Quite often, the joy of expecting a baby is overshadowed by such an unpleasant phenomenon as toxicosis during pregnancy. Each expectant mother in her own way copes with this problem.
Many folk methods of how to deal with toxicosis during pregnancy are effective when intoxication does not pose a threat to the life and health of the woman and the fetus.
To understand how dangerous the disease in question is, we turn to the classification of varieties of this phenomenon generally accepted in obstetrics and gynecology.
Types and characteristics by time
Classification depending on the period of gestation implies two main varieties: toxicosis during early pregnancy and gestosis.
The first type of intoxication of the body is accompanied, as a rule, by such unpleasant symptoms for a woman as nausea, vomiting, intolerance to certain odors, and sometimes itchy skin. During this period, a woman, as a rule, loses weight. Many are interested in the question of when toxicosis begins in the early stages of pregnancy. The time of the onset of this condition is most often interested in women who are expecting a first-born. These symptoms occur in the early stages of embryo formation. Signs of intoxication are manifested from about the fifth week of pregnancy or a little later and continue until the twelfth to fourteenth week, that is, until the final formation of the placenta and restoration of the hormonal background.
But it is worth noting that everything is individual. And if some suffer from toxicosis during pregnancy throughout the first trimester, then others during this period can feel quite fine. There is also an opinion that the condition of a woman depends on the gender of the unborn child. Although, judging by the reviews, this is far from the case.
Toxicosis of the second half (gestosis) is accompanied by high blood pressure and a malfunction in the urinary system. In particular, in future mothers, swelling of the lower extremities is observed, urine analysis indicators are deteriorating. Gestosis develops at a later date, from about the thirtieth week of pregnancy, when there is not much time left before childbirth. Such terrible signs are often indications for urgent medical care. In some cases, a pregnant woman is hospitalized and is under the supervision of doctors, sometimes before delivery.
Types and characteristics by time of manifestation
Depending on the frequency of exacerbation of symptoms, toxicosis during pregnancy is divided into morning and evening.
- An acute manifestation of the symptoms of the first type is characteristic of the morning hours, as a rule, immediately after the woman wakes up. Usually, the expectant mother in the morning experiences vomiting and nausea, which negatively affects her overall well-being and mood.
- The second type of toxicosis is characteristic of evening hours. Her symptoms appear immediately after an evening meal, until the woman goes into sleep. Symptoms of this form are associated with fatigue accumulated during the day. May appear at any stage of pregnancy.
In addition to the listed types of intoxication, during pregnancy there is a likelihood of staphylococcal toxicosis. This form is a consequence of the harmful effects of staphylococcal infection on the body of a pregnant woman and is considered the most dangerous.
Common signs of toxicosis
For each form of intoxication of a pregnant woman’s body, its own specific signs are inherent, however, there are the most common symptoms characteristic of toxicosis. Among these signs are distinguished:
- feeling of nausea and the presence of vomiting;
- profuse salivation;
- chronic fatigue that does not pass even after the phase of night rest;
- mental imbalance, manifested in increased excitability and irritability;
- increased body temperature;
- low blood pressure (with the exception of toxicosis of the second half of pregnancy);
- heart rhythm disturbance;
- itchy skin, sometimes with the appearance of rashes on the skin of a pregnant woman;
- deficiency of calcium and trace elements important for the female body;
- involuntary contraction of muscle tissue in the limbs (for example, cramps in the legs).
Judging by the reviews, toxicosis during pregnancy is not accompanied by any of the described symptoms. The most characteristic and understandable signs of intoxication are the feeling of nausea and vomiting.
According to the medical community, such reactions of the pregnant woman’s body have a completely rational basis and are explained by the desire of the future mother’s body to get rid of possible bad habits and addictions, including the use of products that are not useful for the fetus. Thus, the body itself is trying to get rid of the unnecessary at the level of instincts.
It is difficult to deny such a theory, because due to the rejection of certain types of products, the expectant mother is forced to withdraw some foods from the diet and replace them with others, often more wholesome and nutritious. In addition, unpleasant sensations and poor health compels a pregnant woman to give up harmful addictions, in particular, from smoking and drinking alcohol.
The reasons for this condition
The exact causes and timing of toxicosis during pregnancy, as well as other reactions of the female body during the period of gestation, have not been established so far. All individually. Most of all questions about the causes and the fight against them arise in those who experience toxicosis of the first pregnancy.
Judging by the reviews, most women (more than fifty percent) experience negative effects of intoxication in the early stages of gestation, the symptoms of which disappear on their own with an increase in gestation. The remaining percentage of expectant mothers, on the contrary, are not familiar with this unpleasant phenomenon and do not experience discomfort during the entire gestation period.
One of the most popular theories of the occurrence of toxicosis in pregnancy is associated with the poisoning of the female body with the waste products of the embryo released during the growth and development of the fetus. However, due to its insolvency, such an explanation has been completely refuted by modern specialists in the field of obstetrics and gynecology. Indeed, in this case, the symptoms of toxicosis during pregnancy in the early stages should increase and worsen with each subsequent week of gestation. However, the opposite is true. And after twelve weeks (individually for each woman), the symptoms of such a condition weaken and completely disappear.
The reasons, as well as the period when toxicosis begins during pregnancy, are individual and are not common to all women. Among the possible conditions for the occurrence of intoxication, the following are considered:
- hormonal imbalance;
- mental disorders associated with changes in the central nervous system;
- the formation of the placenta;
- the action of the protective barriers of the female body, seeking to get rid of the presence of a foreign object;
- the age of the future mother (it is believed that the risk of intoxication increases in women over thirty years old);
- the weak immune system of the expectant mother;
- development in the womb of a woman multiple pregnancy;
- hereditary predisposition.
Modern medicine considers hormone imbalance as well as deviations in the functioning of the central nervous system as the main causes of toxicosis during pregnancy. The primary causes are complicated by secondary disorders, which contributes to the appearance of new symptoms and complications during this ailment.
What is toxicosis during pregnancy?
Nausea and vomiting are hallmarks of intoxication in a woman who is expecting a baby. Therefore, from the extent to which these symptoms are expressed, several forms of their manifestation are distinguished:
- The mild form is characterized mainly by the feeling of nausea that occurs after eating. As a rule, with this form, vomiting is less pronounced, and the reflex eruption of gastric contents does not exceed five times during the day. In this case, a decrease in body weight of a pregnant woman is not more than three kilograms in two weeks.
- The average form is accompanied by frequent vomiting and an almost constant feeling of nausea. Weight loss with this form is more significant and amounts to more than three kilograms for a specified period of observation.
- A severe course is considered the most dangerous. With this form of the course of the disease, the number of reflex eruptions of the contents of the stomach is more than two dozen times during the day. A pregnant woman is constantly tormented by bouts of nausea, and due to frequent vomiting, there is a high probability of dehydration.
In addition, in severe toxicosis, the process of washing out calcium from the body occurs, as well as problems in the functioning of the urinary system. This condition of the expectant mother requires medical attention and careful medical supervision.
If by the end of the third trimester of pregnancy the symptoms of toxicosis intensify, then the disease takes the form of gestosis and is accompanied by an increase in blood pressure and severe impairment of kidney function. The future mother has severe swelling of the lower extremities. The transition of toxicosis of the second half of pregnancy (gestosis) to a severe form is an indication for a cesarean section.
How to cope with symptoms in the early stages
In the fight against the most striking manifestations of toxicosis, such as nausea and vomiting, women use their methods. Each tries to use the means that make her feel better.
For example, in order to overcome the haunting feeling of nausea, expectant mothers eat foods that have a salty or sour taste (pickled or pickled cucumbers, lemons, lollipops). Some women benefit from a lemon balm decoction or cranberry juice.
To get rid of excessive salivation, you can resort to the procedure of rinsing the oral cavity with mint or chamomile infusion.
As a way to deal with early toxicosis during pregnancy, it is recommended to take special vitamin-mineral complexes containing minerals and vitamins such as folic acid, zinc, iodine, copper, and B vitamins that are important for the mother and fetus.
Symptoms of morning sickness can be neutralized by drinking a glass of water on an empty stomach and having breakfast on time, as well as eating a few pieces of nuts, crackers or a handful of dried fruits.
If nausea and vomiting do not recede, the doctor prescribes medication for the treatment of the disease. In such cases, antiemetic drugs are prescribed, for example, Cerucal or Torecan, as well as Droperidol (an antipsychotic with a sedative and antiemetic effect). Some women respond well to the innovative drug Enterosgel, which aims to safely remove toxins and other harmful substances from the body.
The doctor must prescribe the drug to eliminate the acute symptoms of toxicosis, and in no case should you buy the medicine yourself. Only a doctor can assess the degree of ailment that has come across a pregnant woman and prescribe the right treatment.
As for severe forms of toxicosis of the second half of pregnancy, self-medication is inappropriate here. The elimination of symptoms with such intoxication should be carried out under the direct supervision and supervision of a doctor.
Traditional medicine
There are many options for dealing with toxicosis in early pregnancy. To eliminate symptoms, expectant mothers often use such popular methods:
- Honey treatment. This unique useful product successfully fights with attacks of nausea when toxicosis begins during pregnancy in the early stages. The main thing is the absence of contraindications to its use (allergies and intolerances). You can use honey in its natural form or add it to tea, fruit drinks or herbal decoctions. It is recommended to introduce beekeeping products into your daily diet with caution and little by little. To start, just one teaspoon per day is enough.
- Dried fruits have a specific sweet and sour taste. Dried fruit compote is a good remedy for eliminating bouts of nausea. You can eat dried fruits, nuts, or crackers immediately after waking up to suppress vomiting.
- Taking citrus fruits and freshly squeezed juices can also help the expectant mother when toxicosis begins during pregnancy. The sour taste fights against nausea, and the high content of citrus vitamin C helps to strengthen the immunity of a woman carrying a child. If citrus fruits cause a rejection in the future mother, cranberries in their natural form or in the form of fruit drinks or decoction can become an alternative product.
- Tea made from rose hips helps to cope with nausea, and a large amount of nutrients contained in the fruits of this shrub helps to eliminate toxins and saturate the body with vitamins.
- Treatment of toxicosis with apple cider vinegar. To do this, a teaspoon of vinegar is diluted in a glass of water. You can drink such a drink from morning until the main meal.
- A decoction based on the root of ginger and lemon. The drink is prepared as follows: a teaspoon of grated root is poured with boiling water in the amount of one liter. After holding the broth for an hour, lemon juice is added to taste.
- Some women are well helped by a decoction or tincture of motherwort. But do not get involved in this way.
- Tea with the addition of mint or lemon balm also helps to cope with bouts of nausea and vomiting.
Odor Symptom Management
Aromatherapy using oils of plant origin is widely used to normalize both physical and mental conditions. To stop nausea, you can apply a few drops of oil to clothing or the skin of your wrist. The choice of aroma is based on personal preference and tolerance of a pregnant woman. This method of dealing with attacks of nausea is not suitable for every woman, since the specific smells of oils can cause the exact opposite reaction. Like other means of eliminating toxicosis, do not abuse the use of essential oils during pregnancy.
Methods of prevention of intoxication
Pregnancy is not only a joyful event, but also an occasion to review and change the usual way of life. To prevent the occurrence of unpleasant symptoms, the following adjustments to the lifestyle will help.
- Change in eating behavior. If the smell and taste of certain foods causes you to feel disgust, immediately stop eating them. Introduce foods and drinks that can counteract nausea and vomiting into your diet. For each woman, a set of such products will be individual.
- Reception of vitamin complexes. Multivitamins are important in strengthening the future mother's immune system. Replenishing the deficiency of vitamins and minerals is an effective way to get rid of toxicosis during pregnancy.
- Proper nutrition. To reduce the burden on the stomach and normalize metabolism, organize a daily diet so that a single serving of food decreases and the number of meals during the day increases (up to about six to eight times a day).
- Adequate protein intake. Protein is an important building material, so the daily diet of a pregnant woman should include a sufficient amount of foods containing protein of plant and animal origin.
- Mandatory presence in the diet of the expectant mother of fresh vegetables, fruits and nuts.
- To avoid acute symptoms of toxicosis, avoid eating fatty, spicy, smoked foods, as well as strong coffee and tea (during pregnancy, you can switch to drinking green tea).
- Control the amount of salt consumed.
- Adequate water intake. For the normal operation of all systems and organs in the body of a future mother, the daily amount of water drunk by a woman should reach one and a half liters.
- Complete rejection of bad habits (alcohol and tobacco).
- Full night rest (sleep for at least eight hours).
- Physical activity. To the extent possible and capable, a pregnant woman should lead an active lifestyle, do exercises every morning (for example, perform specially designed gymnastics for pregnant women) and walk in the fresh air regardless of the weather.
- One of the most important means of prevention can be considered the absence in the life of a future mother of stressful situations and various kinds of experiences. Then the state of health will be better, and the fetus will develop correctly.
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Conclusion
The method of struggle depends on at what period of pregnancy toxicosis manifests itself. The main thing is to find an individual approach to your body, without causing harm to the unborn child. The timing of toxicosis during pregnancy can be different, in the case of signs of severe intoxication, it is necessary to consult a doctor.