Effects of pregnancy on the otolaryngology

  A series of physiological changes occur in pregnant women, such as increased vascular volume, peripheral vasodilatation and decreased vascular resistance, etc. With the increase of water in the body, it leads to swelling of the mucous membranes throughout the body and affects the physiological functions of the organs. The incidence is highest in the first and last 3 months of pregnancy, and the reason is related to the characteristics of endocrine (especially estrogen) changes in these two stages.  1. Rhinitis during pregnancy: After a woman is pregnant, her body hormones change and the level of estrogen increases, causing a hypersensitivity reaction in the nasal mucosa, resulting in small blood vessel dilation, tissue edema and exuberant glandular secretion, which can be manifested as nasal congestion, sneezing and runny nose. Other conditions associated with elevated estrogen, such as puberty, menstruation, long-term oral hormonal contraceptives, and low thyroid function, can also trigger rhinitis. Statistics show that 20% of pregnant women have the possibility of developing rhinitis of pregnancy, especially after the third month of pregnancy. Once the causative factors are eliminated after delivery, rhinitis in pregnant women will be cured without any sequelae. Treatment principles: (1) Once a pregnant woman has nasal congestion, runny nose, etc., local vasoconstrictors can be applied appropriately, but should not be used for a long time, generally no more than 3-5 days, so as to avoid the formation of drug rhinitis; (2) If purulent nasal discharge occurs, certain antibacterial substances can be used as appropriate, but the use of ototoxic antibiotics is prohibited; (3) If the general treatment of rhinitis in pregnancy is ineffective, after removing nasal secretions, the use of (3) If the general treatment of rhinitis in pregnancy is ineffective, after clearing the nasal secretions, nasal sprays can be used, they can reduce local edema and congestion, and the systemic side effects are smaller.  2.Pregnancy rhinorrhea: rhinorrhea during pregnancy is more common, and severe bleeding may be accompanied by nasal hemangioma lesions. When encountering such patients, careful examination is needed to find the bleeding site and then treat it properly.  3. Secretory otitis media during pregnancy: In early pregnancy, blood volume increases faster than intertissue fluid. After 16 weeks, the growth of intertissue fluid accelerates, and water retention mainly occurs in the intertissue space, thus making it easy for secretory otitis media to occur, and some patients may even develop Meniere’s syndrome, tinnitus and facial paralysis. Normal recovery is usually expected in 3-6 months after delivery. Treatment principle: nasal spray, pharyngeal tube blowing and other treatments can be given.  4. Throat reaction during pregnancy: about 20% of pregnant women have throat disease, which usually occurs in the second trimester of pregnancy. Due to the increase in intra-abdominal pressure, weakened breathing, coupled with delayed gastric emptying, lower esophageal pressure is reduced, and esophageal reflux is likely to occur. The symptoms are heartburn, breath-holding, foreign body sensation in the throat, pain in the lower throat and hoarseness. The voice of pregnant women can also be altered, possibly due to dryness, edema, hypertrophy or vascularization of the vocal cords, which is associated with endocrine disorders.  Pharyngeal edema may be a sign of preeclampsia, and examination reveals epiglottis and vocal cord edema, which in severe cases can lead to difficult tracheal intubation and can even be an important cause of death from anesthetic intubation in pregnant women.  In conclusion: The majority of ENT diseases during pregnancy will gradually heal after delivery, and only conservative treatment and symptomatic management are usually required in order to benefit the pregnant woman’s recovery and avoid adverse reactions. Since medication during pregnancy may cause fetal skeletal malformations and neurological developmental disorders, it is better not to use and use less medication for the health of the fetus, and to consult with an obstetrician and gynecologist before using medication to control the dose and type of medication.