Unfortunately, we do get sick when we are pregnant. The first question you ask yourself might be: what kind of medication should I take? My advice to you is DO NOT TAKE over-the-counter medication casually. If you read the labels on medications, they will usually tell you it is not safe to take them if you are pregnant. So, do consult your doctors, and let your doctors know that you are pregnant (if it is not that visible), he or she will take good care of you.

Some of you may be hesitant to take the medications that your doctors prescribed. Please be assured that your doctors will only prescribe medications that are considered safe to you and your babies. And my doctor used to tell me that the risk of not taking the medication on my baby was actually greater than taking the medication. If my sickness continued and if I did not get better, it would hurt my baby much further. My advice? Take the prescribed medication, take LOTS of REST and drink PLENTY of WATER! That’s the key to a speedy recovery.

Some of you may still want to avoid medication completely. If so, you may try the following to relieve your symptoms.

Common Cold

• Drink plenty of water
• Get lots of rest
• Orange juice or juices with vitamin C
• Fruits and vegetables with well balanced vitamins
• Gargle warm salt water to relieve the scratchy throat
• Salt water (saline) nasal spray to clear the nasal passage. The non-medicated ones are safe to use and you can use as often as you wish.
• If you have a humidifier (warm or cool mist are both fine), use one. Moistening the room air is always good for your cold.
• If you cough, have some lemon – hot water. Add a few pieces of lemon into a cup of hot water. Drink it slowly. It will help relieve your cough.

Fever

• Again, water will perform the magical touch. Have plenty of it!
• Dress accordingly. You do not want to get over-heated.
• Aspirin is not recommended as it is considered unsafe to the unborn babies. So, if you are to take medication, ibuprofen and acetaminophen are your safe bet. Ibuprofen is only recommended up to the end of the second trimester, while acetaminophen is considered safe throughout the whole term. And the same old advice, DO NOT take any medication without doctor’s consultation. And if symptoms persist, also let your doctors know.

Heartburn

There are a few Over-The-Counter antacids, such as Tums, Mylanta, Maalox, or Rolaids, are safer than others to take during pregnancy. If you are not sure what to take, again, consult your doctors.

Allergy

Allergens are all around – dusts, animal hair, cigarette smokes, polluted air…the list can go on. Unfortunately, almost all medications (except antihistiamines) that treat allergies are not safe to the mother nor the babies. Even the medicines you have been taking before your got pregnant might not be safe. Due to the tricky medication issue, the best thing to do is to AVOID allergens. Make sure your immediate is free from allergens; stay away from strong household chemicals; avoid being around smokers. If you nasal passage is blocked, the recommended way of clearing it is by spraying salt water (saline) nasal spray.

Among Chinese, there is a saying that pregnant women won’t get sick. It is actually NOT true. So, please take good care of yourself and avoid getting sick.

* Warning! Every attempt has been made to ensure accuracy of information provided. However, I shall not be responsible for any harm that you or any person may suffer as a result of using the information of this site.

Ideally, you should have started taking folic acid (also known as vitamin B9) before getting pregnant. Folic acid is especially important in the first four weeks of your pregnancy, during which there will be rapid cell division and growth – specifically the development of the brain, skull, and spinal cord. That is also why you should start taking folic acid if you plan to get pregnant, because by the time you found out that you are pregnant, it would have past the four weeks.

A lack of folic acid / folate (the naturally occurring form) can result in many health problems. The most well-known is neural tube defects (NTD) in developing embryos. An NTD happens when there is an opening in the spinal cord or brain. With NTDs, the skull and/or vertebrae (back bones), brain and/or spinal cord are exposed. NTDs can cause life-long complications, depending on the severity. In the most severe cases, some babies won’t even last 24 hours after they are borned.

So, if you plan to get pregnant, consult your O.B. and have him/her prescribe the appropriate amount of folic acid to you.

Although taking folic acid does not automatically guarantee a birth-defect-free baby, it certainly reduces the possibility. It has been noted that the risk of toxicity from folic acid is quite low. This is because folate is a water soluble vitamin, i.e. it is regularly removed from the body through urine.