How dangerous is pancreatitis in pregnancy?

Pancreatitis in pregnancy refers to those complications that justifiably scare the expectant mother and prevent her from enjoying the expectation of the baby.

Doctors often only worsen the situation, choosing tactics of intimidation, first, to absolve themselves of responsibility "in case of what", and secondly, to encourage the patient to take seriously her condition.

How dangerous this diagnosis is, what is fraught with and what to do when you hear it - the questions to which the article is devoted.

What is pancreatitis?

Pancreatitis is not a single disease, but a number of diseases characterized by inflammation of the pancreas.

The pancreas is a vital organ. Her role in the process of digestion is priceless.

In two liters of pancreatic juice, which every day produces an organ, contains more than 20 enzymes necessary for the breakdown of fats, proteins and carbohydrates, which give the body energy for life and building material for cells.

Also, the pancreas produces hormones that maintain a certain level of sugar in the blood.

It is no wonder that for a long time it was believed that it is impossible to live without a pancreas. Modern medicine works wonders, but the quality of life with the removed gland falls significantly.

With pancreatitis, the enzymes that secrete the gland do not enter the duodenum, but begin to act inside.

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As a result, instead of digesting food, the body itself is digested. In the process, enzymes and toxic substances are formed that enter the heart, liver, kidneys, lungs, and brain through the bloodstream and can significantly damage them.

There are many reasons for the development of pancreatitis, so every case of the disease should be treated separately.

The main distinguish between acute and chronic pancreatitis.

There is also a reactive pancreatitis, in which pathological processes in other organs of the digestive system lead to inflammation of the gland: the intestines, stomach, liver and others.

It is marked by a sharp development and lack of transition to a chronic form. Treatment of such a pathology is always the treatment of a major disorder: problems with the pancreas disappear without a trace after eliminating the cause of their occurrence.

Treatment of pancreatitis largely depends on compliance with the diet.

Also nutrition is one of the most important factors preventing pancreatitis, preventing the transition of the acute form of the disease to chronic, and also to reduce the number of exacerbations and their severity. One of the examples - with pancreatitis is to completely eliminate alcohol.

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Acute pancreatitis in pregnant women

Many pregnant women face nausea and vomiting, known as "toxicosis".50 - 90% of pregnant women sometimes feel sick, 25 - 50% of them turn to a doctor with complaints.

Doctors have made an interesting observation that this phenomenon often happens when girls are born.

Western doctors from the diagnosis of "toxicosis" have long since abandoned because of its negative color and limitations, but obstetrician-gynecologists of the post-Soviet space continue to use it when they can not explain the patient's condition by something else.

"Toxicosis" has the same root as "toxin", that is, the symptoms that a woman experiences are symptoms of poisoning, no more and no less.

Indeed, the fruit for a woman is a foreign body, but her body provides for the most complicated processes, designed for his bearing without any problems.

If you carefully analyze each case of "toxicosis", you can identify various problems about which the body sends signals of nausea and vomiting. And not only about physiological, but also about psychological problems.

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This is the great danger of this diagnosis, which is so easy and convenient to write down various conditions, sometimes( but not always!) Dangerous, especially if there is no desire or the necessary knowledge to understand the real causes of the condition of a pregnant woman.

Another medical observation is that women who experience nausea during the early stages of pregnancy are much less likely to have miscarriages.

This confirms the theory that vomiting of pregnant women protects the fetus from toxins or microorganisms in food.

However, before consoling with any attractive theory of the emergence of "morning sickness of pregnant women", it is important to exclude allergies, gastrointestinal diseases, endocrine, nervous and other systems - this can become vital for the future child, and sometimes for the mother.

However, nausea and vomiting in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy often serves as a dangerous sign, because such are the symptoms of a variety of diseases. One of them is acute pancreatitis.

Its frequency is low - 1 case for 3000 - 10,000 pregnant women. Pregnancy does not affect the clinical picture of pancreatitis.

70 - 80% of patients experience nausea and vomiting, the symptoms are supplemented by a strong and sharp pain in the upper abdomen, giving back.

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Acute pancreatitis during pregnancy is treated the same way as in other cases.

However, before starting treatment, it is important to conduct a checkup( blood biochemistry, ultrasound) to differentiate the condition from other diseases whose symptoms are similar to pancreatitis.

Pregnancy in chronic pancreatitis

Unlike a sudden attack of acute pancreatitis, exacerbation of a chronic disease for a woman will not become such a shock and will require fewer diagnostic procedures to confirm the diagnosis.

However, acute pancreatitis in most cases becomes chronic, it is possible that this can happen during pregnancy.

Previously, chronic pancreatitis was a disease of people aged 50, today the average age has decreased to 39 years, with the proportion of women among patients increased by one third.

The disease also occurs in young people, so pancreatitis during pregnancy is a very real possibility.

In terms of severity, chronic pancreatitis has three forms. With an easy current of exacerbation there are no more often than one or two times a year and easily stop.

The average severity involves more frequent and more complex exacerbations( 3-4 times a year).Chronic pancreatitis in severe form is exacerbated more often five times a year, which is accompanied by severe pain, complications, for example, diabetes mellitus, can occur.

Treatment of acute pancreatitis depends on the severity of the exacerbation and may be drug-induced and non-drug.

Non-drug treatment is basically a diet, and this is the most effective and important treatment.

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The first days can not be eaten in the usual way, the woman receives nutrients through a dropper.

When switching to conventional food, the diet includes frequent fractional meals. It is important to eat carefully chopped food, and the main role is given to easily digestible proteins.

It is important to exclude alcohol, canned food, spicy foods, soda, sour and fatty foods.

Medication treatment is aimed at pain relief, elimination of digestive problems, suppression of pancreatic activity.

In chronic pancreatitis, treatment involves lifelong intake of enzymes to compensate for pancreatic function.

Conclusion: inflammation of the pancreas can cause death of the organ and death of the whole organism.

First and foremost, what you need to do to a pregnant woman with severe abdominal pain of any localization is to call an ambulance or to get to the hospital yourself.

This is the case when it is better to show excessive vigilance than to cope with the consequences of the decision "to wait, it will suddenly pass".