Hemorrhoids During Pregnancy - Causes, Signs And Symptoms, How To Treat Hemorrhoids?

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 17:49

Causes, symptoms and how to treat hemorrhoids during pregnancy?

Hemorrhoids during pregnancy are abnormalities in the blood vessels in the rectum. As a rule, this disease occurs due to stagnation of blood in the veins and the formation of hemorrhoids - the expansion of veins in the anus. In proctology, there is a division of this type of disease into primary and secondary hemorrhoids. For the period of pregnancy, it is the primary hemorrhoids that are typical, which appears in connection with the increased pressure of the uterus on the pelvic organs and the rectum.

Content:

• Signs and symptoms of hemorrhoids during pregnancy
• Causes of hemorrhoids during pregnancy
• Is hemorrhoids dangerous during pregnancy?
• What is the treatment for hemorrhoids during pregnancy?

Signs and symptoms of hemorrhoids during pregnancy

Changes in hemorrhoidal veins in pregnant women do not occur simultaneously. There are several stages of diseases, each of which has its own symptoms.

1st stage

At the initial stage of hemorrhoids, symptoms such as are characteristic:

• Feeling uncomfortable when using the toilet;
• Feeling of pain in the anal area during bowel movement;
• The presence of blood in the stool is possible.

Stage 2

In the absence of treatment at the first stage, the disease transitions to the second stage. This may be evidenced by such signs as:

• The appearance of external hemorrhoids, which disappear over time;
• Discharge from the anus, which is atypical for the usual state, and itching caused by this phenomenon.

Stage 3

For the third and fourth stages of the disease, the following become characteristic:

• Strengthening the painful sensations that disturbed in the previous stages;
• External nodes on the anus do not disappear on their own;
• An increase in body temperature during inflammatory processes caused by the appearance of cracks in the rectum;
• Heavy bleeding from the anus.

Read more: Bleeding from the anus - causes, suppositories, treatment

Reason for seeing a doctor

Considering that the timely adoption of measures to eliminate pathological changes in the veins in the rectum can significantly alleviate the condition and reduce the risk of bleeding or other complications, you should carefully consider the appearance of the following symptoms indicating the presence of the disease:

• Burning and itching, which are worse when wearing tight underwear, when walking or moving;
• Pain when using the toilet;
• Pulling pains, in some cases radiating to the back or lower back;
• The presence of blood in the stool;
• The appearance of nodules in the anus, which pass over time, but reappear after constipation or lifting weights.

In some cases, similar symptoms may indicate the presence of other pathologies, such as tumors and inflammation. Therefore, it is important to state all the worrying points to the attending physician and undergo a detailed examination by the proctologist.

Causes of hemorrhoids during pregnancy

The main reason for the appearance of hemorrhoids is their overflow with blood due to the increased load on the pelvic organs. In addition, the disease can appear for the following reasons:

• Alteration of the digestive process and associated constipation;
• Fetal head pressure on the rectum in the last trimester;
• Blood flow to the pelvic organs, causing overflow of the venous ligaments in the rectum.

In addition to these reasons, there are several factors that affect the risk of hemorrhoids in pregnant women. These include:

• Low mobility, causing a deterioration in the outflow of blood from the lower part of the body;
• A history of chronic constipation;
• A two-stage bowel movement, when the bowel is emptied in two approaches with an interval of up to 1 hour;
• Prolonged digestive upset, manifested by diarrhea for several days;
• Eating an unlimited amount of food that is too salty or spicy;
• Lifting heavy objects.

How to avoid hemorrhoids during pregnancy?

To avoid hemorrhoids during pregnancy or reduce the risk of progression of an existing disease, you must adhere to the following rules:

1. Compliance with a diet aimed at preventing constipation and intestinal fermentation processes that can cause diarrhea;
2. Physical activity that helps to cope with stagnation of blood in the blood vessels of the pelvis and in particular in the rectum;
3. Refusal to stay in a sitting position for a long time, as this can put additional stress on the venous plexus and cause it to overflow with blood.

Is hemorrhoids dangerous during pregnancy?

The danger of hemorrhoids during pregnancy is not only the constant presence of discomfort. At the initial stage of the disease, pain during bowel movement can provoke the expectant mother to visit the toilet less often, which is why it is very likely that such phenomena as constipation and the appearance of microtraumas on the intestinal mucosa caused by the passage of too hard feces may occur.

This inevitably leads to the occurrence of inflammatory processes, which, in the absence of timely therapy, can affect other internal organs. Among other things, constipation contributes to the accumulation of toxic substances in the body of a pregnant woman, which do not affect the fetus in the best way.

At the 3rd and 4th stages of the disease, the procedure for repositioning the fallen nodes can cause a deterioration in the general well-being of a woman and affect the condition of the fetus. The birth process in the presence of this disease is associated with a high risk of bleeding from the anus.

In addition, hemorrhoids during pregnancy can cause pinched hemorrhoids. To eliminate this pathology, surgical intervention may be required. After the end of pregnancy, pain in the anal area in many women becomes a fairly frequent occurrence, since when factors favorable for the development of the disease appear, an exacerbation is inevitable.

What is the treatment for hemorrhoids during pregnancy?

When choosing a method for treating hemorrhoids during pregnancy, it is necessary to be guided not only by the type and degree of development of the disease, but also by the fact that drugs and procedures should not negatively affect the course of bearing the fetus.

There are many therapies that are approved for use during pregnancy:

Stool regulation

It is important to avoid constipation. Therefore, first of all, you should adjust the menu:

• heavy dishes are subject to exclusion - fried, fatty, spicy;
• from drinks, preference should be given to green tea, natural juices and compotes, herbal teas;
• limit the number of pastry products;
• priority is given to vegetable dishes and whole grains;
• increase the amount of fruits and berries;
• fermented milk products - cottage cheese, kefir, milk, cheeses should become an obligatory component of the menu;
• the amount of water drunk per day should be at least 1.5 liters.

Read more: Overview of Laxatives

Hygiene procedures

To prevent the development of infection in the anus, it is recommended to wash the anus with warm water and soap after each trip to the toilet. If there are external nodes, this should be done carefully. For wiping, it is better to use special disposable wet wipes for intimate hygiene or any other that do not contain alcohol and fragrances. Regular toilet paper in the presence of hemorrhoids is undesirable for use, as it is not soft enough. The underwear should be cotton, soft and not too tight. This ensures maximum comfort and protection from the spread of infection.

The use of trays with various herbs must be completely excluded. Despite the fact that many folk remedies can help in the treatment of hemorrhoids, the risk of infection entering the genital tract through warm water is quite high. It is especially important to consider this fact during pregnancy.

Use of medications

To eliminate symptoms such as pain, constipation, inflammation and pathological vasodilation of the rectal vessels, it becomes necessary to use specialized medications. During the period of gestation, preference is given to such means as creams and ointments, gels and suppositories. Self-selection of drugs to eliminate symptoms is extremely undesirable, since when taking them there is a high probability of harming the fetus.

What is commonly used to treat hemorrhoids in pregnant women:

• Drugs that increase the tone of blood vessels. When using them, the permeability of the walls of blood vessels is significantly increased and the outflow of lymph improves. Due to this effect, the development of the disease is inhibited, and inflammatory processes are stopped.
• Laxative medications are used when there are persistent difficulties with bowel movement. This group of preparations should include mainly natural ingredients, for example, an extract from prunes. The use of any laxative must be approved by a doctor.
• Rectal suppositories and ointments approved during pregnancy are the main group of medicines that are approved for use during pregnancy. They are based on components that eliminate pain and relieve inflammation. In addition, there are local preparations with a hemostatic effect specially developed for pregnant women. Suppositories allowed for pregnant women: Natalsid, Olestezin, Neo-Anusol and Posterisan
• Vitamin complexes for pregnant women are used to improve the general condition of the body, strengthen blood vessels. As a rule, these funds include an increased amount of vitamins C and P.
• Microclysters with a volume of no more than 40 ml. There are two types of microclysters: for softening stool with oils and for eliminating inflammation with medicinal herbs. Oily microclysters not only soften the contents of the rectum, but also have an enveloping effect. They prevent the appearance of microtraumas during bowel movements and strengthen the walls of blood vessels thanks to the vitamins contained in oils. Microclysters with decoctions of chamomile and calendula help relieve inflammation and irritation of the rectum.

Operative and minimally invasive methods of treatment

This type of treatment is used when bleeding occurs, which usually occurs during stages 3 and 4 of the disease. When carrying out manipulations to eliminate hemorrhoids using surgical methods of treatment, anesthesia is necessarily used. In the acute course of the disease, this method is of little use due to the high probability of complications.

What procedures are among the procedures for the prompt elimination of hemorrhoid symptoms that are approved for use during pregnancy:

• Rectoanal lifting - hemorrhoids suturing. After the introduction of anesthesia, the doctor pulls the fallen out nodes to a normal position using an instrument and special threads. Recovery after this procedure lasts up to 6 weeks.
• Ligation of hemorrhoids is performed only at stages 1 and 2 of the disease. The essence of the procedure is to pull the base of the knot with a latex ring. Within about a week after the procedure, the node dies off, it detaches from the rectal wall.
• Sclerotherapy is performed in case of a high risk of bleeding at any stage of the disease. With the help of this procedure, the flow of blood to the hemorrhoid is suspended, as a result of which it dies.
• Photocoagulation is performed using special equipment. This method is based on the heating of hemorrhoids using an infrared emitter, as a result of which they die off. Suitable for use at stages 1 and 2 of the disease.
• Desarterization is indicated for the treatment of hemorrhoids at stages 1 and 2, but in combination with rectoanal lifting it can also be applied at subsequent stages of the disease. The procedure is performed using a special instrument under the control of an ultrasound machine. The main advantage of this method of treatment is the absence of incisions and the ability to hem all nodes in one procedure.
• Hemorrhoidectomy - removal of nodes using a conventional or laser scalpel. The disadvantage of the procedure is the long term for tissue restoration. In recent years, the use of the laser has become more popular due to the fact that when performing an operation using it, healing is much faster.

Only if there is complete information about the condition of the woman and the fetus, the doctor can confidently judge the appropriateness and safety of the methods used. This is the basis for the successful treatment of hemorrhoids, during which there will be no negative consequences for the health of the expectant mother and her baby.

The author of the article: Volkov Dmitry Sergeevich | c. m. n. surgeon, phlebologist

Education: Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry (1996). In 2003 he received a diploma from the Educational and Scientific Medical Center of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation.