Flu-ey symptoms?
Most drugs used to treat the common cold, a cough, sore throat, earache or diarrhoea cross the placenta and could be harmful to the foetus, so check with your doctor before taking any medication.

Paracetamol (the main ingredient in Panado tablets) is the safest drug for pregnant women, and there are some other natural remedies that your doctor or pharmacist might recommend. Take as low a dose as possible to treat your symptoms. Aspirin and ibuprofen should be avoided at all costs, unless prescribed for a specific reason.

Your Pregnancy Week by Week advises readers that cold and flu remedies generally contain 'antihistamines and caffeine, which should be avoided during pregnancy.' Rather take a few days off work to recuperate.

Breathing freely?
Continue to treat asthma during pregnancy by using your asthma pump or other oral corticosteroids, check with your doctor if you are unsure otherwise the amount of oxygen available to your baby may be reduced. This is detrimental to your baby's growth and development.

Inhaled medications are known to be better for the foetus than oral ones. Because the medication may put you at greater risk of developing conditions such as pre-eclampsia, or causing premature labour, your pregnancy will be carefully monitored by your healthcarer.

If you suffer from hayfever or any other allergy, consult your doctor before taking anything containing antihistamines.

Those throbbing temples
Headaches and migraines have many causes (hormonal changes, stress, tension in the muscles of the head or neck, and poor posture). Most women know exactly which medication works best for them. However, during pregnancy you cannot take the majority of these drugs. Penguin's Natural Pregnancy suggests these remedies:

According to Rodale's Balancing Pregnancy & Work, the good news is that migraines and other severe headaches may in fact be less frequent or disappear completely during pregnancy, due to the hormonal changes involved.

A note of caution!
If you suffer from bad headaches that paracetamol cannot relieve, consult your doctor. If you are over six months pregnant, your headache may indicate a more serious condition of pregnancy, such as high blood pressure.