GBS die. GBS infection may lead to health problems later in life. Meningitis caused by GBS develops:
Hearing problems
Learning problems
Seizures
Cerebral palsy (A group of disorders that can cause problems with brain development. These problems affect a person’s ability to move and keep their balance and posture)
How to get rid of strep throat while pregnant
If you have strep throat, you might be wondering. You might want to know what you can safely take for strep while pregnant. There are two aspects to consider here: soothing your symptoms and getting rid of infection. The best way to clear your body of a strep throat infection is to take antibiotics. But it’s not essential to take meds when you’re 15 or 44 years old as your baby can clear it on its own.
Antibiotics
Strep throat is usually treated with antibiotics. Most of the antibiotics used to treat strep throat are safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding and have minimal side effects. Pregnancy-safe strep throat antibiotics include penicillin or cephalosporins, such as amoxicillin or cephalexin. If you are diagnosed with strep throat while pregnant, your physicians will discuss antibiotic options with you. Talk to your physicians about the best course of action for you. Learn more about mental health.
Preventing strep throat while pregnant
Although pregnant people usually have the same set of symptoms as non-pregnant people, they have a somewhat increased chance of getting sick. It makes sense to take precautions to decrease the risk of infection with strep throat or any contagious disease. It’s important to avoid contact with anyone who you know to be infected with strep or showing signs of it. People with symptoms are more likely to spread the virus to others, and it can take two to five days for you to develop symptoms once exposed. You should talk to your doctor or physicians.