Tip: If you have recently returned from a vacation in an exotic country with nausea and diarrhea and find out you are pregnant, see your doctor as soon as possible.

Gastroenteritis

One common cause of diarrhea during pregnancy is gastroenteritis or stomach flu. It is caused by bacterial or viral infections: norovirus, rotavirus, E. coli, salmonella, which enter the body through contact with contaminated surfaces, dishes, food and water.

Gastroenteritis usually lasts about three days. However, severe illness is a health hazard, especially during pregnancy, as it can cause dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and lead to preterm labor.

The main symptoms of gastroenteritis are diarrhea without blood, nausea and vomiting, stomach cramps and pain, slight fever, headache and muscle pain.

Take extra precautions to reduce your risk of getting sick: frequent handwashing and surface disinfection. If the expectant mother has small children, they are not recommended to use the same cutlery.

Risks of diarrhea during pregnancy

Usually diarrhea during pregnancy is not a cause for concern. However, you should consult a doctor if the following symptoms occur during this period:

• Diarrhea for more than two days;
• Blood or mucus stools;
• Sudden weight loss;
• Pain in the abdomen;
• Dehydration.

How to treat diarrhea during pregnancy

If you have diarrhea during pregnancy, drink plenty of fluids, avoid foods high in fat and sugar, avoid dairy products, and caffeinated drinks.

Dehydration is a serious risk, especially during pregnancy, so electrolyte balance should be restored first with fluids and simple foods:

Find out about your body's ability to break down lactose and gluten with the Atlas Microbiota Test.

Stomach pain and heartburn during pregnancy

Many women experience stomach pain during pregnancy, especially in the upper part of the stomach, as well as heartburn - a burning sensation in the chest and esophagus.

This is more common in the third trimester, after about 27 weeks. This is an unpleasant but natural phenomenon during pregnancy: the baby grows inside the uterus and presses on other organs, including the stomach. And hormones cause the muscles to relax, which causes acid from the stomach to enter the esophagus and irritate it. In addition, pain can be caused by problems with certain organs such as the gallbladder, or inflammation of the pancreas.

Symptoms of heartburn during pregnancy:

• Burning in chest and esophagus;
• Feeling of overeating, heaviness or bloating;
• Belching, including with acid and/or food particles;
• Nausea.

It is unlikely that you will be able to avoid cramps and heartburn during pregnancy. However, some tips can help reduce their frequency:

Nutrition : try to avoid overeating - eat easily digestible food in small portions; do not eat three hours before bedtime; watch your posture while eating - so the pressure on your stomach will be less.

Smoking and alcohol: In addition to known harms to mothers and babies, tobacco smoke also relaxes the muscles in the lower esophagus, allowing acid to enter the esophagus. And alcohol provokes heartburn and acid reflux.

Although stomach pain and heartburn often accompany pregnancy, abdominal pain, especially in the third trimester, should be taken seriously. It can be a sign of preterm labor or placental abruption, and puts mother and baby at risk.

If you experience severe abdominal pain during pregnancy that is accompanied by the following symptoms, seek medical attention as soon as possible:

Bloating, constipation and microbiota during pregnancy

Excessive gas and constipation during pregnancy can be caused by hormonal changes, such as increased production of progesterone. This hormone, essential for nourishing the uterus and fetus, relaxes the muscles of the body, including the muscles in the intestines, which slows down digestion and increases flatulence. A similar reaction of the body can be observed before each menstruation, when the production of progesterone increases.

Flatulence - bloating of the abdomen due to the accumulation of gases.

Here are a few simple rules that will help improve bowel movements and avoid constipation and bloating:

• If you don't usually eat a lot of fiber and indigestible foods like legumes, try to gradually introduce them into your diet;
• Avoid carbonated drinks and fatty foods;
• Move more;
• Drink plenty of fluids.

If bloating and constipation are accompanied by severe pain that lasts more than 30 minutes, or if you have been constipated for two or more weeks, see your doctor.

Gut microbiota and bacteria during pregnancy

A woman's body goes through many changes during pregnancy, and this can affect the microbiota, the bacterial ecosystem that lives in the gut. Trillions of microorganisms do important work for the whole body: they synthesize vitamins and essential acids, keep your intestines working and protect it from disease and inflammation.

The additional influx of female hormones that accompanies pregnancy alters gut function and affects the microbiota. This is good, because the bacterial community is constantly adjusting to external and internal conditions in order to keep up with the needs of the body.

To keep your gut bacteria running smoothly, they need your help. Provide them with healthy foods and plant fibers. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds contain prebiotics, special substances that beneficial bacteria feed on. When properly balanced, the bacteria even increase your body's defenses against harmful microorganisms that can cause gastroenteritis during pregnancy.

The Atlas Microbiota Test will help you understand how to prepare your intestines for future pregnancy and reduce the risk of digestive problems.

☝️ Take note

Now you have all the necessary knowledge and tools to help you deal with digestive problems during pregnancy. They are quite varied and quite natural, but in some cases it is necessary to immediately seek medical help:

• Vomiting blood;
• Blood in stool;
• Diarrhea for more than two days;
• Constipation for more than two weeks;
• Sudden weight loss;
• Severe pain interfering with daily activities;
• Difficulty breathing;
• Pain when swallowing or difficulty swallowing;
• Excessive fatigue.

More articles on the causes of digestive problems in the blog:

• 7 foods that cause gas and bloating
• Lindsey J Wegrzyniak, Treatment of Hyperemesis Gravidarum, 2012
• Edwards A. et al., The Maternal Gut Microbiome During Pregnancy, 2018
• National Health and Safety (NHS), Vomiting and morning sickness in pregnancy
• Kudzai Kanhutu, Travel and pregnancy: an infectious diseases perspective, 2011
• CDC, Pregnant travelers
• U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for healthcare research and quality, Abdominal Pain in Early Pregnancy
• Robyn Horsager-Boehrer, M.D., UT Southwestern Medical Center, Should pregnant moms be concerned about gastroenteritis?, 2018
• International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders, Pregnancy and Irritable Bowel Syndrome, 2016
• NHS Vomiting and morning sickness in pregnancy
• NHS, Severe vomiting in pregnancy
• Lindsey J Wegrzyniak et al., Treatment of Hyperemesis Gravidarum, 2012
• Karen Miles, Diarrhea during pregnancy, 2020
• Cleveland Clinic, Diarrhea
• You and your hormones, Progesterone
• Traci C. Johnson, MD, Pregnancy, Bloating, 2020

Early pregnancy | Shchelkovsky perinatal center

Pregnancy is a wonderful period! However, the changes taking place in the body at this time can greatly frighten you. The phenomena characteristic of pregnancy are different for all women, and will not necessarily be repeated during each subsequent gestation. Let's analyze the most common symptoms, their causes and possible methods of correction.

1. Frequent urination.

Frequent painless (!) urge to urinate is one of the signs of pregnancy. This is due to increased secretion of progesterone (pregnancy hormone), changes in metabolism and pressure from the growing uterus on the bladder.

Be sure to see a doctor if:

• urination is painful (this may be a sign of an infection)
• urine of strange color (stained with blood, brown)
• the amount of urine excreted per day is much less than the liquid drunk per day

Life hack! In no case should you limit fluid intake! To alleviate the condition and reduce the frequent urge to urinate, it is necessary to exclude products that have a diuretic effect: tea, coffee, zucchini, watermelon; as well as salty, spicy and fried foods. It is better to drink water or juice. Wear comfortable cotton underwear that does not squeeze the lower abdomen.

2. Nausea, vomiting, heartburn, increased susceptibility to odors.

Nausea is one of the common symptoms of early pregnancy. The range of issues related to nausea and vomiting during pregnancy is quite wide. From "it's good, I don't even feel sick" (with relief), "I don't feel sick, what's wrong with me?" (with anxiety) to "when will this nausea pass" (with hope). Indeed, these symptoms are not at all a mandatory accompaniment of gestation, they can manifest at 7-8 weeks and last up to 12-14 weeks. The duration of this condition can sometimes be delayed, but rarely persists throughout pregnancy.

Life hack! For nausea, eat before feeling hungry. Solid, non-hot food and drinks at a cool temperature are best. With heartburn, you should eat small portions of food and often, and most importantly, sit, stand or walk for at least 30 minutes after eating, but do not lie down.

You should definitely consult a doctor if:

• vomiting occurs even after drinking water
• vomiting is exhausting, accompanied by dizziness, weakness
• dryness, jaundice and flaking of the skin appear
• Nausea and vomiting interfere with proper nutrition, accompanied by weight loss

To reduce nausea and vomiting in the morning, try eating something before you get out of bed. It can be a cracker, a cookie, a piece of hard cheese. And salty food is preferable to sweet. You can have a snack in the same way at night when you get up to go to the toilet. Do not lie down immediately after eating, this will only increase nausea. Vitamins for pregnant women with nausea should be taken in the evening after meals. Cool water with lemon, ginger, mint tea, or ginger or mint candies can alleviate the condition. It is necessary to exclude those foods, drinks and smells that are unpleasant to you. Brushing your teeth and rinsing your mouth often can also reduce nausea.

3. Pain or cramps in the lower abdomen, constipation, pain in the lumbar region.

The simplest and most easily controlled cause of pain is delayed and incomplete bowel movements. An increase in the concentration of progesterone relaxes the smooth muscles, which are located not only in the uterus, but also in other hollow organs. In this case, the correction of the diet and the restoration of the passage of feces will help. If the measures are ineffective, the doctor may prescribe safe drugs for you. A special type of pain that occurs during exclusivity in pregnant women is pain in the round ligament of the uterus. This acute, rather intense pain occurs, as a rule, on the one hand with a sharp change in body position (for example, when getting up from a chair or leaving a car). This pain occurs due to stretching, and then a sharp contraction, like a spring, of the round uterine ligaments. The pain quickly passes if you immediately take a comfortable position and does not require special treatment.

You should definitely consult a doctor if:

• pain is accompanied by spotting bloody discharge from the external genitalia
• increasing duration and intensity of pain
• abdominal pain accompanied by dizziness, fever, loss of consciousness

Life hack! To normalize bowel movements, eat more vegetables and fruits, drink water and move more during the day. Try to eat often and in small portions.

4. Enlargement and soreness of the mammary glands.

Hormonal restructuring of the body during gestation is accompanied, among other things, by an increase in the size of the mammary glands and an increase in their sensitivity. By the end of the first trimester, the soreness usually disappears, no additional methods of treatment are needed.

Life hack! Choose comfortable supportive underwear (it should not leave marks on the skin at the end of the day). You may need a larger size or a sports bra. Pain in the mammary glands is relieved by a warm shower at the end of the day.

You should definitely see a doctor if:

• the pain is severe
• mammary glands are very dense with redness and body temperature is increased
• discharge from the nipples appears (purulent, bloody)

5. Increased body temperature.

In early pregnancy, an increase in body temperature to 37.5 ° C is not necessary, but is possible due to the peculiarities of the action of progesterone. Because of this, it is difficult for pregnant women to endure stuffy, hot rooms. Self-medication is dangerous: an attempt to bring down the temperature even with a seemingly harmless folk method - tea with raspberries - can mask the true cause of hyperthermia and delay the diagnosis. Due to the increased body temperature, pregnant women should dress in layers and avoid stuffy and hot rooms and spaces so that they can always “adjust” their temperature on their own.

• temperature above 37.5 °C
• any pain occurs along with fever
• runny nose, cough, body aches appear

6. Nasal congestion, difficulty breathing, nosebleeds.

These symptoms can be explained by the individual reaction of the vascular system to the increase in blood volume that occurs during pregnancy. Another possible reason is dry air in the room, the operation of central heating batteries.

Life hack! The easiest way to deal with nasal congestion is to use a humidifier. If you don't have one, you can put a damp towel on the battery - less effective, but better than nothing. It is possible to use sprays with sea salt, but you need to carefully read the instructions and especially the "Indications" section, it should contain information about the safety of the product during pregnancy.

Be sure to see a doctor if:

• symptoms of a cold occur
• nasal congestion accompanied by ear congestion
• the indicated symptoms appeared after exposure to the allergen known to you

7. Blood pressure fluctuations.

Ideal for any pregnancy - the stability of blood pressure throughout the gestation. However, this is extremely rare. A small (up to 10 units) increase in pressure from the usual reference may be due to an increase in the load on the cardiovascular system as a result of changes in body weight, hormonal changes, and uterine pressure on the vessels. Normal pressure: systolic below 130 mm Hg, diastolic no more than 85 mm Hg. Blood pressure in the range of 130-139/ 85–89 mm Hg considered high to be normal. High numbers are often observed in patients of older reproductive age, suffering from diabetes mellitus and kidney disease, obesity, etc. However, it is imperative to tell the doctor about all these concomitant pathological conditions at the first appointment and, if necessary, consult a neurologist, cardiologist, endocrinologist and other related specialists . Reasonable physical activity, adherence to sleep and wakefulness, a balanced diet, and the rejection of coffee and strong tea allow you to keep pressure within limits. Of the completely exotic for our days, but no less significant - the prevention of stress.

Life hack! If you first discovered that you have high normal pressure, repeat the measurement after 15 minutes. If the pressure remains elevated, see a doctor.

Be sure to see a doctor if:

pressure increased by more than 10 mm Hg. relative to your regular