Doctor Says Drinking Cold Water During Pregnancy Does Not Expose Babies To Pneumonia

Doctor Says Drinking Cold Water During Pregnancy Does Not Expose Babies To Pneumonia.

Dr Joseph Okoeguale, the Lead Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo State made this known.

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Okeaguale said that babies whose mothers drank cold water during pregnancy would not have pneumonia.

He noted that this belief is a myth as it has no scientific backing.

The Health Specialist revealed other myths related to cold water. They are:

• Child exposed to runny nose.
• Cogenital pneumonia.
• Other respiratory diseases.

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His words, “There are so many beliefs in the community about pregnancy and I can’t put the connection between drinking cold water causing a cold in unborn babies.

“There is no way the baby will have a runny nose if the mother drinks cold water during pregnancy.

“This is because when the woman is pregnant, the baby is separated from the mother.

“The baby is in a different compartment. The baby is in the womb. The communication between the baby is through the placenta.

“So, if a woman takes cold water, she’s just taking it for herself. and when the woman takes anything, it’s only the metabolised form of what she has taken that gets to the baby through the placenta. There is no connection between a mother taking cold water and the baby having a runny nose.”

He added that drinking cold water is safe for pregnant women and their unborn babies.

“Pregnancy is not a disease; so, drinking cold water during pregnancy cannot make the unborn child have any congenital disease.”

Mayo Clinic defines common cold in babies as an infection of the nose and the throat. The health portal said the upper respiratory tract infection is caused by one or more than 200 viruses. The most popular of them are Rhinoviruses.

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The health portal further revealed factors that expose babies to the common cold are:

• Immature immune systems.
• Exposure to other children.
• The weather and time of the year.

“Your baby can be infected with a virus by air. When someone who is sick coughs, sneezes, or talks, he or she might directly spread the virus to your baby.

“Direct contact: Someone with a cold who touches your baby’s hand can spread the cold virus to your baby, who can become infected after touching his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

“Contaminated surfaces: Some viruses live on surfaces for two hours or longer. Your baby may catch a virus by touching a contaminated surface, such as a toy,” the portal said.

Mayo Clinic also revealed that there’s no vaccine for the common cold. They advised that commonsense precaution and regular handwashing are the best defence against the common cold.

Source: PUNCH HealthWise