2023 Author: Jessica James | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 03:31
Obstetrician-gynecologist Tatyana Rumyantseva (@rumyantseva_md) told what diet to follow in the first trimester of pregnancy, and explained what to do if toxicosis happened at the end of the term.
Tatiana Rumyantseva
Ph. D., obstetrician-gynecologist at the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology
1. It is impossible to determine the exact cause of toxicosis
Many will be surprised, but doctors and scientists do not have an exact answer to the question: why toxicosis occurs. There is the most common point of view: toxicosis is a reaction to hormonal changes and an increase in the level of hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). It happens that nausea and vomiting are caused by other reasons that are not related to pregnancy. These are diseases of the thyroid gland or liver. Ideally, they should be ruled out prior to pregnancy.
2. If you often experience nausea in everyday life, there is a high probability that you will have severe toxicosis during pregnancy
If for you nausea is a reaction to overwork, excessive physical activity, migraines, certain smells and tastes, contraceptives, then the chances of toxicosis during pregnancy are great.
If a woman is pregnant with twins, triplets, the likelihood of toxicosis is also higher.
3. Toxicosis can be in late pregnancy
Classically, toxicosis begins before 9 weeks of gestation and ends by 14 weeks. For some, it lasts longer and very rarely can accompany a woman throughout her pregnancy. Nausea in the later stages is a prolonged toxicosis or some other disease: an ulcer, poisoning, diseases of the thyroid gland, biliary tract.
Pay attention to the symptoms: if at week 27 you have severe nausea and (or) fever, abdominal pain, headache, stool disorders, go to the doctor immediately.
4. Toxicosis can be with a frozen pregnancy
This condition can accompany a woman until the spontaneous termination of pregnancy or before doctors intervened in the situation. In this case, toxicosis proceeds smoothly: neither increases nor decreases.
If the pregnancy develops normally, toxicosis may gradually fade away, or it may “turn off” for a couple of days, and the woman will suddenly feel better.
5. Very severe toxicosis is dangerous mainly for a woman
On rare occasions, it can actually be dangerous. Severe manifestation of toxicosis - indomitable vomiting, when a woman loses up to 5% of her pre-pregnant weight, dehydration, an imbalance of basic trace elements. In this state, it is almost impossible to assimilate food. The compensatory mechanisms of the female body are developed so strongly that this does not affect the child. But the woman must be sure to inform the doctor. Such situations require inpatient treatment with the replacement of lost fluid.
6. Sleep reduces the manifestation of toxicosis
Monitor your lifestyle in the first trimester. Getting the most sleep a day will improve your condition. Let household chores go to the background, sleep as much as your body wants, and walk a lot in the fresh air.
7. Eat small and frequent meals
Many pregnant girls are drawn to salty or sweet foods. Do not limit yourself in the first trimester, it is better to establish the correct diet later. If you don't feel well in the morning, try eating something salty before you get out of bed. The very fact of moving on an empty stomach and trying to make breakfast makes the condition worse. Don't be afraid to snack during the first trimester. Seeds, lemon, ginger help someone. Drink as much liquid as possible. If you don't feel like water, experiment with juices and compotes.
8. Avoid odors that are unpleasant to you
Your husband's eau de toilette, which you have always loved, can have the opposite effect during pregnancy. It's the same with cosmetics.
9. It is impossible to prevent the classic form of toxicosis
But above, I have already talked about cases when nausea and vomiting during pregnancy are caused by diseases. You can control this moment by passing the examination before pregnancy. When planning a pregnancy, discuss all your concerns with your doctor, especially if you have stool, appetite disorders, abdominal pain, sweating, irritability, etc.
Diseases of the thyroid gland, liver, biliary tract can aggravate the course of toxicosis.
10. Immunocytotherapy is an unproven method for reducing signs of toxicosis
The effectiveness of this method is absolutely not proven. It has nothing to do with both toxicosis and other conditions for the treatment of which it is used. Immunocytotherapy is the immunization of a woman with her husband's lymphocytes. How his lymphocytes can affect the manifestation of toxicosis is difficult to imagine! There is no such method in international guidelines and protocols (unlike numerous discussions on the Internet), so you should not rely on it: there may be enough negative consequences.
