Top 12 Most Effective Tips for Pregnant Women to Prevent Flu During Winter

To combat the harsh winter weather and ensure a healthy pregnancy, expectant mothers need to maintain a balanced diet, incorporating a variety of fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, eggs, and dairy to boost immunity. When mothers have strong immunity, it translates to a healthy pregnancy.

Moreover, pregnant women can drink 1 to 2 glasses of orange juice daily to enhance immunity and provide vitamin C, facilitating the absorption of Calcium.

Garlic is a highly beneficial ingredient for pregnant mothers as it enhances the body's immunity against flu viruses, effectively preventing flu. Nowadays, garlic remains a familiar spice in every household worldwide, with consumption reaching hundreds of thousands of tons annually. With its distinctive and familiar flavor, garlic is present in most dishes prepared by humans.

However, in recent decades under the light of science, garlic has officially been recognized as a very valuable medicinal herb for human health. Besides, garlic adds a delightful aroma to dishes, making them more appetizing for pregnant women.

If you experience any flu symptoms, crush a fresh garlic clove and mix it with water. It may be challenging to drink, but it will be extremely effective for you!

Experts advise pregnant women to rinse their mouths daily with warm saltwater every morning. Rinsing with saltwater helps prevent flu and boosts immunity, combating the intrusion of viruses through the airway. On the other hand, rinsing with concentrated saltwater initiates a process of osmosis to create a balanced state in your throat. It helps kill disease-causing bacteria and effectively reduces pain. High saltwater concentration also helps remove excess mucus in the throat, creating a dehydrated environment that prevents viruses from thriving.

Moreover, during pregnancy, the body's calcium requirement increases, which puts pressure on the teeth and gums. Pregnant women are prone to dental issues such as gum inflammation, bleeding gums, and tooth sensitivity, which can lead to infection. That's why rinsing with saltwater helps you avoid these risks.

During pregnancy, our immunity decreases significantly. Especially when pregnant, the body needs a lot of nutrients to nourish the baby. At that time, your body may lack some nutrients, including zinc.

Zinc deficiency is the main cause of susceptibility to respiratory diseases. Therefore, you need to supplement zinc to enhance immunity and prevent flu viruses from invading. You can supplement zinc with foods rich in zinc such as seafood, lean meat, sunflower seeds, and various beans to prevent flu.

According to medical experts, ginger brings many benefits to pregnant women, especially in relieving nausea. According to folk experience, ginger is used in the early stages of pregnancy to reduce symptoms of nausea, excessive saliva, and toxicity, helping the fetus to be healthy.

When you have any first signs or just feel a little cold, keep sneezing continuously, then you should immediately drink a cup of hot red sugar ginger water. Ginger and red sugar will warm your body up, making you healthier and keeping the flu at bay.

Pregnant women's bodies require a large amount of water to supply both the mother's body and serve as the amniotic fluid for the fetus. Therefore, drinking enough water is crucial for pregnant women. Pregnant women should drink at least 1 liter of water a day. It will help pregnant women avoid sore throats, prevent the flu, and in winter, you can make warm water for easier consumption.

It's important to supplement with plenty of fruit juice, vegetables to provide vitamin C and other vitamins to enhance your own immunity and provide vitamins for both mother and baby to prevent flu. Good fruit juices include: orange juice, carrot juice, tomato juice, grapes, pears, apples...

It sounds counterintuitive, doesn't it? However, this is quite a good method, so don't hesitate to give it a try. According to experts' research, washing your face with cold water in the early morning enhances your body's ability to fight off the flu.

When you wash your face with cold water in winter, your body adapts to the cold, then fights off the cold more effectively, making it difficult for viruses to penetrate. Therefore, pregnant women should apply this method to boost their immunity.

During pregnancy, you need a proper resting regimen to keep your body in the most comfortable and healthy state. A proper resting regimen will restore energy and health for pregnant women, enhancing their immune system. When your body is in a healthy state, viruses cannot pass through your immune barrier.

In addition, pregnant women should engage in gentle exercises or walk for 15 to 30 minutes daily to improve their health.

When there's a flu outbreak, you should be the first one to run away. The flu spreads extremely fast through saliva and direct contact between people is a vast and rapid source of infection.

That's why pregnant women should limit exposure to outbreak areas, stay away from those with flu symptoms, and avoid crowded places during outbreaks. Pregnant women must frequently wash their hands with soap, sanitize daily objects to prevent bacterial intrusion.

Prevention is better than cure, so pregnant women shouldn't wait until they catch a cold before worrying about treatment. During winter, choose the right time to spend 10-15 minutes sunbathing to naturally synthesize vitamin D for both mother and baby. This is a simple and effective method to enhance immune function and prevent the flu.

In addition, women should pay attention to body temperature and measure it twice a day to ensure they are not feverish. If the body temperature exceeds 38 degrees Celsius, it indicates a fever. Pregnant women need to quickly reduce their body temperature. You can use Paracetamol, which is a safe active ingredient for pregnant women when they have a fever. Pregnant women should not use any medication without a doctor's recommendation. Especially avoid medications containing Ibuprofen and aspirin, as they have been advised not to be used by pregnant women. Using these two types of medications increases the risk of fetal heart defects. If pregnant women suspect a high fever, they should promptly visit the nearest medical facility for timely examination.

If you're planning to have a baby, it's essential to consider getting vaccinated before pregnancy. This is an effective and highly efficient solution to ensure a healthy pregnancy. You should get the flu shot at least 3 months before your pregnancy plan, which will safely protect you and your baby.

You can also explore other vaccines for those intending to become pregnant. Currently, the 3-in-1 vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella) is quite common and widely used. Therefore, expectant mothers should consider and get fully vaccinated to ensure a healthy pregnancy.

Winter is the peak season for viral infections. During pregnancy, women's immune systems are significantly weaker than usual, making them more susceptible to colds or the flu. Therefore, it's crucial to pay close attention to respiratory protection and reduce the risk of infection.

Pregnant women should layer thin clothes instead of wearing one thick layer. This will prevent the body from sweating excessively when overheated, and wearing multiple layers makes it easier to adjust if feeling too hot. If expectant mothers need to go outside in extremely cold weather, wearing a long woolen hat to keep their ears warm, gloves, and a scarf is recommended. Mothers should also wear face masks to keep their noses warm and prevent cold air from entering the nostrils, which can easily cause the flu.