Pancreatitis in pregnant women: causes, signs, prevention and treatment

Pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease of the pancreas, which is accompanied by a vivid clinical picture, and also causes a disturbance in the digestive process. This disease is more susceptible to patients who regularly break their diet, as well as abuse alcoholic beverages.

Particular attention should be paid to pancreatitis that has arisen against the background of pregnancy. According to statistics, out of a thousand patients, acute pancreatitis may develop in one of them. The peculiarity of such clinical cases is rapid diagnosis and adequate therapy without harm to the fetus.

Causes of the disease

The causes of pancreatitis in pregnant women do not differ from other patients suffering from this pathology. But in the etiology and pathogenesis of inflammation pancreas in pregnant women, one should not exclude the effect of pregnancy itself, against the background of which the load on absolutely all organs and systems increases, and the hormonal background in the body also changes sharply.

The main provoking etiological factors include:

• burdened heredity;
• autoimmune pathologies;
• viral and bacterial infections;
• congenital pathology of the biliary system;
• helminthic invasions;
• taking medications;
• alcoholism and nicotine addiction;
• trauma to the abdominal organs;
• intoxication with chemicals;
• ignoring the rules of good nutrition.

The danger of the disease lies in the possible consequences. Each attack of acute pancreatitis is accompanied by an inflammatory process inside the organ. As a result, the parenchymal tissue is gradually replaced by connective tissue, which does not perform the proper function, and the human body suffers from secretory insufficiency.

In pregnant women, against the background of hormonal changes, the processes of biliary and intestinal motility slow down, which contributes to the accumulation of gallbladder cholesterol and the formation of small stones. Considering the anatomical and physiological characteristics of a pregnant woman's body, biliary pancreatitis is often diagnosed, which is closely related to the gastrointestinal tract and a malfunction of the gallbladder.

Depending on the characteristics of the course of pancreatitis, there are 2 forms of the disease:

1. Sharp.
2. Chronic.

As numerous studies show, pancreatitis itself does not affect fetal development, but significantly increases the risk the occurrence of an unfavorable pregnancy outcome: spontaneous abortion occurs in 20% of cases, and in about 16% - premature birth. It is for this reason that every woman should know how pancreatitis manifests itself in order to diagnose it at an early stage and promptly stop an attack with medication.

Clinical signs

The first sign of exacerbation of pancreatic inflammation is a feeling of discomfort in the epigastric region. It can be a feeling of heaviness, bloating, nausea, turning into vomiting. Sometimes there is the appearance of cuts in the lower abdomen and a liquid yellowish stool. These symptoms are joined by unbearable pain of a girdle nature, general weakness, increased sweating, dizziness, fever, changes in hemodynamic parameters (blood pressure, pulse, CDR).

The best tactic of a pregnant woman and her relatives is to provide the patient with complete rest, hunger pause and cold in the left hypochondrium. But the first step should be to call an ambulance at home. According to the protocols for the management of such patients, pancreatitis in the first trimester of pregnancy may be an indication for its termination, but at 9 months - premature delivery.

When the first symptoms appear, it is necessary to consult a doctor, undergo laboratory and instrumental studies, and carry out differential diagnostics with other diseases. The consequences of pancreatitis can be very serious, so do not attribute the warning signs of the disease to toxicosis.

Treatment feature

Differential diagnosis of pancreatitis during pregnancy is difficult enough, but it is equally difficult to find an adequate and safe therapy. The patient's position sharply limits the range of drugs used for inflammation of the pancreas. The most effective scheme of complex treatment, which includes correction of dietary nutrition, medicinal and folk remedies for pancreatitis.

Diet therapy

Changing the diet for diseases of the digestive tract is the main condition for successful treatment. Even ancient Greek scientists argued that at the bottom of the dinner plate you can find both the cause of the disease and the cure for it. On the first day after an acute attack, it is shown hunger. In the case of pregnant patients, abstain from food for at least a few hours, taking only small portions of water. Bicarbonate mineral waters such as Borjomi are best suited.

Food intake should be carried out at the same time in fractional portions, up to 5-6 times. It is necessary to increase the amount of protein consumed up to 150 g per day. All dishes are prepared by boiling or baking. The use of fatty, fried, smoked and canned food is not allowed. Also excluded are tonic drinks with caffeine, sweet carbonated water. The consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits is sharply limited.

Video: Do's and don'ts for pancreatitis

Drug therapy

In order not to harm the baby's health, medication is minimized. Permitted use:

• antispasmodic drugs for relief of a pain attack (No-shpa, Duspatalin);
• enzyme agents of the pancreas to normalize digestion processes (Creon, Pancreatin, Mezim);
• preparations for eliminating congestion in the gallbladder (artichoke extract, Holosas);
• antibacterial agents to fight infection (Amoxil, Metronidazole);
• probiotics in case of intestinal dysfunction (Lough, Enterol, Laktovit);
• buffer antacids to eliminate heartburn (Almagel, Fosfalugel).

In especially severe cases, it is possible to use infusion therapy to relieve pain and detoxification. In order not to harm the health of the mother and fetus, the treatment of pancreatitis should be carried out by a gastroenterologist in close conjunction with an obstetrician-gynecologist. The patient is shown hospitalization in a hospital, in the reliable hands of medical personnel.

Folk recipes

Folk recipes that can be used for pancreatitis are contraindicated in pregnant women. The only natural medicine approved for use during gestation is chamomile tea. In addition to its mild analgesic and antipyretic effect, chamomile tea is excellent at fighting inflammation.

For the preparation of the drink, you can use the prepared dry color or ready-made pharmacy tea, packaged in disposable bags.

To prepare 300 ml of the drink, you need to take 5 g of dry chamomile color. You can infuse tea in a thermos or stand for 10 minutes in a water bath. It is recommended to drink the finished drink in small portions throughout the day.

Prophylaxis

Preventive measures for pregnant women include a healthy lifestyle. In cases where a woman is just planning a pregnancy and has a history of chronic pancreatitis, it is necessary to consult a gastroenterologist, as well as conduct the necessary examinations. Rejection of bad habits, healthy and natural nutrition, active walks in the fresh air are the best prevention of all diseases, including pancreatitis.

Video: Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and pregnancy

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