Dyspepsia - Pregnancy Dyspepsia, Symptoms And Treatment

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43

Symptoms and treatment of dyspepsia during pregnancy

Dyspepsia of pregnant women in most cases is associated with the throwing of acidic stomach contents into the esophagus, the so-called acid reflux. In this case, heartburn and a number of other unpleasant symptoms may begin. To relieve the manifestations of the disease, antacids are prescribed to pregnant women, and in the chronic course of the disease - drugs that suppress the secretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach.

Dyspepsia is understood as a set of symptoms that combine the manifestation of various kinds of digestive disorders. Dyspepsia of pregnant women is widespread enough, at a certain period of time, symptoms of the disease are recorded in 50% of pregnant women.

Acid reflux is accompanied by the entry of acidic stomach contents into the esophagus. In this case, the mucous membrane of the esophagus can become inflamed, which is accompanied by the appearance of symptoms of dyspepsia.

The sphincter, which acts as a shutter and protects the esophagus from acid backflow, weakens during pregnancy and partially loses its ability to contract. This is primarily due to endocrine changes in a woman's body. Moreover, the fetus puts more and more pressure on the stomach over time. Both of these factors combine to cause gastrointestinal reflux.

After childbirth and normalization of the level of hormones in the blood, all symptoms of dyspepsia disappear by themselves. Risk factors for dyspepsia include some medical conditions that a woman may have prior to pregnancy. This is primarily gastroesophageal reflux and inflammation in the esophageal mucosa.

Symptoms of pregnancy dyspepsia

Most often, the symptoms of dyspepsia in pregnant women are mild, but in some cases the disease is acute. The most common manifestations of the disease are: heartburn, pain and discomfort in the abdomen, chest pain, nausea and vomiting, increased gas production. Patients are worried about the feeling of fullness in the stomach after eating. Symptoms of the disease in most cases appear from time to time, most often the pathology makes itself felt in the third trimester of pregnancy.

Treatment of dyspepsia during pregnancy

First of all, when symptoms of dyspepsia appear during pregnancy, women should pay attention to their diet and, possibly, change their lifestyle. When symptoms of the disease appear, it is necessary to exclude some foods from your diet and eat food in small portions with a frequency of at least six times a day. Dangerous foods include tomatoes, chocolate, food containing a lot of fat, everything spicy, fruit juices, coffee, alcoholic drinks, and hot drinks.

The harmful factors include nicotine, which has a relaxing effect on the esophageal sphincter. Patients with dyspepsia are advised not to be in a horizontal position for too long and not to bend over too often during the day. Refusal to eat on the eve of going to bed and the correct posture during rest: with the back and head raised at a slight angle, helps to prevent nighttime attacks of dyspepsia.

You should be aware that some drugs can also provoke dyspepsia during pregnancy. These include anti-inflammatory and pain relievers, as well as a number of antidepressants and sedatives.

With a mild course of the disease, the treatment of pregnant women is limited to a properly selected diet and a change in the woman's lifestyle. If such therapy is not effective enough, then it is recommended to take certain medications, such as antacids and alginates.

Antacids help to neutralize the acidic environment in the stomach and quickly relieve the symptoms of pathology. Pregnant women are not recommended to take medicines that include sodium bicarbonate and magnesium trisilicate - because of their harmful effects on the development of the fetus. If a pregnant woman suffers from high blood pressure, then she is recommended to take drugs with a low sodium content.

Quite often, treatment regimens for dyspepsia of pregnancy include both antacids and alginates, which help protect the mucous membrane from an acidic environment. There are also alginates formulated specifically for pregnant women.

If the symptoms of the disease do not go away after taking antacids, then the doctor may prescribe medications to the woman that suppress the secretion of hydrochloric acid. For maximum effectiveness, drugs in this group must be taken constantly, and not only during an attack of dyspepsia. The drugs recommended for taking during pregnancy in this group include only ranitidine and omeprazole. The rest of the drugs are not prescribed during pregnancy.

Article author: Mochalov Pavel Alexandrovich | d. m. n. therapist

Education: Moscow Medical Institute. IM Sechenov, specialty - "General Medicine" in 1991, in 1993 "Occupational Diseases", in 1996 "Therapy".