During pregnancy, the female body has to solve a huge number of non-standard tasks. The work of many organs and systems is being rebuilt, from blood circulation to metabolism. Unfortunately, our body does not always cope with this successfully, therefore there are malfunctions typical of pregnancy for the body.
One of the most common pregnancy pathologies is gestosis. Usually he lies in wait for women towards the end of pregnancy. True, at present, gestosis means all diseases that occur only during pregnancy and do not exist at another time. With this approach, early and late gestosis of pregnant women is distinguished.
Late gestosis
Usually it is called actually gestosis. In some sources, it is called late toxicosis. This disruption of the body usually manifests itself as edema, high blood pressure, the presence of protein in the urine. Only one sign out of three can occur. And finally, one of the most dangerous symptoms of gestosis is considered to be eclampsia, which is manifested by convulsions, loss of consciousness. Fortunately, this does not happen often if treatment is started on time.
With late gestosis, the work of several organs and systems at once is disrupted - the kidneys, brain, cardiovascular system. After all, the body is a single whole, and the disruption of one system affects others.
Edema is an early clinical symptom of late gestosis. They can be explicit and hidden. True, they are not always associated precisely with this pathology. Sometimes with a normal pregnancy, edema is also observed in connection with increased production of progesterone. Early and late gestosis are distinguished by the fact that with early weight loss is observed, or, in the best case, it remains stable, and with late there may be sudden jumps in weight. Moreover, they are primarily associated not with the accumulation of fat mass or the development of the fetus and female reproductive system, but with fluid retention. Excessive weight gain should alert you first. Edema is of three degrees of severity. At the first, extremities usually swell, almost always legs and sometimes arms. In the second, the stomach joins them. The third degree involves swelling of the whole body, including the face and neck. In such cases, weight gain can be very significant - up to 20 kg.
Causes of gestosis
One of the reasons is that plasma penetrates through microscopic holes in the placenta into the tissue, causing swelling. The same thing can happen in the kidneys. Only in them through such holes protein is lost along with urine. That is why during pregnancy, a urine test is taken even more often than a blood test.
Another cause of a large number of unpleasant and dangerous symptoms is considered a violation of the interaction of the cerebral hemispheres. And since the brain regulates all processes in the body, a malfunction in its work does not benefit the cardiovascular system, causing pressure spikes, and also provokes nausea and headache.
The reason can also be malnutrition - the use of excessive amounts of salt, sugar, spicy foods that provoke fluid retention.
Risk group
Particularly susceptible to gestosis are women who, even before pregnancy, did not have good health. They have this complication of diseases of the cardiovascular system, kidneys, liver, endocrine system. The emotional state also affects - as they say, all diseases from nerves. Therefore, women who are prone to depression, stress and neurosis are more likely to experience this disease. Of course, much determines the way of life. Smoking and alcoholism also contribute to the development of gestosis in pregnant women. It also provokes obesity.
Many other predisposing factors can be identified, for example, under the age of 18 years or over 35. Numerous abortions or frequent childbirth can also weaken the female body. A genetic predisposition to gestosis is manifested in the fact that the next of kin also suffered from it during pregnancy. And if a woman herself in previous pregnancies encountered gestosis, it is likely that this will happen again. Finally, carrying twins is a double burden on the body, therefore it also becomes a risk.
This list may give the impression that it is extremely difficult to avoid gestosis. This is not entirely true, but, unfortunately, this is indeed a common violation. It occurs in a third of pregnant women.
What is early gestosis?
This is a very common deviation of the course of pregnancy, so much so that it is often perceived as the norm. For many, the much more familiar name for this phenomenon is toxicosis. Early gestosis often becomes an occasion for jokes about vomiting, strange taste preferences, and eating cans of pickles. Indeed, this condition is not so critical and more likely to cause discomfort than it is dangerous. True, in some cases it can become a very formidable disease. Early and late gestosis of pregnant women are very different in signs and features of the course.
Toxicosis occurs in the first trimester and sometimes becomes the first signal of pregnancy. For example, a woman may be alerted that a dish that she recently ate with pleasure, sharply began to cause her disgust. Early gestosis is characterized primarily by nausea and vomiting. There is also a general deterioration in well-being, for example, headaches.
Most often, by the end of the first trimester, the unpleasant symptoms of early gestosis go away. But in some women, unfortunately, toxicosis continues throughout pregnancy.
Causes of Toxicosis
All scientists agree that the disease is associated with the presence of a fetal egg. But what is the mechanism of its development, discussions are still ongoing. There are several theories that explain the occurrence of early gestosis.
Toxic
It is no accident that for many years this disease was called toxicosis. Its symptoms are very similar to signs of poisoning. Therefore, it was logical to assume that gestosis during pregnancy in early pregnancy is associated with it. The body of the fetus and placenta secrete waste products that are poisonous and provoke intoxication. Most often this happens with metabolic disorders. However, this theory is considered by many experts to be obsolete, so they put forward other assumptions.
Neuroreflex
In the body, everything is complex and interconnected. A growing fetal egg irritates endometrial receptors. They, in turn, enhance the reactions of the autonomic nervous system and even subcortical formations. The likelihood of early gestosis is higher if a woman has a pathology of the endometrium or abnormalities in the autonomic nervous system. How is it that the majority of toxicosis passes by the end of the first trimester? The fetus becomes larger and, of course, does not cease to irritate the receptors, however, the nervous system of women adapts to new conditions, and her work is getting better.
Hormonal
There are scientists who believe that the cause may be increased production of human chorionic gonadotropin - the very hCG, the level of which is determined by pregnancy tests. Passes early gestosis after 3 months, because the production of this hormone is reduced.
Psychogenic
It was noticed that toxicosis is more often observed in emotional impressionable women. The processes of excitation and inhibition are often disturbed in their brain. Moreover, this happens with an unwanted pregnancy or, conversely, a long-awaited one.
Diagnosis of early gestosis
How is this disease detected? Early gestosis is easy to detect. After all, usually it is not asymptomatic. Most often, the woman herself complains of nausea and vomiting. It is much more important for the doctor to determine the degree of pathology in order to prescribe treatment. The degrees are characterized by the intensity of vomiting, as well as the general condition of the body.
Mild
Vomiting can occur 2 to 5 times a day, and some women do not. They are only concerned about the subjective feeling of nausea and aversion to certain foods. Due to the prevalence of subjective sensations over objective symptoms, this degree is also called neurotic or allergic. Nausea haunts women very often. Squeamishness increases, smells especially provoke nausea. It becomes very difficult for some to cook food. Doctors advise eating warm but not hot food so that it smells less. In this case, the need for food is felt, and the appetite may not even be impaired. Sleep also often does not suffer. There can be almost no weight loss or it can reach no more than 2 kg per week. A slight increase in heart rate is observed - up to 90 beats / min and a decrease in pressure to 100-110 by 60. The temperature usually does not increase. Analyzes are normal. This degree is observed in most pregnant women with early gestosis.
Medium grade
This degree is called toxic. It is much more pronounced and is accompanied by metabolic disorders. In this case, vomiting occurs up to 10 times a day, food and liquid are poorly retained. Well-being leaves much to be desired. Appetite and sleep are disturbed, headaches, noticeable weakness may be present. Weight loss reaches 3-5 kg per week. The temperature is slightly elevated. The pressure decreases more noticeably, and the pulse rises to 100 beats per minute. A urinalysis shows the presence of acetone.
Severe degree
It is also called indomitable vomiting, or dystrophic degree. This is a very painful condition. The urge to vomit is almost constant, although the stomach is empty. There are pains in the epigastric region. There is no appetite at all, sleep is noticeably disturbed. Muscle pain, impaired consciousness, apathy join the pregnant woman’s suffering. The temperature rises, the pressure drops (the upper indicator is up to 80), the pulse can increase up to 120 beats per minute. Urine tests show not only ketonuria, that is, a very high level of acetone, but also an increased amount of bilirubin and other substances.
Treatment
Treatment directly depends on the severity of the pathology. With a mild degree, outpatient treatment of early gestosis is possible. In order not to interfere with the development of the fetus, doctors try to prescribe the most gentle therapy and manage with a small amount of drugs.
Some people cope with it without medical assistance by changing their diet and habits. For example, it includes more fresh vegetables and fruits, acidic foods such as sauerkraut, and avoids what causes strong disgust and nausea. For example, they refuse sharply smelling products, entrust their relatives with cooking, and if possible travel by public transport less often. All this does not completely relieve symptoms, but makes life bearable.
And yet, with a mild degree, they also offer hospitalization, especially if the woman’s condition is approaching a moderate border. Nevertheless, vomiting several times a day and weight loss of about 2 kg per week are not completely safe symptoms for mom and fetus. At such a pace, you can lose 8 kg per month, while losing not only fat, but also the substances necessary for the functioning of the body. In some cases, women are sent to day care.
With moderate and severe degrees, hospitalization is clearly indicated. Treatment of early gestosis of pregnant women in this case is intense. With indomitable vomiting, you sometimes have to resort to termination of pregnancy, because this condition threatens the life of both the mother and the fetus.
If preeclampsia is observed in a woman who did not dream about pregnancy at all, this may be the reason for her interruption for medical reasons.
How to prevent toxicosis
Prevention of early gestosis of pregnant women is an early care for their body. No one will give a 100% guarantee of its prevention. However, it is possible to significantly reduce the risk if you prepare for pregnancy consciously and in advance. First of all, you need to check for the presence of chronic diseases. It is important to examine the gastrointestinal tract and liver. It is also worth visiting a cardiologist and endocrinologist. In the presence of diseases, it is better to first treat them and postpone pregnancy. In addition, no one has canceled a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition. It is better to give up smoking and alcohol in advance, if such habits exist. So, the prevention of early gestosis can be quite effective, so this should not be neglected. If pregnancy has already begun, a woman requires careful treatment.
Prevention of early and late gestosis during pregnancy will be adequate sleep, lack of stress, sparing physical activity such as walking, swimming, yoga for pregnant women.
Toxicosis Tips
What to do if mild early gestosis is overtaken? You can live, but not too nice? A healthy lifestyle will help, again. But this does not mean that it is worth rushing to the gym to raise a hundred-kilogram barbell or to run a marathon. In this case, regular walks in the fresh air will be much more useful. But the load should not be large, both physical and emotional. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to prevent stress, but if possible it is better to avoid it. Compliance with the regimen of the day and a sufficient amount of sleep will be beneficial.
Most of the tips relate to nutrition, because it is it that is the main difficulty in early gestosis. During pregnancy, and even more toxicosis should be eaten fractionally - up to 6 times a day, in small portions. Some may be concerned about blood sugar loss and intense morning hunger. In this case, it is better to place a snack right next to the bed. Crackers, crackers, apples or bananas are suitable.
Food should be semi-liquid. Do not eat too hot or cold food. It is better to give preference to warm food that does not spread its smell.
After each bout of vomiting, after a while it is advisable to drink to make up for the loss of fluid. Suitable water, berry fruit juice, rosehip broth.
There are dishes or smells that markedly reduce nausea. The aroma of lemon, mint, ginger helps many pregnant women. To do this, you can use essential oils or brew aromatic tea.
Taste addictions
The appearance of strange taste addictions often coincides with toxicosis. Far from always this is accompanied precisely by early gestosis. It happens with a favorable pregnancy. And yet this, too, may indicate a malfunction in the body. They say that what a pregnant woman wants is what a child needs. But this statement should be taken with caution. A healthy pregnant woman can very well afford to enjoy delicacies if this does not happen regularly. If there are contraindications, then it is important to comply with them. With gestational diabetes, you should not overeat with sweets, and with edema - salty, no matter how you like. So, what products and not only products attract pregnant women?
At the beginning of pregnancy, many women want a salty one. And very often this occurs precisely with early gestosis. In contrast to late gestosis, in which it is important to limit salt due to edema, it is now quite reasonable. The body loses a large amount of water when vomiting, and therefore seeks to retain it. And salt performs just such a function. In addition, there may be a loss of salts, which must be replenished. So within reasonable limits, cucumbers, olives or cheese will not hurt.
Often, early gestosis during pregnancy is accompanied by a desire to eat acidic foods - sauerkraut, lemon, berries, fruits. Acid helps fight the feeling of nausea. True, it is important to take into account the acidity of the stomach. If it is normal or low, it will not bring harm.
The desire for inedible products is also observed in a small part of pregnant women. A woman suddenly feels an irrational desire to taste chalk, paint from the walls, coal. Non-food smells, such as the smell of gasoline, may seem attractive at all. It is said that chalk and coal in small quantities are not harmful to the body, while the rest can cause serious harm to the mother and baby. Therefore, before following this desire, it is important to understand what is happening in the body. Tests often show reduced hemoglobin. Therefore, doctors advise supplementing the diet by no means with coal and chalk, but with products containing iron - beef, buckwheat, pomegranates. By the way, the craving for chalk may also indicate a lack of calcium. , , . , , .