Colds/sinus Infections - More Often During Pregnancy?

Pregnant women are immunocompromised.

Its the only way to grow a person with DNA different from our own inside of us. We have to lower out immune response, or our immune system would attack and destroy the baby. In fact, some poor women, that's the sum total of their fertility problems... Their body rejects the fetus. Its an especially difficult kind of infertility, as these are often the "But Im healthy, watch my weight, have never been sick a day in my life!" types... Who are betrayed by their bodies for often the first time. (The rest of us who get sick all the time can be grateful for every sniffling miserable cold, when we look at our kids. Be ause our bodies LET us get pregnant).

Its not as severely compromised as young children or the eldery, much less those who've had organ transplants or immune system illnesses... But its still compromised.

Which is why pregnant women get sick so often, and so often die of treatable illnesses without regular medical care (its fetal MATERNAL health).

I think it is more common to get sinus infections during pregnancy because the things in your sinus cavity swell. (I forget why). Try using OTC saline spray (Ocean Spray) to keep things moving in your sinus so you won't end up with an infection and need an antibiotic.
Feel better!!!

Yes, it is more common. There is increased swelling while pregnant, and your immune system is a bit weaker as more of your resources are going to the baby.

Breathe Right Strips were my best friend when I was pregnant. They cleared up my nose so I could breathe while trying to sleep.

Hang in there!

I found I had less colds but damn I got nose bleeds easier. I think I read somewhere that being pregnant thins the vessels in your nose so it seems reasonable that more colds would turn into sinus infections.

Sometimes it's just a rough cold season. Sometimes pregnant women just don't get as much sleep as they used to, so their immune system is a little compromised. It may be that the first cold weakened your immune system a bit, so you were more susceptible when exposed to the second set of germs. There are things you can do to strengthen your immune system (but don't believe those TV commercials for miracle products), but it's not an overnight fix and it usually takes a few months to do so. Good luck!

Yes, being pregnant compromises your immune system.

When I was preggers with my son, my Asthma flared up.
Bad.
And I got more cold tweaks too.
And I had to take more of my Asthma meds. Of course per the approval of my Doc.

I got a cold/sinus infecction once in my life, it was during my second pregnancy. Got ammoxicillin for it, but the antibiotics cause a yeast infection.

When you are pregnant, you tend to hold more water than you normally do and your sinus tissues swell up.
It's very common to feel like your nose is stuffy all the time even if you don't have a cold.
If it swells enough to prevent normal drainage - you get sinus infections.
Drink plenty of water - it helps you to flush out that excess water your body is holding.
You can also rinse out your nose as often as you want to with slightly warm saline - I like using a neti pot.
It all gets better fairly quickly once you give birth.