If a cough appears while waiting for a child, a doctor's consultation is imperative, since this symptom during pregnancy is very dangerous. The tension of the abdominal wall can cause an increased tone of the uterus, which threatens with undesirable consequences both in the early and late stages. To quickly cope with a cough, the doctor may prescribe drugs from the mucolytic group, for example, "Bromhexin"... The use of such a medicine in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters without a doctor's prescription is prohibited, because it has its own contraindications, and there are also side effects.
Features of the drug
"Bromhexin" is produced by many pharmaceutical companies, and the range of dosage forms of such a drug is large... The most popular options are pillssold without a prescription in packs of 10 to 100 pieces. The active substance of the same name is presented in such tablets at a dosage of 4 or 8 mg. Berlin-Chemie offers instead of tablets greenish-yellow dragee with a dosage of 8 mg.
No less in demand and liquid forms of medicine... They are presented syrup and solution... The syrup is most often chosen for the treatment of cough in children, as it has a pleasant aroma and sweet taste.
One bottle of this "Bromhexine" contains 100 ml of a viscous liquid containing 4 or 8 mg of bromhexine per 5 ml.
Solution, also called drops, can be taken by mouth or used for inhalation. This sweet liquid is sold in bottles with a capacity of 10 to 250 ml. The dosage of bromhexine per 5 ml of solution, as in the syrup, can be 4 or 8 mg. Both liquid versions of the drug are over the counter.
Operating principle
The active substance "Bromhexine" has the ability to affect the mucus that is produced in the bronchi. In particular, the drug acts on mucopolysaccharides and mucoproteins, which leads to dilution of sputum. As a result, the secret becomes less viscous, and its volume increases. The medicine has an expectorant and some antitussive effect. In addition, "Bromhexin" enhances the formation of surfactant, which contributes to normal gas exchange in the lung tissue.
Is it allowed during pregnancy?
In the annotation to all forms of "Bromhexine" it is noted that such a medicine is strictly forbidden to use in the 1st trimester, and in 2-3 trimesters, treatment with this drug is possible, but only as prescribed by a doctor. If a specialist examined the expectant mother and sees the need for the use of tablets, drops, dragees or syrup, then it is permissible to use Bromhexin. Self-treatment at a later date is not recommended.
When is it prescribed for expectant mothers?
The reason why a doctor can prescribe Bromhexine to a pregnant woman is one of the diseases of the respiratory tract.
The medication is used if an excessively viscous secret is formed as a result of the inflammatory process.
The drug facilitates the coughing up of sputum in case of pneumonia, bronchial asthma, bronchiectasis, acute bronchitis, tuberculosis and other pathologies of the respiratory system.
Contraindications
They refuse to use "Bromhexin" not only in the first months of gestation, but also in case of hypersensitivity to any component of the selected form of the drug... Taking the drug is also not recommended for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract during their exacerbation. Tablets are not prescribed for lactose intolerance. If a woman has any problems with the functioning of the liver or kidneys, Bromhexine is used with increased caution.
Side effects
Any form of Bromhexine can cause dyspepsia, dizziness, or headaches. Some women react to the drug rash, itching, or other allergy symptoms... After treatment with "Bromhexin", an increase in the activity of liver enzymes is possible. If the expectant mother has bronchial asthma, taking pills, drops, syrup or tablets can aggravate the cough, provoking bronchospasm, therefore, with such a disease, the medication is used only under the supervision of a specialist.
Instructions for use
"Bromhexin" is taken orally without taking into account the diet. Usually the drug is drunk three times a day, less often - four times. A single dose of the medicine is determined by the doctor for each expectant mother separately.
Some women are prescribed 1 tablet, 10 ml of syrup or 1 dragee, others - 2 tablets, 20 ml of liquid medicine or 2 dragees.
The duration of treatment is also set individually. Sometimes it is enough for the expectant mother to drink Bromhexin for 4–5 days, after which the condition improves and the drug can be canceled. At the same time, some women are prescribed medication for a longer period, for example, for 2 or 3 weeks.
Reviews
There are mostly positive reviews about the use of "Bromhexine" during pregnancy. Expectant mothers confirm that the drug is effective for coughing and dilutes phlegm well. All forms of the drug are called convenient to use, since the tablets and dragees are small in size, and the liquid versions have a pleasant taste.
The solution is also praised for being able to be used for inhalation. The portability of "Bromhexin", judging by the reviews, is mostly good. Only in rare cases did the medication become the cause of side effects, which immediately disappeared after withdrawal. Most of the patients indicate that such a remedy did not cause negative symptoms in them and did not affect the condition of the fetus in any way.
Analogs
If necessary, prescribe a remedy for the expectant mother that will help to get rid of cough in a short time, the doctor should take into account the symptoms and contraindications, as well as the composition of the medicine and its mechanism of action on the respiratory tract. One of the most popular analogues of "Bromhexin" can be called "Mukaltin". Such pills are allowed during pregnancy, rarely provoke side effects and receive a lot of good reviews due to their plant origin.
The basis of the drug is an extract from marshmallow, which has an antitussive effect.
Under the influence of "Mukaltin" the glands of the bronchi begin to secrete mucus more actively, the sputum becomes more liquid and easier to separate. The drug also provides enveloping and softening of the mucous membrane. It can be prescribed to the expectant mother even in the first months of pregnancy, if there is a need to eliminate cough.
Another herbal preparation that is safe for the fetus is syrup. "Doctor Theiss"containing plantain extract. The active substances of this plant have expectorant, mucolytic and anti-inflammatory properties. The tool is in demand for the treatment of diseases of the respiratory system, when there are difficulties with coughing up sputum. During pregnancy, it is permissible to use it at any time, if such a syrup was prescribed to the expectant mother by a doctor.
