Manifestation of diarrhea for a healthy person necessarily indicates some pathological changes in the body. However, in women, diarrhea during pregnancy can be part of its course at certain times. During this period, indigestion is recorded quite often, and can occur at different times. The causes of diarrhea in pregnant women can be very diverse. In general, liquid stools in the initial period can be attributed to the main signs of the birth of a new life. The fact is that conception, in which the main hormone of pregnant women is produced( progesterone) changes the hormonal background of the organism when hypotonia or atony processes occur in the intestine. Diarrhea during pregnancy can be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and testify to the presence of diseases of internal organs or infection brought into the body.
Indigestion during pregnancy can be divided into several types:
- Acute, up to 14 days. The cause of it are diseases of an infectious or bacterial nature.
- An upset stomach that does not last more than two weeks.
- Chronic diarrhea lasting more than a month. As a rule, its cause is the inflammatory process in the intestine.
In pregnancy, diarrhea occurs quite often and without additional symptoms, proceeds in mild form, and does not require additional research. In other cases, laboratory and other methods of investigation may be needed to determine the correct direction of treatment and eliminate symptoms.
The mechanism of diarrhea development is that the uterus grows and squeezes or moves the bowel loops. The reaction of the intra-abdominal nerves of the solar and other plexuses at this pressure changes the intestinal motility. In such a situation, woman's diarrhea is a symptom of internal disease. Diarrhea in a pregnant woman in late terms requires special attention. In any case, self-treatment of diarrhea during the period of bearing is not recommended. After all, during this period it is forbidden to use many medications so as not to harm the future child.
Diarrhea during pregnancy blocks the supply of nutrients, vitamins, trace elements to the fetus, which can lead to a developmental lag in the child. In addition, spontaneous contraction of the uterus can lead to miscarriage. The liquid stool during pregnancy for a period of 15-16 weeks is less dangerous, because the baby's body is protected by a formed placenta. In these cases, it is permitted to take certain medicines under medical supervision.
Whether diarrhea in pregnancy is dangerous depends on many factors, but even a standard indigestion in pregnant women with toxicosis without applying appropriate measures can lead to serious abnormalities. In the first semester, pregnant women have diarrhea, it is the most dangerous for the fetus. At this time, the formation of the organs and life support systems of the baby begins and any medicine can cause irreparable harm.
The danger of severe diarrhea in later periods is the possibility of premature birth and the development of thrombosis, leading to the death of the fetus. In addition, diarrhea in a pregnant woman in the third semester may indicate an early delivery, which is not desirable at all until 37 weeks. Another diarrhea is dangerous dehydration of the body, which provokes the development of vices of all kinds in the fetus.
Diarrhea in pregnancy black and green
Black diarrhea during pregnancy is observed in very many women in the early stages. If such diarrhea is not accompanied by any other symptoms, then its cause may be the consumption of preparations containing iron. The need to prescribe iron-containing drugs in the first trimester is explained by the high risk of developing iron deficiency anemia. The use of certain products, especially activated charcoal, also stains the stools in black. In the case of a liquid black stool during pregnancy, accompanied by symptoms such as chills, fever, you can suspect internal bleeding.
Diseases of the digestive tract, such as irritable bowel syndrome or Crohn's disease, can cause green diarrhea during pregnancy. Passing through the inflamed intestine, the food is mixed with bile and blood from the damaged walls of the esophagus, staining the feces in a greenish-black color. Green feces occur when the transit time of food in the large intestine is shortened. The main reason for this chair can be called changes in the diet of future mothers. Using a large amount of green leafy vegetables containing chlorophyll, which stains the feces in green. Enthusiasm for vitamin complexes in pregnant women or taking antibiotics also affects the color change of feces, staining them.
Why does the stomach and diarrhea suffer during pregnancy?
The most common reason for a visit to a women's consultation is the situation when during pregnancy diarrhea or stomach aches. Painful to a small extent or painless short-term uterine contraction represents a normal process. At the very beginning of the same pain in the lower abdomen associated with hormonal changes in the body and in the future with the preparation of the uterus for childbirth. However, if the stomach hurts and diarrhea is combined with vomiting, a general malaise, this may be symptoms of appendicitis. Taking painkillers, diarrhea drugs only aggravates the situation, distorting the clinical picture, and making diagnosis difficult. The only way out with an attack of acute appendicitis is immediate surgical intervention. To prevent complications in the postoperative period, constant monitoring is necessary. In any case, if the abdomen and diarrhea are twisting during pregnancy, then it is necessary to contact a specialist. Following the advice of "knowledgeable" people, the use of folk remedies without medical consultation can seriously affect the health of the baby and make it difficult for him to have a normal bearing. Pain in the lower abdomen and diarrhea, at the 40th week, speaks of an early birth.
Vomiting, nausea, fever in pregnant women
Diarrhea during this period of a woman's life can be accompanied by such manifestations as:
- nausea;
- bloating;
- chills;
- dizziness, headaches;
- vomiting.
If nausea and diarrhea are common during pregnancy, diarrhea and bloating in pregnancy, fever, stools with a blood impurity, duration or frequency of acts of defecation exceeding five times in a day are serious symptoms of the existing diseases. Simultaneous presence of vomiting, temperature, diarrhea indicates the presence of an intestinal infection.
The most important complication for infectious diarrhea is dehydration of the body. This requires treatment in a hospital setting with the use of intravenous injections. If necessary, the doctor, together with measures to restore the water-salt balance, appoints antibiotics. Their choice is made taking into account the greatest safety for the fetus.
Poisoning or manifestation of rotavirus infection begins with cramping pains in the lower abdomen, and then continues with vomiting and diarrhea. In general, diarrhea and vomiting in pregnant women are physiological manifestations and can not constitute a threat to the life of the mother of the child. If diarrhea and vomiting occur for a long time, then nutrients are excreted from the body.
Nausea and diarrhea in pregnancy that occur simultaneously are symptoms of hypertension. Basically, they do not require any treatment and go on their own. However, the treating doctor needs to be informed about them, since it is necessary to apply measures against dehydration of the body. If these symptoms accompany the second half of the term and in particular are supplemented with a headache, then this may indicate a blood circulation disorder in the organs and tissues.
It is also possible that these signs indicate abnormalities in the work of the nervous system and then it is necessary to treat the nerves. Simultaneous presence during pregnancy of diarrhea and temperature, may indicate food poisoning or intestinal infection. The presence of a temperature above 37.5 ° C may be a symptom of a frozen pregnancy or an ectopic pregnancy. Basically, in case of poisoning or infection in the second half of the term, when the formed placenta protects the fetus, the consequences of these factors do not affect the baby. In exceptional cases, when the organism of a woman is exposed to very strong intoxication, it is possible to penetrate toxins through the fetoplacental barrier and have serious consequences for the child.
Treatment of easy poisoning is standard, but taking into account the peculiarities of the organism at different terms of gestation. That is, to consume a large amount of fluid and arrange an unloading diet. It should be noted that fasting, which is easily tolerated by healthy people, is completely unacceptable for a pregnant woman. The first time you need a light protein-carbohydrate diet. After eliminating the symptoms of poisoning, it is useful to restore the balance of vitamins and minerals, with the help of a quality vitamin-mineral complex.