For many women, pregnancy is a holiday! Feeling how the baby is moving inside and being in anticipation that he is about to be born is nothing better than a woman can experience. However, an interesting situation is associated not only with joy; various troubles occur in the form of some complications. One of them is diarrhea during pregnancy, which can hardly be avoided.
Diarrhea occurs accompanied by frequent bowel movements, while stools are liquid. This indicates a large loss of fluid in the body. In addition to the fact that diarrhea gives terrible discomfort to the expectant mother, sometimes she poses a serious danger to the fetus. In this connection, if this complication torments a woman often, you should not hesitate to visit a doctor.
Clinical picture
Diarrhea can catch a pregnant woman at any period of bearing a child. It’s worth immediately clarifying everything: diarrhea in itself is not an independent disease. At the same time, many people regard this as something ordinary, considering it to be normal. Moreover, along with nausea, dizziness, a change in food preferences, a sharp change in mood.
In fact, diarrhea during pregnancy in the early stages or later is only a symptom of some disease. And as a rule, other signs may appear that often lead to a deterioration in the well-being of a woman. Among them are:
- nausea
- chills;
- stomach pain or discomfort;
- flatulence of a strong degree;
- increased body temperature;
- headache, including dizziness;
- a constant feeling of weakness amid rapid fatigue.
As noted above, often with diarrhea, the body can become dehydrated, which manifests itself in the form of poor health. There are certain points that every woman needs to know about. In particular, we are talking about the following:
- Clots of mucus and blood in the stool.
- Against the background of diarrhea during pregnancy, a woman overcomes nausea and vomiting, and her body temperature rises.
- The chair has a dark, almost black shade, and along with this the woman is worried about severe dizziness. Often, such symptoms indicate a stomach ulcer and other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT).
No matter how specific the symptoms of diarrhea may be, this should in any case be regarded as a characteristic signal that women's health is in question. In this regard, you must visit your doctor for a consultation.
Possible threat
What is the danger with frequent loose stool in pregnant women? And the danger exists, both in relation to the child, and for the expectant mother. This is especially true in cases where diarrhea during pregnancy is due to the influence of pathogenic viruses or bacteria. It is not difficult for these microorganisms to penetrate the placental barrier and reach the fetus.
The initial stage of pregnancy is the most responsible, because it is at this time that the embryo is formed and it needs micronutrients as never before. And because of diarrhea, the female body is not able to absorb the necessary amount of vitamins. In addition to dehydration, intoxication is subsequently added.
But even more dangerous is that because of a digestive tract disorder, the uterus can spontaneously contract. This, in turn, can lead to undesirable consequences: either the threat of a miscarriage, or various kinds of fetal abnormalities. To avoid serious troubles from diarrhea during pregnancy, every woman should know how the dehydration of the body manifests itself:
- Feeling of thirst, and constant.
- Drying the palate in the mouth.
- Urine has a darkish tint.
- Heat.
- Dizziness with flies in the eyes.
In this case, you must immediately visit a doctor for diagnosis. At the same time, diarrhea may appear against the background of toxicosis. And then we can assume that it will soon pass on its own. Only for this it is necessary to strictly adhere to all the recommendations of the attending physician.
Causes of diarrhea in early pregnancy
The causes of diarrhea in pregnant women can be different, including those such as:
- High concentration of hormones.
- Relaxed state of smooth muscles.
- A sharp change in diet.
From the very moment when the fertilized egg is fixed on the wall of the uterus, the female body is enriched with a huge number of various hormones that are necessary for the development of the fetus. During the first trimester, the active production of progesterone and estrogen occurs. And this, too, can cause diarrhea during pregnancy in the early stages.
The thing is that each woman is distinguished by individual characteristics, and in each case, the body responds differently to such changes. Often this is manifested by nausea, vomiting (mainly in the morning), dizziness.
Sometimes such a dramatic restructuring is reflected in the work of the digestive tract, and in particular the intestines and pancreas. This is manifested by diarrhea of varying severity.
So that the uterus does not exert its pressure on the fetus during the first trimester, smooth muscles relax. But at the same time, the intestines also have such muscles. As a result of this relaxation, frequent urination occurs.
Some women begin to change their taste preferences, and quite dramatically. The expectant mother begins to eat those wholesome foods that before pregnancy did not even try. However, all this, except for diarrhea during pregnancy in the early stages, ends with nothing more.
You can avoid diarrhea by stopping eating a number of foods or by reducing their number. According to experts, occasionally diarrhea helps to clear the digestive tract from slag. Thus, the child receives only the vitamins he needs.
Second trimester
Often, the toxicosis that began at the beginning of pregnancy disappears on its own with the onset of the 12th week. But in some cases, intoxication, accompanied by an intestinal upset, can last for the II trimester. Toxicosis at this stage of pregnancy is not a pathological condition of the body. In this connection, with normal urine and blood tests, there is no need for a course of treatment.
But the causes of diarrhea during pregnancy in the second trimester, in addition to prolonged toxicosis, may be the following cases:
- Reception of vitamin complexes - they can irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa, causing diarrhea, nausea and rash.
- The pressure of the child - at this time the baby is no longer shallow and can with a certain force put pressure on the stomach, pancreas, including the duodenum and colon. Thus, the fetus, oppressing the work of some organs, violates the digestive process.
- Stressful situations - often they provoke various disorders in pregnant women, including in terms of the gastrointestinal tract. A change in the hormonal background, which causes depression and emotional outbursts, also adds fuel to the fire.
Usually, the II trimester is measured and calm, and therefore frequent urge to defecate should not be ignored.
Diarrhea during pregnancy in the second trimester causes excessive activation of the intestine, which is fraught with the threat of miscarriage.
Third trimester
As for the III trimester, here the reasons for the appearance of loose stool are as follows:
- Exacerbation of toxicosis - at this time it becomes a serious problem. All manifestations must be eliminated, otherwise intoxication can affect the fetus. Then oxygen starvation can not be avoided.
- The baby is growing - its dimensions are already about the same as at birth. In this regard, he puts even more pressure on the digestive organs.
- Exercise - this mainly applies to those women who, being pregnant, do various exercises. At this time, they should switch to performing special charging in order to reduce the load. Otherwise, it also provokes an upset stomach.
If diarrhea during pregnancy in the third trimester occurs at the 41st or even at the 42nd week, the woman must be sent to the maternity hospital. Often this indicates the onset of labor.
Diarrhea treatment
Diarrhea is not the case when you can do it yourself by prescribing certain drugs. Self-medication is highly discouraged, this applies to all women in position, without exception! This is an irresponsible and dangerous act on the part of the expectant mother.
The selection of the necessary drugs should be done only by the attending physician, who at the same time takes into account the duration of pregnancy and other factors. This is mainly due to the fact that a large number of drugs that help against many diseases (including complications like diarrhea during pregnancy in the second period of pregnancy) should not be taken by expectant mothers.
An exception is mild diarrhea in the absence of unpleasant symptoms. A woman should go on a light diet and drink as much fluid as possible. This will allow the body to relax and restore strength.
Therapeutic diet
If diarrhea lasts no more than 7 days, then it does not constitute a threat to the mother or child. At this time, the female body adjusts to the ongoing changes in connection with the new situation. It is possible to restore the digestive tract with the help of a special diet, which excludes all dairy products, salty, sour, fried, spicy.
On the first day of diarrhea, you should drink more fluid. It can be drinking water, rice broth, weak black tea, some fruit drinks, herbal decoctions. This will avoid dehydration and help remove toxins from the body. Also, during diarrhea during pregnancy in the third semester, you can enjoy white bread croutons.
On the second day, you can cook yourself oatmeal or rice porridge, only on water and without salt and sugar. For a bite, dietary biscuits are suitable. Most dairy products are still too early to appear on the menu, but at the same time, natural yogurt is not contraindicated. With it, you can put in order the microflora of the intestine and stomach.
On the third day, you can dilute the diet with soups and mashed vegetables. Steamed cutlets will also come in handy. In order to avoid irritation of the mucous membrane of the digestive organs, you should eat food at room temperature.
During the diet, it is useful to drink tea from chamomile, mint, lemon balm - a woman will remain awake and in a good mood. As for the nature of the meal - at least 6 times a day. And in small portions.
After 8-9 days of such a diet, you can no longer be afraid of diarrhea during pregnancy in the second trimester and smoothly switch to the previous diet: the usual servings and three meals a day.
Medical course
Treatment with medications is usually prescribed when a gastrointestinal problem is caused by a disease. For pregnant women, the following drugs are allowed:
- Sorbents - Enterosgel, Enterodes, Polysorb, activated carbon. Due to their adsorbing action, it is necessary to observe a certain interval between their receptions.
- Antispasmodics - "Papaverine", "No-shpa." These drugs help relieve spasms of the peritoneal organs.
- With the help of Loperamide and Imodium, you can quickly stop loose stools and normalize the general condition of a woman. Only apply them should be only in the period of the III trimester.
- Probiotics - "Bifidumbacterin", "Hilak Forte", "Bactistatin", "Linex" have proven themselves in eliminating diarrhea during pregnancy, contributing to the normalization of intestinal microflora.
- Enzymes Mezim and Pancreatin improve digestion.
Only if the case is severe, the doctor can prescribe a course of treatment with antibiotics, since their reception is associated with certain risks.
Features of diarrhea in later pregnancy
An intestinal upset, as already noted, can be taken by surprise at the 30th week. But not in all cases this indicates the presence of pathogenic microorganisms. It was at this time that some women started late toxicosis, one of the characteristic signs of which is diarrhea during pregnancy. Weakness, bouts of nausea, and dizziness are also felt. In addition, this period is variable, and you should notify your doctor about all changes that occur.
Natural urges cause the uterus to contract, which can result in premature birth. And children born at this time are very weak. In addition, due to dehydration of the female body, there is a risk of thrombosis.
On the eve of childbirth
If diarrhea is observed in the interval from the 35th to the 40th week, then this can be considered a harbinger of childbirth. Only from the 35th to the 37th week, diarrhea is extremely undesirable, because often the baby is born weak and premature. How can a woman protect herself?
First of all, you should think about this in advance, even at the planning stage. And so that diarrhea during pregnancy in the third trimester does not bother, you should pay close attention to your diet and the quality of food consumed. Moreover, you should eat exclusively at home, avoiding any public places where the risk of catching any infection is significantly higher.
In some cases, the baby himself in the womb can cause diarrhea. In the later stages, it has already grown noticeably and puts pressure on the internal organs of the mother with its weight. As a result, this leads to a deterioration in the motility of the digestive tract.
A woman may face the problem of dehydration during the entire III trimester. At this time, the baby is already fully formed and mostly little things remain. He needs more vitamins and other beneficial minerals than before. And with dehydration, the female body cannot provide him with the necessary supplies, and then the child begins to experience a feeling of hunger.
But diarrhea during pregnancy in the third trimester (38-40th week) accompanied by cramping pain can serve as a clear signal for childbirth. In this case, diarrhea no longer poses any threat to the mother and her child. Often it is associated with the cleansing of the body, which is preparing for the birth of a baby or baby.
At the same time, if the complication is due to severe toxicosis, then a woman is prescribed a medical course of treatment using light drugs. This will prevent the penetration of toxins to the fetus through the placenta.
Finally
Any woman who is in a “special situation” must be aware that she now has a great responsibility. A new life is developing in her womb, which is priceless! Therefore, during pregnancy, you need to carefully monitor your health. And first of all, carefully consider what the expectant mother eats. The child needs "building material", and this is possible when only healthy products are used, mainly of natural origin.
This will help to avoid many complications, and now the question of whether there may be diarrhea during pregnancy should not arise. It is important to understand that any discomfort needs to be addressed in a timely manner. Otherwise, there may be complications.