How to deal with severe toxicosis in early pregnancy

What is toxicosis and its symptoms

We think the meaning of the word “toxicosis” is known to everyone. It is unlikely that any of us have not heard about this painful condition of the body caused by the presence of toxins in the blood. The symptoms of toxicosis are also well known to everyone.

Nausea

Nausea during pregnancy is usually accompanied by excessive salivation. There are cases when a woman loses up to 1 liter of fluid per day due to drooling. Nausea can be triggered by smells and food intake, but in many pregnant women it begins for no apparent reason, for example, in the morning immediately after sleep.

Vomit

The earlier vomiting begins during pregnancy, the more severe it will be. Doctors distinguish three degrees of severity of the gag reflex in expectant mothers:

• light. Attacks of nausea and vomiting occur up to 5 times a day, most often after meals. The woman does not lose weight, or there is a slight decrease in body weight. This form of toxicosis does not pose a threat to the health of the mother and fetus and is considered normal;

• moderate. In this case, the woman should be under the supervision of a doctor, since during the day she has up to 10 urges to vomit, and within two weeks she can lose up to 3 kg. This condition is considered borderline - there are no serious risks, but there is reason to monitor your health more carefully;

• excessive. It is characterized by frequent vomiting (up to 25 times a day), which causes dehydration and rapid weight loss (up to 10 kg), which is considered critical for a pregnant woman. Such vomiting is accompanied by increased heart rate, decreased blood pressure, and a feeling of weakness and lethargy. If in such cases you do not resort to treatment in time, kidney function may be impaired and even pregnancy may be terminated.

Dermatous rashes

They are usually observed in the fourth month of pregnancy and can affect any area of ​​the skin, including the genitals. True companions of dermatosis in a pregnant woman are itching, depression and sleep disturbances.

Tetany

Due to a disturbance in calcium metabolism in the body of the expectant mother, cramps in the upper extremities may occur; less commonly, muscle spasms affect the legs and face. The most common cause of tetany is severe vomiting, which results in a large loss of fluid.

Osteomalacia

Softening of bone tissue caused by a lack of phosphorus makes bones brittle and brittle, and this threatens possible fractures. Therefore, doctors in such cases prescribe phosphorus-containing drugs and drugs that stop vomiting.

Toxicosis during pregnancy can be accompanied by irritability (everyone has heard about sudden mood swings in pregnant women), changes in the sensitivity of taste buds (a woman’s taste preferences change), swelling, drowsiness and sweating.

It should be noted that the severity of toxicosis is in no way related to the gender of the unborn child. In addition, the statement that the absence of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy is abnormal is absolutely false. If during pregnancy you do not feel sick or vomit, then your body is completely healthy, quickly rebuilt and adapted to bearing a fetus.

The absence of toxicosis has a number of advantages: it does not exhaust the female body, allows all beneficial substances to reach the fetus unhindered, and eliminates the threat of miscarriage due to gestosis - a pregnancy complication, the main symptoms of which are swelling, cramps and high blood pressure.

Treatment of severe toxicosis with folk remedies

Many women use traditional medicine to combat toxicosis. They have their advantages: they have a positive effect; accessible to everyone; have no contraindications and are well tolerated by the body (except in cases where there is individual intolerance to the components); All ingredients are natural and therefore do not have a negative effect on the body. Below are the most popular remedies that are effective in combating toxicosis. Honey. A unique beekeeping product has a positive effect on a woman’s body during pregnancy. To relieve symptoms of toxicosis, you need to eat 1 tablespoon of honey on an empty stomach (dissolving it). Citrus fruit. Drinking natural juice or fresh produce daily will help relieve nausea. Vitamin C, which fruits are rich in, will remove toxins from the body, which will significantly alleviate the woman’s condition.

Dried fruit tea. This drink perfectly quenches thirst, tones up and helps fight attacks of nausea and vomiting. Cranberry. The beneficial properties of the berry have been known for a long time and today it is actively used to treat a number of diseases, including eliminating the symptoms of toxicosis. To prepare the drink, grind the berries in a blender or mash with a fork. Squeeze the juice and put it in the refrigerator. Add water to the cake and boil for 20 minutes. Strain well and combine the resulting liquid with the juice. Drink in small sips. Rose hip. The fruits of the bush are rich in vitamins and beneficial microelements. Rosehip helps remove waste products and toxins from the body, providing a powerful antioxidant effect. To prepare the drink, take 1 tablespoon of fruit and 2 cups of boiling water. Boil the mixture for 20 minutes, then let it brew in a thermos. Drink ½ glass a day after meals three times a day.

Using the methods presented above in the fight against toxicosis will help you enjoy pregnancy and all its pleasant moments.

Types of toxicosis

Depending on the time of onset of intoxication, we can talk about the existence of two types of toxicosis during pregnancy:

• early toxicosis - appears approximately 5 weeks after conception and can last up to the 14th week. However, these figures should not be taken as dogma. Each woman’s body is individual, so for some, early toxicosis may begin during the first month of pregnancy;

• late toxicosis - usually occurs in the last trimester. Particular attention from doctors is required in cases where intoxication is accompanied by edema, cramps and osteomalacia, as well as when it is observed in the second trimester of pregnancy.

To the question of how long toxicosis lasts, doctors do not have an exact answer, since everything here depends on the state of health and the individual characteristics of the body. Therefore, no doctor can predict when vomiting and nausea will stop tormenting you.

Diagnosis and what helps in the treatment of toxicosis

As part of the examination, the woman will be prescribed a general blood and urine test, blood biochemistry, ECG, ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs, ultrasound of the kidneys and pancreas. In some cases, consultation with a neurologist, gastroenterologist and endocrinologist may be required.

In case of complicated toxicosis, it is extremely important for a pregnant woman to monitor blood pressure and notify the doctor of any changes. Women with a sudden weakening of the main symptoms of pregnancy require special attention.

During the consultation, the doctor will tell you how to get rid of signs of toxicosis during the day and what is better to use - medications or traditional medicine recipes.

Toxicosis during pregnancy: causes

Unfortunately, the followers of Hippocrates also do not have a common opinion on the issue of the causes of intoxication that accompanies childbearing. Today there are several theories, but none of them have been scientifically confirmed. We will present those that, from the point of view of doctors, have the right to life.

1. Changes in hormonal levels. With the onset of pregnancy, the level of progesterone and estrogen in the blood increases significantly, which affects the woman’s well-being - toxicosis appears during pregnancy.
2. Formation of the placenta. Some scientists associate the period of intoxication with the development of the placenta, which ends at approximately the same time when early toxicosis ceases.
3. Natural protection. Typically, nausea and vomiting occur when a woman smells or tastes harmful foods and substances: cigarette smoke, coffee, meat. In this way, the body tries to protect itself from their effects.
4. Chronic diseases. Due to their duration, they reduce immunity and exhaust the body, which reacts with intoxication.
5. Psychological aspect. Many doctors believe that toxicosis during pregnancy usually develops in those women who suddenly become pregnant. They have not internally come to terms with this condition, which results in attacks of vomiting and nausea.
6. Age. Statistics show: those who become pregnant after 30-35 years of age are more susceptible to toxicosis than young girls.
7. Multiple pregnancy. Carrying several babies puts a lot of stress on the body, and it can weaken, increasing the urge to vomit and nausea.
8. Heredity. It turns out that if one of the women in your family, being in trouble, suffered from toxicosis, then with a probability of 7:10 the same fate will befall you.

Why early toxicosis appears, watch the video:

Nutrition for toxicosis

The basis for the health of a woman and her baby is a complex of all vitamins and minerals. Using only multivitamin complexes is not enough. It is important for an expectant mother to adjust her diet in the early stages.

Nutrition principles:

• portions should be small, the intervals between doses should be quite short - up to 2 hours, this will improve the functioning of the digestive system and prevent insulin spikes in the blood;
• replace store-bought juices with fruits rich in liquid, melons, watermelons, apricots, peaches;
• preference should be given to light foods - raw vegetables, yogurt, fermented baked milk, kefir;
• It is important to regularly supply high-quality protein - rabbit, turkey, chicken breast, cottage cheese, slave;
• you need to give up fatty, fried, smoked, sweet foods, marinades, pickles, sausages, carbonated drinks, coffee;
• It is not recommended to rest immediately after eating; it is better to take a short walk or come up with an activity for yourself;
• You can’t use only a few products in your diet, they can soon provoke an allergic reaction, you need to adhere to the principles of a varied diet.

Drug treatment of toxicosis during pregnancy

Vomiting during pregnancy is an unpleasant phenomenon, so women often ask their gynecologist for anti-toxicosis pills. However, only a doctor can decide whether to prescribe you treatment or give the body the opportunity to cope with this problem on its own, because intoxication ends either with the first trimester of pregnancy or with the birth of the baby.

Do not rush to run to the pharmacy and buy medications at the first attacks of nausea. Remember: there are no absolutely safe medications for the baby growing in your tummy.

If the doctor decides that therapy is necessary, it may be:

• medicinal. Drugs are prescribed that relieve symptoms of nausea and have a calming effect on the nervous system. This method has an obvious disadvantage: it does not cure, but relieves symptoms - as soon as you stop taking the medication, everything will return to normal;

• invasive. The method of immunocytotherapy has recently become widespread. The woman is injected subcutaneously with her husband's lymphocytes, and after a day the toxicosis weakens. However, the spouse must be completely healthy, otherwise there is a high probability of infecting the mother and child;

• homeopathic. The safest method, but also the longest: while you complete the entire course, toxicosis may end on its own;

• aromatherapy. It is not suitable for everyone, since pregnant women often have a heightened sense of smell and begin to tolerate odors poorly.

We do not recommend self-medication, because even the most harmless herbal decoctions at first glance can lead to fetal pathologies.

What else will help alleviate or get rid of the symptoms of toxicosis?

There is probably no point in talking about the dangers of tobacco and alcohol: everyone already knows about it. And therefore, every woman who smokes or drinks alcohol during pregnancy must understand that, following the lead of her selfishness, not only she, but also her child will pay for her indifference and irresponsibility in the future.

To get rid of toxicosis, it will be useful to spend more time in the fresh air. An evening walk and airing the bedroom (or the entire apartment) before bed at any time of the year will be very useful for the expectant mother. Fresh cool air during waking hours will also help calm the sensations of morning sickness. Ventilating the room where the expectant mother is will help get rid of odors that cause nausea.

Breathing exercises and yoga for pregnant women help to cope well with the manifestations of toxicosis. These exercises will also help improve the functioning of the intestines, kidneys and liver. With regular exercise, you will not be bothered by headaches, dizziness and other ailments. In addition, the muscles will become stronger and more elastic (this will be useful during childbirth), and the nervous system will be calm and balanced. Psychological infusion is also important during pregnancy. Yoga and breathing exercises will help here too: the ability to concentrate and control processes will push unpleasant sensations into the background and make it possible to enjoy the upcoming motherhood.

If there is no time or desire for exercise, then acupressure helps with attacks of nausea - pressing on active points. In this case, you need to press on a point located on the inside of the wrist, just above the crease of the palm.

Aromatherapy will calm nausea:

• in the evening, drop peppermint oil on a handkerchief - it has a calming effect, and at the same time reduces morning sickness;
• In emergency cases, you can use ginger oil: drop it on your palm, rub it and inhale deeply.

How to deal with toxicosis at home?

Toxicosis during pregnancy can be mitigated if you follow the recommendations:

• start your morning with cookies (preferably biscuits) or dried fruits. You should eat them after sleep, without getting out of bed, then the likelihood of a morning encounter with the toilet will significantly decrease;

• For many, when the urge to vomit appears, sucking on a slice of lemon or orange helps. But do not overuse citrus fruits - they are harmful to the fetus, especially in the second and third trimesters;

• Find a drink that doesn't cause nausea. This can be a herbal decoction, weakly brewed tea, juice;

• replace drinks containing dyes and stabilizers in your diet with fruits and vegetables with a high liquid content - watermelons, melons, grapes;

• eat in small portions, eating a little every 2-3 hours;

• Frequent chewing reduces nausea, so from time to time chew nuts, dried fruits, cumin seeds;

• manifestations of toxicosis are reduced by vitamin B6. Introduce foods containing it into your menu - chicken, fish, avocados, beans, nuts, lentils, eggs;

• eat right - avoid fatty and fried foods, give preference to fresh foods and steamed dishes;

• do not eat immediately before bed; the last meal should end at least two hours before going to bed;

• when experiencing nausea, eat a spoonful of honey and it will go away;

• drink mint tincture - it has an antispasmodic effect. Pour chopped peppermint herb (2 teaspoons), valerian root (1 teaspoon), calendula flowers (2 teaspoons), yarrow (2 teaspoons) into an enamel container and pour in two glasses of boiling water. Let it brew for half an hour, strain and drink 2 tablespoons 5 times a day.

Be healthy!

Recipes from our grandmothers and mothers

Our grandmothers and mothers were probably also familiar with toxicosis at one time. You are not the first, and you will not be the last, whom he torments. Traditional medicine recommends the following for women in a similar position:

• With excessive salivation, rinsing with infusion of sage, chamomile or oak bark helps - they produce an astringent effect: 1 tbsp. pour a glass of hot water over the raw material, leave for 15 minutes, strain, cool.
• Red rowan with sugar and honey helps relieve nausea. If you don’t have fresh berries, you can buy dried ones, steam them in boiling water or microwave, and then grind them with honey.
• Infusions of valerian, mint and motherwort will help relieve stomach cramps. If there is no grass, then mint tea or mint candies will relieve nausea. We do not recommend using mint chewing gum for this purpose - it will have the opposite effect.
• Antiemetic: 2 tsp. mint + 2 tsp. calendula + 1 tsp. valerian + 1 tsp. yarrow - pour half a liter of boiling water and leave for 30 minutes. Drink 2 tbsp. about 6 times a day for 3 weeks. Then you need to take a break for a couple of weeks and, if necessary - if the toxicosis does not stop by then - repeat the course of treatment.

Unconventional ways to combat toxicosis

Aromatherapy, acupuncture, immunocytotherapy and adherence sometimes have no less effect than drug therapy.

• Immunocytotherapy.

Subcutaneous injection of lymphocytes from a man, the father of the child, into the forearm of a pregnant woman. It has been noticed that within a day after the procedure there is a significant improvement in the condition of the pregnant woman, even with severe toxicosis.

• Acupuncture.

Alternative to drug treatment. Impact on certain points and areas of the body allows you to cope with ailments, activating the functionality of almost all systems and increasing the elasticity of the uterus.

• Aromatherapy.

Recommended to reduce attacks of nausea. Treatments with essential oils of anise, rose, neroli, jasmine, and lemon are especially effective. Gradually, the time allotted for inhalation is increased, starting from 20 minutes to 3 hours.

The correct daily routine, in which at least 8-10 hours should be allocated for sleep, helps to consolidate the results of unconventional treatment.

What to do in case of early toxicosis

What helps against toxicosis, how to cope with it? The best remedies and cures for early toxicosis during pregnancy are fresh air and a healthy diet. By choosing the right diet, you can get rid of many unpleasant symptoms and alleviate your condition.

The following will help alleviate the manifestations of toxicosis:

• Walks in the open air . A pregnant woman should walk at least two hours a day.
• "Proper" breakfast . Eating a handful of nuts or crackers right in bed in the morning can help get rid of nausea.
• Healthy foods. First aid for toxicosis is to avoid smoked, fatty, overcooked foods.
• Nice products. A woman should eat what she wants. The priority is light plant foods, fish, lean meat.
• The best drinks during this period are water with lemon juice, rosehip infusion, cranberry juice.
• Folic acid as recommended by doctors. It has been noticed that when taking this drug, the manifestations of toxicosis decrease.
• "Escape" from tobacco smoke.
• Healthy sleep (at least 8-9 hours a day).
• Physiotherapy . All exercises should be performed only after consultation with a doctor.

Prevention of early toxicosis

There are preventive measures designed to reduce the manifestations of toxicosis. Proper pregnancy planning will help preserve the health of both mother and child. On the eve of the expected pregnancy, doctors recommend:

• Completely give up bad habits: smoking, alcohol.
• Treat chronic diseases, get rid of extra pounds.
• Forget about smoked foods, products with preservatives and fast food.
• Do gymnastics, Pilates, yoga. Any exercise that has a general strengthening effect on the body is suitable.
• Get your psychological state in order, and if necessary, see a specialist.

Pregnancy is a serious test for the mother's body. You need to “meet” this state fully armed. It must be remembered that during pregnancy, even a minor chronic disease can cause serious disorders that can adversely affect the health of the mother and child.