Diarrhea (diarrhea) during pregnancy: what to do

Diarrhea occurs in all people for different reasons and circumstances, it can be stress, nutrition, infection or somatic illness.

As a rule, diarrhea goes away on its own within 1 or several days and is not dangerous.

If a problem occurs in a pregnant woman, then diarrhea can be a dangerous symptom, which even leads to termination of pregnancy, so you need to know what pregnant women can do from diarrhea.

The main causes of diarrhea during pregnancy

Diarrhea is a frequent bowel movement, and feces contain a lot of water. In some cases, during pregnancy, there may be diarrhea entirely with water.

Diarrhea is accompanied by abrupt urge, as well as the difficulty of controlling the process of bowel movement.

Such a course during pregnancy can be pain-free, but is often complemented by cramps and abdominal pain, as well as nausea and other symptoms.

Many women make careful food choices during pregnancy and adjust menus to avoid diarrhea and other disorders.

In addition to physiological characteristics, a pregnant woman may have other causes of diarrhea:

1. Up to 12 weeks of gestation, diarrhea appears as a result of toxicosis. During this period, a pregnant woman experiences a violation of the digestive system, tastes change, women begin to get rid of the use of harmful products. Increased cravings for salty or sour foods are possible and the menu is complemented by a large number of plant products. Such factors provoke a weakening of the stool, diarrhea appears. If diarrhea during pregnancy does not cause severe discomfort, additional symptoms do not appear, then the treatment can not be carried out, but simply adjust the diet.
2. During pregnancy, a woman needs to receive more nutrients and vitamins. Due to this, before the start of pregnancy, it is necessary to drink a course of vitamin products. Such medicines have side effects in the form of nausea and diarrhea. If diarrhea appears after a vitamin pill, then the medication should be changed to others.
3. Diarrhea during pregnancy is often the result of hormonal changes. In late pregnancy, intensive production of prostaglandins begins, which allows the body to prepare for childbirth on its own. Thus, the intestines are completely cleansed due to diarrhea. A similar reason appears in the later stages, and in the early stages with pain and spasms, you need to be on the lookout, since a miscarriage or early birth is possible.
4. With the growth of the abdomen during pregnancy, the pressure on the digestive tract begins to increase. The uterus rapidly increases in size, begins to press on various organs and diarrhea, pain, nausea, and even various diseases appear. In this state, you should pay attention to the feces and its color. If there are diseases, then the mass will be white or yellow, with undigested foods or fat. If before pregnancy there were chronic diseases of the digestive system, then when carrying a child, they can worsen.
5. Diarrhea during pregnancy can occur as a result of infection with pathogenic microbes. Diarrhea for such reasons becomes severe and difficult.

Pregnant women have fever, abdominal pain, possibly vomiting, and dehydration. The condition is very dangerous, both for pregnant women and for the child, and requires medical attention.

Similar signs can be with toxic poisoning, as a result of eating spoiled foods.

Many pregnant women during childbirth, carrying a child often develop fear, stress and other emotional disorders. As a result, diarrhea may also appear.

In any case, with diarrhea during pregnancy, it is recommended to immediately contact a doctor for advice and assistance.

Diarrhea symptoms

Diarrhea during pregnancy can be of varying severity and for different reasons. If the cause of diarrhea is an improper diet, then the symptoms go away rather quickly and do not cause pain.

With an infectious infection, diarrhea proceeds in an acute form, severe diarrhea appears with a duration of several days, in addition, additional symptoms appear, for example, fever, dry mouth, vomit.

If diarrhea in pregnant women is chronic and lasts for 2-3 weeks, then the cause will be diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or other organs.

With diarrhea, women can experience various symptoms and you need to know which of them can harm the fetus and the woman herself:

1. If severe pain occurs, possibly termination of pregnancy. Due to the strong activity of the intestines, there may be uterine contractions, as a result of which the ovum exfoliates and the fetus dies. Depending on the duration of the pregnancy, premature labor may begin for this reason. Pain and cramps with diarrhea in the 1st and 3rd trimester are very dangerous.
2. When infected with viruses or other infections, women also develop diarrhea. Bacteria begin to enter the fetus through the placental barrier. If an infection occurs, then in the early stages pathologies may appear in the fetus itself, and for more late, a delay in fetal development begins, childbirth may be premature, in some cases the child dies.
3. With diarrhea and temperature at the very beginning of pregnancy, the threat lies in the violation of the formation of organs and systems of the child.
4. With severe diarrhea, which is complemented by vomiting, the woman begins to dehydrate, useful substances are not absorbed and are quickly lost, due to this, the development and condition of the child may deteriorate in womb. With a prolonged course of diarrhea, a constant lack of vitamins and nutrients begins, the child's growth and development slows down, which can lead to the appearance of congenital pathologies.
5. Diarrhea, nausea, and general weakness in the body signal poisoning when there are a lot of toxins in the body. All this also threatens the fetus.

Pregnant women need an ambulance if fever, vomiting occurs during diarrhea, the general condition worsens, and fainting or dizziness begins.

In such a state, prompt hospitalization is necessary. You also need to hospitalize pregnant women with the appearance of blood clots in the feces, with a change in the color of feces or the presence of mucus.

Alarming symptoms are signs of dehydration, which include the following symptoms:

1. Dry mouth and thirst that cannot be quenched.
2. Dryness of the mucous membrane, skin.
3. Increased sleepiness and weakness in the body, tinnitus.
4. The presence of dark circles under the eyes.
5. Dark urine, and very infrequent urge to urinate.

Treatment of diarrhea in pregnant women is a rather complicated process, since many medications cannot be used in this position, even in the early stages.

The very first thing the doctor has to offer is to correct the menu, as well as use safe folk remedies for diarrhea.

Women should understand that even folk remedies, herbal preparations and other recipes during pregnancy can harm the fetus or affect the bearing of the child.

Before using any method of treatment, you need to consult a doctor.

If the condition of the pregnant woman is very poor and there are fears that the pregnancy will be terminated, then it will be necessary to use pills without fail, even antibiotics.

Doctors can use medication regardless of the risk to the unborn child.

Diet for diarrhea

The diet should be followed by all pregnant women, without exception, but if diarrhea appears, then the menu is used especially strictly. The basic principle of nutrition is to unload the digestive organs.

To do this, you need to eat in small portions, often, and also exclude foods that have a laxative effect.

Pregnant women are strictly forbidden to starve, since all nutrients must be supplied constantly and in the right amount.

In this regard, strict nutritional requirements are observed only during the first time of the diet.

From the menu, you will need to exclude or reduce to a minimum the following products:

1. Spicy, fried and smoked are removed from the diet altogether.
2. Milk, fresh vegetables and fruits are prohibited for diarrhea.
3. The consumption of sweets, pickles and sour foods, as well as fatty foods, is reduced.

The first day of the diet is accompanied by increased water intake, which will correct the water balance in the body. For this, not only water is used, but also strong tea (not sweet).

Perfectly restores balance and strengthens the stool with a decoction of rice.

To prepare it you need:

1. Pour 0.5 liters of water into a saucepan and add 1 tsp. rice.
2. Boil for 40 minutes.
3. After cooking, strain the drink that looks like jelly.
4. Take the broth 3 times a day, 100 ml.

It is recommended to alternate the broth with the use of rice porridge; instead of bread, rusks made from white bread are used.

This jelly has an enveloping effect, due to which it has a protective effect on the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines. Preventing the walls from irritating.

On the second day, it is necessary to use a variety of cereals that are cooked in water. They should be slimy and rice and oatmeal are best. Salt and sugar are not added to porridge.

It is recommended to drink plain water, fruit drinks and tea. Diet bread is allowed.

While it is forbidden to eat vegetables and fruits, but if there is a strong desire, then you can use grated carrots and an apple without the skin, with the addition of 1 tbsp. vegetable oil.

It is allowed to use light broths based on poultry or vegetables on the second day.

It is imperative to take fermented milk products in which there are bacteria useful for the gastrointestinal tract. Such foods can restore bowel function and relieve diarrhea.

On the third day, you need to add vegetables to the menu, but not fresh, but boiled or stewed. The diet is complemented by steamed cutlets, light soups.

All foods and meals should be warm, since hot and cold foods can irritate the mucous membrane and walls of the digestive tract.

A similar diet should be used for 7 days during pregnancy. In addition, from 3-4 days you can add jelly, fruit compotes, but not dried ones to the menu. Good for diarrhea, chamomile and mint teas.

Medicines for diarrhea during pregnancy

When diarrhea appears during pregnancy, what to do and what medications to take are asked by many women. In this case, no drugs are used.

Treatment should only be carried out under the guidance of doctors. As an exception, the use of adsorbents is allowed, for example:

1. Enterosgel.
2. Activated carbon.
3. Polyphelan.

Such remedies can be used if vitamins or other medications are not being taken. When using other drugs, for example vitamins, sorbents are allowed to be taken only 2-3 hours after their use, since the latter reduce their effectiveness.

If the diarrhea is severe, supplemented by severe vomiting, then saline solutions are used:

1. "Tar".
2. Trisol.
3. "Regidron".

Such funds will allow maintaining the water-salt balance of a woman during pregnancy at the proper level, and will also prevent dehydration from occurring.

The rest of the drugs are allowed to be taken by pregnant women only with the permission of the doctor. A similar rule applies to antispasmodics, for example, "No-shpa", various suppositories that can relieve pain.

It is forbidden to use valerian and motherwort if diarrhea appears as a result of emotional stress.

Pregnant women after 30 weeks may be prescribed anti-diarrhea tablets, which are based on loperamide.

These include:

1. "Imodium".
2. Diara.
3. Lopedium.
4. Enthobene.

If you drink such pills, you can quickly stop diarrhea, as well as preserve fluid and nutrients in the body. It is forbidden to drink drugs on your own if diarrhea has appeared as a result of harmful bacteria.

In case of intestinal infection during pregnancy, only a few antibiotics can be used; their compatibility must be justified by a doctor.

These anti-microbial medications can get rid of many of the known bacteria that cause diarrhea.

To restore beneficial bacteria in the intestines, after therapy, you may need to drink probiotics:

1. Linex.
2. "Beefi-form".
3. "Baktisubtil".

If the diarrhea is not severe, then the treatment can be carried out with ordinary fermented milk products, the packaging of which is marked "bio".

Folk remedies

With diarrhea in a pregnant woman in an acute form, alternative methods of treatment will be of little benefit, since their active substances in recipes are in low concentration to remove diarrhea.

Using folk remedies will be useful and effective if the diarrhea continues for a long time, but the cause is not infections.

With non-infectious diarrhea in a pregnant woman, you can use various drinks, herbal teas and other means to gently fix the stool and normalize the digestive tract.

Below is a list of what pregnant women can do with diarrhea and how to take medication correctly:

1. Starch water. For cooking, you need to use potato starch in a volume of 1 tsp, which is diluted in 150 ml of water at room temperature. You need to drink the product in one gulp.
2. Tincture of blackberry leaves. Such a remedy is sold in pharmacies and for diarrhea you need to drink it in 1 tbsp. three times a day.
3. Blueberry jelly. You can prepare a drink using different methods, and then drink it in 250 ml before the main meals.
4. Pomegranate tea. For cooking, you need to put 1 tablespoon in a cup. crushed pomegranate peel and add boiling water. Leave on for 20 minutes and take throughout the day. Such tea should always be made fresh, and it perfectly replaces ordinary teas.
5. Mint tea. You can cook it according to the usual scheme: for 1 tsp. mint, 250 ml of boiling water is added and taken after 15 minutes of infusion. Such a remedy will allow you to treat diarrhea during pregnancy, which is provoked by stress and emotional state.
6. A decoction of walnut leaves. Making such a tool is quite simple. It is necessary to put 1 tablespoon in a saucepan. walnut sheets and pour in 500 ml of water.

Turn on a small fire and simmer for 20 minutes. After cooking, leave to brew for half an hour, then drink 1 tbsp. 3 times a day.

If herbs are used during pregnancy, then you need to be extremely careful with them, because they can provoke allergies.

Understanding why diarrhea appears and, knowing the methods of stopping it, you can make medicines yourself at home or use medications that a doctor approves, but the easiest way to prevent the onset of disorders is using preventive measures.

Prophylaxis

If the dietary rules were not followed before the onset of diarrhea, then when an unpleasant symptom appears, it is imperative to revise the diet. During pregnancy, responsibility is already borne not only for your health, but also for the unborn child.

To do this, you need to treat all diseases in time, and also not to burden the body with food, which can negatively affect the condition.

Despite the benefits of many products, they should also be included in the diet carefully.

A large amount of plant-based foods will not be beneficial, as they are high in fiber, which relaxes the intestines and causes diarrhea.

In order not to treat diarrhea, you will need to adhere to the prevention of infections and poisoning:

1. Buy only high quality and fresh food.
2. Eat only fresh dishes, it is recommended to cook them for the whole day, and eat a new dish the next.
3. Keep track of the expiration dates of products that are in the refrigerator and not only.
4. All vegetables and fruits must be thoroughly washed before consumption.
5. Meat, fish, dairy and other types of products should be carefully processed using temperature.
6. Fast food and public places to eat during pregnancy should be avoided.
7. Always wash your hands before eating.

Using such simple rules, infection, poisoning will not appear and will not cause diarrhea in a pregnant woman.

Useful video