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Hay fever can be irritating at the best of times. Navigating what you can and can’t take when you have hay fever while pregnant can be even more difficult.
Whether you have a history of hay fever or only recently developed hay fever while pregnant, we’ve got you covered! From the best hay fever remedies when pregnant to pregnancy-safe hay fever tablets, let’s jump into the measures you can take to relieve your hay fever symptoms.
Hay fever can develop at any point in life, whether it is triggered by pregnancy or something else. However, if you already suffer from hay fever symptoms, the hormonal changes your body will undergo during pregnancy can worsen or improve these symptoms.
The lucky few who see their hay fever disappear can count themselves lucky as they won’t be dealing with symptoms such as sneezing, a runny nose, or itchy eyes. If you are one of the unlucky ones still dealing with hay fever symptoms, there could be an alternative reason for this.
Rhinitis is a condition that can display the same symptoms as hay fever. Hormonal changes during pregnancy can cause rhinitis. There’s no need to worry if you think you have rhinitis, as it simply means increased blood flow to areas of your body, such as your lungs or nose lining, which causes blood vessels to become inflamed. The inflammation of blood vessels in your nose can cause sneezing and a runny nose, just like hay fever.
However, if you think an allergy to pollen causes your symptoms, there are a few things you can do to find hay fever relief in pregnancy.
Hay fever is an allergic reaction caused when breathing in pollen from the air. This form of allergic rhinitis is most common in spring and summer, as pollen is at its highest at this time, and the warm and humid weather conditions can spread pollen particles further.
Common symptoms of hay fever include:
If your hay fever symptoms are mild, you may only need to use natural remedies or none at all. It is best to try a range of hay fever remedies when pregnant before seeking medication. Some common natural remedies include:
Before anything else, you should identify what you are allergic to. Different types of pollen could be affecting your body, such as grass pollen, tree pollen, and weed pollen. The time of year your hay fever symptoms start could be an indicator of what type of pollen you are allergic to. The peak periods of each pollen type are:
By understanding what type of pollen causes your allergies, you can ensure you avoid these areas as much as possible. If you conclude your allergies are more prominent when you have been on a walk through fields of grass, this could be a sign that grass pollen is at the root of your hay fever symptoms. You should then try to avoid grassy areas where possible, especially during peak pollen times. You can check the MET Office pollen forecast to determine how high the pollen levels will be.
Pollen levels are higher in the early morning and late at night. To avoid high levels of pollen entering your home, shut your windows at these times. This will ensure you are exposed to as little pollen as possible, reducing your symptoms of hay fever.
Unfortunately, as unfashionable as they may seem, wraparound sunglasses could cure itchy eyes. These sunglasses are designed to keep pollen particles away from your eyes by creating an effective barrier between your eyes and the air.
Whether you determine grass is the cause of your hay fever symptoms or not, you should try to avoid grassy areas where possible. This includes walking through grass, sitting in the grass, or even mowing the lawn. Each of these activities can expose you to grass pollen that could cause a hay fever flare-up.
Going out and about can mean you collect pollen on your hands and face. To avoid these pollen particles getting into your eyes and nose, which could cause irritation, you should wash your hands regularly and wash your face when you go home.
Breathing in pollen from the air is the main way pollen gets into your system and causes hay fever symptoms. You could try to block pollen from entering your body this way by using a saline solution to rinse the inside of your nose or applying a hay fever balm or petroleum jelly to the edges of your nose to trap pollen.
Hanging your clothes outside is an effective way to dry them on a sunny day, but this can also trap pollen in your newly washed clothes. Using a clothes drying rack or airer can effectively dry your clothes and eliminate any additional pollen from getting onto your body.
It is normal to want to scratch when you feel an itch. But when it comes to itchy eyes, this is a no-go. Rubbing your eyes can lead to further irritation, so it is best to soothe your eyes instead. Use a cold compress, such as a cold flannel or cooling eye mask, and place it on your eyes until the irritation subsides.
Navigating the medicine you can and can’t take during pregnancy can be difficult and confusing. You may think taking any hay fever tablets in pregnancy should be safe, but this is not the case. To ensure you are taking the best medication for you and your baby, you should always seek advice from your GP or a pharmacist before taking or purchasing any medication.
You seek further advice from your GP if natural remedies aren’t working. Here are the most common prescriptions for hay fever relief in pregnancy.
Before prescribing hay fever tablets, GPs typically first try eye drops and nasal sprays. These particular eye drops and nasal sprays contain substances such as sodium cromoglicate, corticosteroids, or antihistamines.
As the medicine in these methods can only enter the bloodstream in very small amounts, eye drops, and nasal sprays are deemed safe for both you and your baby. Only minute amounts of medication will cross into the placenta, so there is no harm to your baby.
If the eye drops and nasal sprays don’t relieve your symptoms, GPs will prescribe hay fever tablets. There are only some pregnancy-safe hay fever tablets, but don’t worry—your GP will prescribe the more suitable one for you.
Some examples of commonly prescribed hay fever tablets in pregnancy include loratadine or cetirizine. These particular hay fever tablets don’t cause drowsiness. If these tablets don’t seem to target your symptoms, GPs may prescribe you chlorphenamine. However, this can cause drowsiness, so it is not often prescribed.
Decongestants are not recommended to be used during pregnancy. They work by narrowing blood vessels to relieve blocked noses. However, this can be harmful during pregnancy as it could reduce the blood flow to the placenta. You should speak to a GP for alternative hay fever relief in pregnancy.
Finding hay fever relief in pregnancy can be difficult, but with Home Health, you can navigate the do’s and don’ts easily. We have a range of health guides to ensure you are well-informed about the most common conditions. From hay fever to understanding allergies, we have everything you need to know in one place. Take a look at our health guides today to find the best treatments for any condition.
If you are pregnant, we advise you to talk to your GP before purchasing any hay fever medicines. Your GP can prescribe pregnancy-safe hay fever tablets such as loratadine or cetirizine.
Dealing with hay fever while pregnant can be difficult, but many natural remedies and pregnancy-safe hay fever tablets are available. Some examples of hay fever remedies include:
If these natural remedies don’t relieve your symptoms, you should speak to your GP. They will typically prescribe you eye drops or nasal sprays before suggesting pregnancy-safe hay fever tablets.
As clinical trials cannot be conducted on people who are breastfeeding, it is difficult to determine the effects of hay fever tablets. If you are breastfeeding, it is recommended that you speak to your GP for guidance on what hay fever medication is safe.
You should avoid any decongestants as this can affect the milk supply. Instead, saline nasal sprays are safe to use and can clear out pollen from your nose.
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