Toxicosis sometimes overshadows a wonderful time for a woman - the period of bearing a baby. Instead of enjoying this amazing period, the woman is painfully looking for a way out of her unpleasant and harassing state. Why toxicosis develops, how it proceeds and how to alleviate its manifestations during early pregnancy, we will tell in this material.
What it is?
In medicine, the concept of "toxicosis" is a broader concept than we used to think. It means any pathological condition that is caused by exposure to toxins. Toxins can be external, exogenous. Such toxicosis develops as a result of a microbial infection, because most bacteria poison the body of their carrier with the products of their vital activity. Toxicosis can be endogenous, caused by the effects of substances that are formed in the human body as a result of metabolism. Toxicosis of pregnant women is one of the endogenous conditions.
A whole complex of changes occurs in the body of the expectant mother, which ultimately lead to signs of toxicosis. In a woman, literally from the first minutes after conception, the hormonal background begins to change, and these changes can make themselves felt by toxicosis.
With the onset of pregnancy, a new temporary center is formed in the cerebral cortex of women - the so-called "pregnancy center". Its task is to control the behavior and physiological functions of pregnancy. The new center, of course, is very necessary for the body of the expectant mother, but its active work often leads to disruptions in the work of other centers, in particular, the center responsible for the production of saliva, for vasomotor functions, and excessive activation of the vomiting center.
That is why already in the very early stages of pregnancy, when a woman still does not know about her position, profuse drooling during sleep, nausea and vomiting, headaches, chills, and a slight increase in body temperature may occur.
Although gestational toxicosis is a frequent companion of expectant mothers, especially in the early stages, it is not a mandatory symptom of pregnancy. If there is no toxicosis, this is also quite normal and natural. According to medical statistics, up to 80% of expectant mothers suffer from early toxicosis to one degree or another. A woman's body is exposed to toxic effects due to the fact that in most cases it fails to adapt to pregnancy in time, to take all the internal numerous changes at once for granted.
In the concept of "toxicosis" doctors include violations of the gastrointestinal tract, nervous system, endocrine glands, failures of immune defense, pathological changes in the work of the cardiovascular and urinary systems. All signs and symptoms in gestational toxicosis are considered comprehensively, not one at a time, and it is by the combination of disorders that occur against the background of the development of pregnancy that doctors can judge the degree, severity, type of toxicosis and how to deal with it, if there is necessity.
Start dates and duration
The true causes of toxicosis have not been fully understood; much is still not clear about the inadequate reaction of the female body to pregnancy. But the main version is immune. In other words, a woman's immunity is at a loss - there is a half-alien object in the body, but it cannot be destroyed! From the first minutes after conception, the hormone progesterone begins to be produced in large quantities. It prepares the walls of the uterus for the upcoming implantation, takes care of the accumulation of nutrients and fats, and also affects the woman's immunity. The fertilized egg cell (zygote, and later - blastocyst and embryo) contains only half of the genetic set that is similar to the native one. The second half of the genetic material is paternal, it is her immunity that qualifies as a foreign object.
To prevent immunity from destroying the embryo, progesterone artificially suppresses its mechanisms. In women with strong immunity, the manifestations of toxicosis are usually stronger, because their immune defense does not give up for a long time. The process of suppressing immunity with progesterone causes changes at the biochemical level, it is these new substances that cause internal intoxication.
After implantation of a fertilized egg, which occurs on average 7-8 days after conception, the production of another "pregnant" hormone begins - hCG. Chorionic gonadotropin also contributes to the well-being of the expectant mother. Its concentration increases gradually, and after a week, about the date when the woman expects the next menstruation, the first signs of toxicosis may appear.
Usually, it is at 5-6 weeks of pregnancy (if you start counting from the first day of the last menstruation, as all obstetricians do), a woman begins to vomit, she has attacks of dizziness, and her taste preferences change. Less commonly, toxicosis is described, which appears a little earlier - at 3-4 weeks, immediately after implantation. Most often, an unpleasant condition first makes itself felt at 7-8 weeks.
How long toxicosis lasts is not an easy question. Much depends on the individual characteristics of the organism. Experts tend to believe that toxicosis is most likely during the period of active formation of the placenta - from 5-6 weeks to 14-16 weeks of pregnancy. Most women who suffered from early toxicosis claim that they felt much better after 12-13 weeks of pregnancy. For some, toxicosis "lasts" up to 18-20 weeks.
The severity of a woman's condition is determined in laboratory conditions, mainly by the level of acetone in the urine and characteristic changes in the blood formula.
An increase in acetone is always associated with a lack of glucose. In the morning, the sugar level is always lower than in the evening, which is why toxicosis most often makes itself felt in the morning.
Symptoms
The signs and manifestations of gestational toxicosis are generally well known to all women and are actively discussed by them in specialized forums. Most often, toxicosis manifests itself as causeless nausea and even vomiting. Any little thing can provoke them, for example, the smell of your favorite perfume, the taste of toothpaste during the morning or evening dressing, the smells of cooking food, gasoline, husband's toilet water - all this can cause a sharp attack of nausea.
Quite often, dizziness is the first sign of early toxicosis. They can be insignificant, rare and short-lived, and they can cause a lot of trouble - if a woman is suddenly, paroxysmally dizzy, she feels weak, then loss of consciousness at the most inconvenient time is not excluded - when traveling by transport, at work, in a store.
Also, common forms of gestational toxicosis are belching, including with bile, signs of indigestion (diarrhea, constipation, heartburn), changes in taste preferences, headaches that accompany early pregnancy, manifesting mainly in the evenings. In six out of ten pregnant women after conception, a daily rise in body temperature begins after a week or two. The temperature during toxicosis rises slightly - just above 37.0 degrees, usually in the afternoon or in the evening. It is caused by an increase in progesterone in the body of the expectant mother, the concentration of which reaches its peak in the afternoon.
This temperature does not need to take medications, antipyretics, it is physiological and can not harm the unborn baby in any way. Most cases of early gestational toxicosis are also considered completely physiological and do not need treatment. Doctors say that you just need to endure temporary unpleasant symptoms associated with the adaptation of the female body to new conditions. However, constant toxicosis, which does not allow a woman to eat normally, leads to significant weight loss, disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, changes in blood composition, and may require hospitalization.
Rarely enough, toxicosis is manifested by dermatological problems - skin rashes with and without itching, exacerbation of bronchial asthma, osteomalacia. The symptoms of early gestational toxicosis are very individual and can be present both individually and in combination, much depends on the extent and in what form it is observed in a woman.
Kinds
As already mentioned, toxicosis in a pregnant woman can take various forms and types. Several main types of female malaise should be distinguished at the very early stages of gestation:
Poisoning. Poisoning is the case if vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain manifested itself suddenly. Such toxicosis is also called bacterial. It is associated with the poisoning of the body with toxins, which bacteria released into poor-quality food during reproduction.
Evening. Unpleasant symptoms with such toxicosis appear exclusively in the evening. It may be due to the fact that the woman was tired, did not eat enough during the working day, and experienced stress.
Despite the fact that nausea and dizziness interfere with falling asleep normally, such toxicosis is not considered dangerous, it passes quickly enough.
Morning... This type is most common. It is in the morning, after a long sleep, that the level of glucose in the human body is minimal, against this background, nausea and even vomiting appear. Such symptoms at the very beginning of the day also do not pose a danger to the woman and the child.
Early... Unpleasant symptoms with it are characteristic of women up to 14-16 weeks of pregnancy. If the manifestations are moderate, the woman does not suffer from rapid weight loss and there are no signs of dehydration, no treatment is required.
Gestosis (late toxicosis). This is toxicosis that develops at the end of the second or third trimester. This is the most dangerous type of toxicosis, it can lead to placental abruption, fetal death. Among the causes of maternal mortality, gestosis also occupies one of the leading positions. It requires compulsory medical intervention.
A woman may well assess the severity of manifestations herself, but it is still better to inform the attending physician about the disturbing moments. An insignificant degree (first) is usually characterized by infrequent vomiting (no more than 3-4 times a day) that occurs after a meal. Mild weight loss does not exceed 3-4 kilograms, the woman's mucous membranes remain sufficiently moisturized, the skin is elastic. Heart rate and blood pressure are most often within normal limits. This stage does not need medication treatment.
Severe toxicosis (second degree) is characterized by more frequent vomiting, which can occur up to 8 times a day. The woman's health worsens. Acetone appears in the urine, a characteristic acetone odor from the mouth can be observed, blood pressure decreases, this causes bouts of weakness. The pulse is speeded up, the skin is dry, the woman loses weight up to 6-8 kilograms. This stage necessarily requires medical intervention.
Threatening toxicosis (third degree) is characterized by frequent and debilitating vomiting (more than 15 times a day), severe dehydration, and a large loss of body weight. This degree is a threat to the life of a woman; medical intervention is indispensable. A woman's skin and tongue become dry, blood pressure drops, and her pulse rate exceeds 120 beats per minute. The composition of the blood changes, not only acetone is found in the urine, but also protein.
Who is threatening?
Since the mechanism of the onset of toxicosis has not yet been fully understood, its causes are not obvious, it is rather difficult to determine the circle of women who are at risk. But long-term observations of obstetricians-gynecologists show that there are fairly strong reasons to believe that in the early stages women are most susceptible to the development of toxicosis:
- those who become pregnant before the age of 18-19 and women who become pregnant after the age of 30;
- suffered from various pathologies and diseases of the kidneys, the immune system, and also had problems with the endocrine system before pregnancy;
- in whom the previous pregnancy was accompanied by toxicosis;
- with gynecological problems, in particular, with inflammatory processes in the endometrium;
- abusers of alcoholic beverages and smoking;
- those born from a pregnancy accompanied by toxicosis, as well as if their mothers and sisters have other pregnancies with unpleasant symptoms of intoxication in their obstetric history;
- moved from central Russia or its southern regions to the north and became pregnant within the first five years after the move;
- which are characterized by latent anemia.
And this is not a complete list of prerequisites for the development of intoxication at the initial gestational periods. When registering for pregnancy, the doctor must collect a complete history, he is interested in how the previous pregnancies proceeded, what they were like in the close relatives of the future mother.
If the obstetrician-gynecologist has reason to believe that a woman is in a state of pretoxicosis, he can prescribe preventive treatment and give recommendations. Pretoxicosis does not always develop and become a full-fledged toxicosis, but such a possibility cannot be ruled out.
Why is it missing?
In the generally accepted view, toxicosis is almost an obligatory symptom of pregnancy, especially in the early stages. In fact, this is not the case. Many pregnant women do not experience it and carry their babies easily. Why it happens?
First of all, a toxic-free pregnancy is possible when a woman does not have chronic diseases, does not have problems with immune pathologies, metabolism, or excess weight. The absence of gestational toxicosis as such can be genetically determined - the mother and grandmother of the expectant mother did not suffer from nausea and vomiting when carrying their babies.
In any case, if there is no toxicosis, this is normal. This suggests that the woman's body easily adapted to the onset of pregnancy, all organs and systems began to rebuild to work in new conditions, there is no "protest" from the mother's body.
The absence of toxicosis should not scare you. But if he was, and then abruptly disappeared until 12-14 weeks, this may be a sign of pregnancy fading, stopping the embryo in development. If a woman's toxicosis lasted for several weeks or months, and then abruptly disappeared, you should definitely visit your doctor and make sure that the pregnancy is developing.
The absence of toxicosis in the early stages is the most favorable prospect for a woman and her baby. If there is no vomiting and accompanying "troubles", the likelihood of premature spontaneous abortion is lower, the child receives a sufficient amount of vitamins, minerals and other necessary substances from the mother's blood, the mother's mood and well-being are stable and this creates good prerequisites for the development of the fetus.
Medication treatment
Treatment with medication is prescribed only for moderate and threatening degrees of toxicosis, with severe toxicosis. With a mild degree, you can completely do with traditional medicine, of course, having previously agreed on their use with your doctor. Moderate grade may require treatment with prescribed medications at home or in day care. With severe toxicosis, a woman is shown hospitalization.
Doctors begin to deal with severe toxicosis after determining the degree and severity of the course. The usual classical treatment regimen includes "Droperidol". This drug belongs to the group of antipsychotics that suppress the vomiting center in the cerebral cortex. The frequency of vomiting attacks is reduced. Droppers with this drug have a faster and more pronounced effect than intramuscular administration of the drug. Often a woman is prescribed Relanium tablets, sometimes the drug Cerucal is recommended. Such therapy allows at the first stage to provide effective assistance - the activity of the central nervous system is regulated, the urge to vomit becomes less.
The second stage of inpatient treatment is aimed at replenishing the water-salt balance, which is significantly disturbed due to frequent vomiting and diarrhea. With severe vomiting, a woman is given droppers with saline solutions, saline, vitamins. Be sure to introduce glucose, B vitamins and give ascorbic acid (vitamin C). The woman is shown enterosobrents. If the woman's condition continues to remain severe due to dehydration, hormone therapy is prescribed - "Prednisolone" (hydrocortisone).
Until recently, Smecta was prescribed to pregnant women with toxicosis, but in March 2019, ANSM (National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Medical Products) published a warning about the cancellation of the prescription of this drug and its analogues to children under 2 years of age, pregnant and lactating women. In the composition of the clay used for the production of Smecta, lead was found, which can have a toxic effect on the child's body, and primarily on the development of the brain. ROAG (Russian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) issued a recommendation not to use Smecta in pregnant and lactating women.
ROAG singled out Entersogel as the first choice drug. Numerous studies confirm the high efficiency of the gel form, adsorption selectivity and safety. The water-saturated gel form, unlike fine sorbents, minimizes the risk of constipation, which is extremely important for pregnant women. In addition to removing toxic substances, pathogenic bacteria and rotaviruses, Enterosgel helps to correct the intestinal microflora and restore the epithelium of the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract, enhances the antioxidant defense of the body, and has a positive effect on the body's immune system.
The antihistamines Suprastin, Tavegil, Diprazin, Diphenhydramine are recommended for expectant mothers with severe toxicosis. These drugs, according to the classical treatment regimen, are indicated for intramuscular administration. Along with taking medications, it is recommended to drink plenty of warm drinks, bed or half-bed rest.
Today, the method of immunocytotherapy can also be applied. They resort to it if treatment with medicines does not give a tangible effect. An extract from her husband's lymphocytes is injected under the skin in the forearm area of the expectant mother. Already in a day, relief should come, because the woman's immunity will "switch" to a new object of increased danger - to foreign cells. However, this method has only a temporary effect and exists in order to temporarily make the woman feel better.
Termination of pregnancy for medical reasons is carried out in case of severe threatening toxicosis in cases where the drug methods of exposure described above did not bring results within 12 hours from the start of therapy, if the woman's condition continues to remain threatening. Also, termination of pregnancy is strongly recommended as the only life-saving option if a woman has developed liver dystrophy, renal failure, and nephropathy against a background of severe toxicosis. Pregnancy is terminated in the early stages with the help of an induced abortion.
Numerous homeopathic preparations (for example, "Nux vomica-Gomaccord", "Mercurius", "Colchicum-6", "Vomikumheel", "Cocculus indicus" and others), although they are recommended by manufacturers as effective remedies for any form of toxicosis of pregnant women, proven have no effect. Clinical trials of these drugs have not been carried out, and the doses of active substances in the preparations are so small that, by and large, a woman will receive only small fractions of sugar, water and only a few molecules (!) Of the active substance.
With severe toxicosis, you should not try to treat yourself with homeopathic remedies, which are considered harmless. You can lose precious time, which is necessary for a woman to be provided with qualified medical care.
Homeopathy is harmless, but alas, completely useless, especially in threatening conditions. Mild stages of toxicosis usually do not require the use of medicines and homeopathy, and in severe cases, treatment should be quick, competent and qualified. Therefore, you should not prescribe medications for yourself, and even more so, you do not need to keep silent about the fact of poor health, believing that it should be so during pregnancy.
Folk remedies
Traditional medicine has hundreds of recipes that help women "in position" get rid of unpleasant and obsessive nausea and dizziness. These recipes have been tested by dozens of generations of women, but it should be understood that it makes sense to resort to them only when a woman has a mild degree of toxicosis that does not threaten her life and health.
Aromatherapy helps relieve nausea and pathological odors. Pregnant women resorted to it in Ancient Rome, in Ancient Greece, and treatment with essential oils was widely used in Russia.
A few drops of peppermint essential oil can help relieve morning sickness by applying to your wrist or handkerchief. It is enough to put it next to you during washing, breakfast.
The aromatic ginger oil helps to reduce nighttime toxicity and vomiting after eating. A drop of oil is enough to apply on the palm of your hand, rub well, bring it to your face and take a deep calm breath. If a woman suffers from bouts of dizziness, she is advised to carry a small bottle of pine or fir essential oil with her. A few drops of this pine oil on your wrist will help relieve discomfort.
When choosing an essential oil, be sure to take into account your own propensity for allergies, because aromatherapy is not suitable for everyone. If it is not possible to visit an aromatherapist, you need to build on what groups of substances there is an allergic reaction to. If you are allergic to citrus fruits, you should not use essential oils of orange, lemon, if you are allergic to pollen, you should avoid essential oils and extracts of tropical and exotic plants, flowers and fruits.
If, after applying the oil, redness appears on the wrist, a runny nose, lacrimation, itching have begun, this method of helping with toxicosis should be categorically abandoned, giving preference to other options.
Historically, phytotherapeutic methods of combating gestational toxicosis have gained wider application in Russia. If you experience nausea in the morning, it is recommended to drink tea with a mint leaf. For frequent vomiting, lemon water can help a woman. To prepare it, take about one teaspoon of lemon juice in a glass of clean drinking water. Also effective, according to pregnant women, are decoctions of rose hips and homemade juice from sour fresh cranberries. Such drinks will not only relieve an attack of nausea, but also enrich the body with vitamin C.
In Russia, even before the appearance of qualified obstetricians, when all the hope was only for midwives, women took pumpkin tea from nausea. To do this, they took the pulp of a pumpkin, chopped it finely, and then boiled it with boiling water. They drank like regular tea. Tea with oregano was also popular, or rather, a decoction made from dried oregano and boiling water. For 300 grams of water, no more than 10 g of herbal raw materials were taken. Similar decoctions were prepared from lemon balm, plakun-grass, calendula flowers.
A decoction of chamomile and sage, as well as tea with the addition of an aqueous tincture of motherwort, is used selectively, in small doses.
Honey and beekeeping products are usually not recommended for pregnant women, but in some cases it is allowed to drink tea with the addition of a teaspoon of fresh and high-quality honey.
Anyway, before using herbal remedies, you should definitely consult a doctorbecause herbs are not at all as harmless as most ordinary people think. They can lead to the development of a severe allergic reaction, impaired digestion, sleep, decrease or increase in blood pressure, and even terminate pregnancy early.
Nutrition
It is with food intake that most often there are big problems with early gestational toxicosis. In addition to changing taste preferences, a woman's appetite is disturbed (either it is not there, or it is increased). Special attention should be paid to menu design. If it is composed and planned correctly, many unpleasant manifestations and symptoms can be avoided.
The main mistake of expectant mothers is to misunderstand the essence of toxicosis. They believe that the less they eat, the less they will feel sick and sick. This is not true. The second big misconception concerns a diet based on one product or one food group. You can often hear that more experienced mothers advise a woman suffering from early toxicosis to eat what she wants and not eat what makes her sick.
In the early stages, the fetus and the expectant mother need vitamins and minerals in full, and therefore the "bias" in favor of only cottage cheese or only apples can cause metabolic disorders, the development of allergies, both in the mother and in the future and in the fetus.
A balanced diet during the period of toxicosis should exclude foods to which a woman has a vomiting reaction, but they definitely need to find a worthy replacement. For example, if you have an inadequate response to pork, you can cook veal or poultry. But meat in one form or another must be in the diet. If a woman has nausea from cabbage and beets, you need to add zucchini and pumpkin to the diet. It is necessary to ensure that there are enough fruits rich in vitamin C. If you suffer from vomiting, you should not in any case refuse to eat salt, because it allows you to partially restore the minerals lost with vomit.
Unlike the second and third trimesters, when salty is undesirable, at the very beginning of pregnancy, you can afford lightly salted cucumbers, fish, but in very moderate quantities. Carbonated drinks and fatty foods, canned food, and smoked meats are completely contraindicated in toxicosis.
It is worth giving up a lot of sweets, because sugar promotes fermentation processes in the intestines.
It is best during this period to eat raw vegetables and fruits, cereals (dairy and non-dairy), boiled and steamed meat and dishes from it, fish, cottage cheese, dairy products. Nuts and seeds, which some people use as an emergency treatment for nausea, are best replaced with homemade, home-made, spice-free white bread croutons. Nuts can cause severe allergies, and white crackers will not cause negative consequences.
It is important not to forget to eat the first courses every day. Food should be taken fractionally, in small portions, but often - every 3-4 hours.
Practical advice
Following simple tips will help to cope with early toxicosis. General guidelines include the following tips:
- Start your morning right. Don't get up too abruptly when the alarm rings. The ascent should be gradual and smooth. Keep a plate of white croutons or dried fruit on your bedside table. One piece of dried apricots or croutons right after waking up can relieve morning vomiting. Use baby toothpastes - they are less harsh and usually do not vomit. For breakfast, be sure to drink sweet tea after porridge or omelet to increase blood glucose levels. In the meantime, there is no need to know about it. ”
- Eliminate harsh odors... Try not to be in smoky rooms during the day, do not use a lot of perfumes, if necessary, do not hesitate to ask others to reduce the amount of perfume or toilet water used.
If you need to travel to work or study by public transport, take with you a clean hygiene bag, like those that were previously given on airplanes (anything can happen). Carry wet wipes with you in your bag, a bottle of still clean drinking water, possibly with the addition of a slice of lemon.
- You are more outdoors. If distance allows, replace the bus ride with walking, and in the evenings, make it a rule to walk before bed. For walks, choose quieter and more secluded places, parks, squares, forest belts, located away from highways.
- Rest often... If possible, try to lie down for at least half an hour during the day. But in the evening after dinner, do not go to bed right away, first go for a walk. This will contribute to better digestion and solving problems with nighttime toxicosis.
- Sleep with the window open... The designs of modern windows allow you to sleep with the sash ajar, even in winter. The better the room is ventilated, the less the expectant mother will feel sick. In summer you can sleep with an open window or a slightly opened balcony door.
- Avoid exertion and sudden movements. An attack of nausea can be triggered even by a sudden change in body position. Therefore, train yourself to be sedate, measured, move more smoothly and carefully. Avoid physical activity that causes noticeable fatigue, as well as active sports that can cause loss of consciousness and injury (bicycles, roller skates, treadmill in the gym). Swimming, skiing in the winter season will be beneficial.
- Be in a good mood. Psychosomatic causes of toxicosis are rejection of the child, unwanted pregnancy, fear of childbirth, the departure of the baby's father, fear of losing the child. Get more positive emotions, tune in to the fact that everything will be fine and the symptoms of toxicosis will subside faster than you can imagine.
If suddenly the toxicosis has intensified, do not waste time - see a doctor. Complaints about toxicosis are not as insignificant and funny as it might seem, because behind its manifestations there can be a serious pathology.
For toxicosis in early pregnancy, see the following video.
