Cold & Flu Getting the Common Cold When You're Pregnant Why you might be getting sick more often and what treatments are safe By Kristina Duda, RN facebook twitter linkedin Kristina Duda, BSN, RN, CPN, has been working in healthcare since 2002. She specializes in pediatrics and disease and infection prevention. Learn about our editorial process Kristina Duda, RN Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Sanja Jelic, MD on November 04, 2019 Sanja Jelic, MD is board-certified in pulmonary disease, sleep medicine, critical care medicine, and internal medicine. She is an assistant professor and attending physician at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, NY. Learn about our Medical Review Board Sanja Jelic, MD Updated on February 27, 2020 Print Table of Contents View All Pregnancy and Your Immune System The Common Cold and Your Baby Safe Cold Treatments Taking Care of Yourself Cold Prevention Your immune system goes through some amazing changes when you're pregnant. Unfortunately, they don't eliminate the possibility of catching the common cold. Fortunately, a mother-to-be's cold doesn't usually put an unborn baby at risk. But being sick when you're pregnant can make prenatal wellness strategies like getting in daily exercise difficult and rule out certain treatment options. Worried about the new coronavirus? Learn about COVID-19, including symptoms and how it's diagnosed. DusanManic / Getty Images Pregnancy and Your Immune System It used to be thought that pregnancy suppressed your immune system, making you more vulnerable to illness. However, it appears to be much more complicated than that. More recent research has shown that the immune system is actually modulated rather than suppressed. Instead of being less active, it's active in different and carefully controlled ways that protect your growing baby. What's more, this changes throughout pregnancy. You may be more or less susceptible to certain illnesses at certain times. Some studies suggest that you may be most likely to get sick during the first trimester and least likely during the second. Changes in certain immune cells can lead to remissions of autoimmune disease in some pregnant women while also making them more prone to complications of the flu and some other infections. The Common Cold and Your Baby When you get sick, your baby is protected not only by your immune system, but their own, as well as the placenta. According to research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), having a cold while you're pregnant typically doesn't harm the baby. The one symptom to watch out for, though, is fever. Having a fever early in pregnancy may be related to certain birth defects, making it especially important for you to contact your doctor and treat the fever appropriately. The common cold, however, doesn't typically cause a fever, so it may be a sign that you have a different illness, such as the flu. What Pregnant Women Need to Know About the Flu Safe Cold Treatments If you're pregnant and get a cold, it's best to consult with your OB/GYN or other health practitioner before taking any over-the-counter (OTC) cold or cough medications. That said, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ranked the safety of certain medications—from Category A (no risk during any trimester) to Category X (potential for fetal risk, with the risk outweighing any potential benefit)—and this information can help provide useful context on a drug you're considering. For example, acetaminophen, which is found in Tylenol and some other drugs, is considered the best pain reliever/fever reducer to use while pregnant. Other analgesics, like aspirin and Advil/Motrin (ibuprofen), are not recommended unless instructed by your doctor. Studies have shown the OTC antihistamines loratadine (found in Claritin) and cetirizine (found in Zyrtec) are safe for pregnant women. On the other hand, most decongestants and cough medicines haven't been tested in pregnant women and may have dangerous side effects for the baby. It's recommended that these shouldn't be taken during pregnancy unless your doctor has advised you otherwise. Always talk to your OB/GYN or other healthcare provider before taking any medication during pregnancy. Taking Care of Yourself If you come down with a cold one, self-care will be an important part of your treatment as well. Do your best to: Get extra rest.Drink plenty of clear fluids. (This is even more important when you're pregnant.)Try saline nasal sprays or steam inhalation for congestion.Eat a well-balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Drinking hot water or tea with honey and lemon, gargling saltwater, or sucking on ice chips are non-drug ways to help soothe a sore or irritated throat. Notify your doctor if your symptoms seem especially severe or persistent. Cold Prevention Since the cold is so common, it's difficult to avoid completely. But you can set yourself to have the best defense by following these strategies: Eat a balanced dietGetting regular exerciseWash your hands frequently Most practitioners will also prescribe or recommend a prenatal vitamin for pregnant women to supplement their normal diet. Be sure to take that as recommended, as it could help you stay healthy. If you're a smoker, quitting is imperative to boost your immune system and support the health of your baby. Overview of the Common Cold Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Looking to avoid getting the flu? Our free guide has everything you need to stay healthy this season. Sign up and get yours today. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Mor G, Cardenas I. The immune system in pregnancy: a unique complexity. Am J Reprod Immunol. 2010;63(6):425-433. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0897.2010.00836.x Simon AK, Hollander GA, McMichael A. Evolution of the immune system in humans from infancy to old age. Proc Biol Sci. 2015;282(1821):20143085. doi:10.1098/rspb.2014.3085 Waller DK, Hashmi SS, Hoyt AT, et al. Maternal report of fever from cold or flu during early pregnancy and the risk for noncardiac birth defects, National Birth Defects Prevention Study, 1997-2011. Birth Defects Res. 2018;110(4):342-351. doi:10.1002/bdr2.1147 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Chemical Hazards Emergency Medical Management. FDA Pregnancy Categories. Cleveland Clinic. Pregnant? 5 killer allergy-busters that are safe for baby. 2017.