About half of pregnant women to one degree or another for the first time experience manifestations of hemorrhoids during gestation. This unpleasant disease is not a contraindication to natural delivery, although it can cause many problems both during pregnancy and the delivery process.
Causes of hemorrhoids
Normal changes that occur during pregnancy in the body often cause the formation of hemorrhoids. This phenomenon poses the greatest danger to those patients who are prone to stagnation in the pelvic organs. Doctors identify about five main causes that provoke the development of hemorrhoids. Sometimes a woman may have several of them at once.
Irregular peristalsis leads to constipation against the background of an improper diet. Chronic constipation provokes stagnation in the pelvic organs, which is the cause of the formation of hemorrhoids. This reason has already been mentioned above. In this case, it is necessary to change the diet and normalize the stool. In some cases, conservative treatment may be required.
Increased pressure on the pelvic organs and blood vessels has the growth of the uterus during gestation. This leads to problems with regular bowel movements and congestion, resulting in hemorrhoids. To reduce the risk, you must avoid prolonged sitting. During pregnancy, a woman must take a daily walk in the fresh air.
A sedentary lifestyle is the main reason for the formation of hemorrhoids not only in expectant mothers, but also among other categories of patients. Most women limit activity during pregnancy due to poor health, discomfort in the abdomen and lower back. But this is bad for blood circulation in the pelvic organs and can lead to the formation of hemorrhoidal changes.
Hemorrhoids before birth can occur due to hormonal imbalance. To maintain and maintain pregnancy, an increased level of the hormone progesterone in the blood is needed, but this substance has a negative effect on the vessels of the pelvis, contributing to their pathological expansion. Hormones can also cause constipation. With improper nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle, this leads to inflammation and an increase in hemorrhoidal nodes.
Childbirth in itself is a provoking factor. The voltage rises significantly, which leads to exacerbations. Hemorrhoids may occur after childbirth (photo practitioners show a variety of - from minimal signs of the disease to serious forms), even if during pregnancy the woman did not notice the initial symptoms. Therefore, the prevention of hemorrhoids in pregnant women is so important. The likelihood of hemorrhoids after childbirth (reviews of many women confirms this) is minimal in healthy expectant mothers.
The main symptoms of the disease
One of the main symptoms of the disease is bleeding after bowel movements. A woman may notice faint traces of blood. In some cases, blood loss is quite serious and requires medical attention. In addition, the disease is characterized by a feeling of discomfort, itching and burning in the anus. Soreness may not be characteristic in all cases. Usually pain appears only with an exacerbation of the disease.
A striking symptom of hemorrhoids is loss of nodes. In this case, the nodules come out of the anus during defecation. You can submit them yourself. After a while, hemorrhoidal nodes must be repaired more often, because as the disease develops, muscle tone weakens, and the sphincter can no longer hold the nodes in the intestine for a long time.
Hemorrhoids occur in acute or chronic form. In the first case, the disease is accompanied by sharp pain in the process of defecation, when walking or with a slight load. Chronic hemorrhoids are characterized by slight discomfort in the anus. Most often, pain appears during the act of defecation or immediately after it. There may be rare and minor bleeding after stool and periodic loss of nodes.
Pregnancy treatment
Hemorrhoids during childbirth can worsen if treatment of the first manifestations of the disease was not started during pregnancy. Therapy should be prescribed on time, so a woman has a better chance of a positive outcome of this disease. Be sure to adjust the diet and normalize the stool. Physical exercise is required to maintain the muscle tone of the abdominal wall and perineum. This will help get rid of stagnation in the pelvic area.
The treatment for hemorrhoids during pregnancy depends on the stage of the disease. Doctors divide all women suffering from this pathology into two groups. The first includes future mothers with an asymptomatic hemorrhoids, which was found in the initial stage during a medical examination. Such patients do not need medical treatment. Only preventive measures are indicated, and if necessary, light laxatives are prescribed.
The second group includes women with burning and itching in the anus, bleeding, chronic constipation, pain during bowel movements. In this case, medication is indicated. The selection of pharmacological preparations is carried out individually, taking into account the special condition of the woman.
Expectant mothers are treated with the same drugs as other categories of patients. Ointments, gels and suppositories are prescribed to reduce the permeability of the vascular wall and fragility of capillaries, drugs to reduce viscosity and increase vascular tone, local drugs that anesthetize and relieve itching. Doctors recommend the use of Troxevasin, Troxerutin and Ginkor-forte, Eskuzan, Doksium and Gepatrombin, Misvengal and Venitan.
In the presence of cracks, it is advisable to give preference to conservative therapy. In case of urgent need for surgical intervention, doctors resort to gentle methods that are aimed at preventing dangerous bleeding.
How to alleviate a woman’s condition
Hemorrhoids during childbirth exacerbate, as a rule, in those categories of patients who previously suffered from this disease. So preventive measures and treatment, if necessary, are very important. During pregnancy, many drugs are forbidden to take, because, for example, pills that facilitate the act of bowel movement can also lead to premature cervical dilatation. In the first trimester, you can not take almost anything, and some pharmacological agents are contraindicated before delivery. But there are rectal suppositories based on natural ingredients that help reduce discomfort and resist inflammatory processes.
To alleviate the condition of a woman during pregnancy and so that childbirth with hemorrhoids goes well, safe folk methods are used. It is recommended to wash yourself with decoctions of herbs. It is optimal to use chamomile, dandelion. This is a safe means for the expectant mother. Compresses and lotions using herbal infusions (nettle, chamomile) are shown. With bleeding, burdock oil will help at room temperature. You can use enemas to empty the intestines, but you do not need to abuse them, because it is addictive. In addition, a balanced diet is indicated. This will reduce hemorrhoids during childbirth and prevent possible complications.
Are natural births and disease compatible
Hemorrhoids detected during childbirth are not a contraindication to natural delivery, but it is advisable to carry out prophylaxis in advance. A woman with such a disease in most cases can give birth on her own. However, the pathology may worsen or complications of hemorrhoids occur after childbirth in a woman. Photos from medical practice and statistics from practitioners confirm that after delivery, the disease remains and periodically worsens in eight out of ten women.
Indications for cesarean section
If the disease is not treated during pregnancy, complications may occur during childbirth:
- severe bleeding requiring emergency medical attention;
- thrombophlebitis;
- pinching or infection of hemorrhoids;
- the transition of a chronic disease into an acute form;
- further development of necrosis of nodes.
The most dangerous option is the development of bleeding with significant blood loss.
How is the birth in such a disease?
As mentioned earlier, hemorrhoids found in a pregnant woman are not a contraindication to the natural birth process. An indication for cesarean section is only a chronic form of hemorrhoids, if we are talking about the fourth degree of pathology. CS is indicated in the presence of thrombotic nodes and the real danger of heavy bleeding, but this is quite rare. As a rule, a decision on the nature of childbirth is made after a woman is examined by a proctologist and only individually.
But it is worth knowing that childbirth and hemorrhoids are not the most successful combination. Most likely, the presence of nodes will affect both the pain of labor and its duration. Childbirth can aggravate the course of the disease, because it is normal that they suggest tension in the muscular system of the pelvis and perineum. The main burden will lie on the rectum, sphincter and pelvic vessels. Long complications with intense attempts lead to serious complications. In this case, hemorrhoids after childbirth (the photo in this case is not for the faint of heart) may appear in those women who have not previously encountered manifestations of the disease. In this case, treatment should be started immediately.
Is it possible to avoid exacerbation of hemorrhoids after childbirth? What to do? If the disease already exists, and childbirth has begun, then it is almost impossible to influence the situation. A woman can only listen carefully and follow all the instructions of the doctor and midwife. Timely and correct actions without undue tension of the perineum muscles during attempts will contribute to safe and easy delivery, which will take place without unpleasant consequences.
Postpartum activities
If hemorrhoids are found during childbirth, treatment can begin immediately after the end of labor. Conservative therapy or surgery may be indicated. The choice of treatment depends on how serious the disease is. They do not need to be afraid of surgical treatment, because now they are using modern methods that are less traumatic and guarantee a successful recovery.
If hemorrhoids appeared after childbirth
The conservative treatment of hemorrhoids after childbirth in women (see the photo of suitable remedies below) consists in the use of suppositories, gels and ointments. Heparin ointment and heparin-based suppositories are very actively used. The drug is not contraindicated in the treatment of hemorrhoids after childbirth during breastfeeding or during pregnancy, because it has only a local effect. "Troxevasin" is used in the form of a cream or ointment. The tool relieves inflammation, swelling, helps to reduce the number of secretions. "Troxevasin" also has no contraindications during pregnancy and lactation.
Doctors often prescribe Relief, a cream based on shark liver fats. There are no contraindications, but it is not used in acute stages. This drug can be used even at the initial stage. "Posterisan" promotes the regeneration of the intestinal mucosa and anus. Not contraindicated in lactation. Ointment has an analgesic effect. Another effective remedy for hemorrhoids after childbirth is Procto-glivenol suppository. The drug contains an anesthetic, which has a local anesthetic effect. Candles can be used during lactation.
Ointments based on natural ingredients help well from hemorrhoids after childbirth. These include suppositories with calendula, propolis and sea buckthorn oil. But such drugs are effective only in the initial stages of the disease. Herbal baths, sea buckthorn oil and other home remedies are shown. But they can be used only after consulting a proctologist.
Prevention and treatment of the initial stages
Postpartum hemorrhoids are preventable by normalizing bowel function. In addition, a large amount of liquid is recommended daily. A minimum of 1.5 liters or 2.5-3 liters is required for lactation. The diet should include foods that are rich in fiber. These are bran, brown rice, wholemeal bread, vegetables. Every day you need to eat dairy products, fruits and dried fruits. It is recommended to reduce the amount of carbohydrates in the diet and exclude carbonated drinks, sweets. It is undesirable to use diuretic teas and infusions.
In day mode, there should be a slight charge. In the first month after childbirth, the use of alcohol, fatty foods with lots of seasonings and spices is contraindicated. Important preventative measures include personal hygiene. The anus should be washed with water after each bowel movement. Drying and soothing baths are recommended.
Restriction of therapy due to breastfeeding is impossible, because in the absence of treatment, hemorrhoids turn into a chronic form after childbirth. The disease is supplemented by new unpleasant symptoms. As the hemorrhoid nodes grow, surgery may be required.