Gastritis in pregnancy treatment

Gastritis during pregnancy | Gleneagles Hospitals

Hosted by Gleneagles Hospital

08/03/2022

Prepared by Dr Lua Guan Way

Consultant Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist

Gleneagles Medini Hospital

What is gastritis?

Gastritis refers to a group of conditions that develop from the inflammation, irritation, or erosion of the protective lining of the stomach. It most commonly results from an infection by the same bacterium that triggers stomach ulcers.

Gastritis comes in either one of two forms, depending on the severity of the inflammation and the length of the incubation period.

Gastritis symptoms

Acute gastritis and chronic gastritis share similar symptoms, namely loss of appetite, recurrent nausea and vomiting, indigestion, and a feeling of bloating particularly after a meal. However, the pain stemming from acute gastritis occurs more suddenly but is temporary, while chronic gastritis causes duller and longer-lasting pain. Left unchecked, both can lead to ulcers or an increased risk of stomach cancer. Regardless, gastritis is not a huge worry with prompt and appropriate treatment.

Gastritis causes

Your stomach lining secretes mucus to protect against damage by corrosive digestive juices. Gastritis occurs due to the inflammation of this layer of tissue. The primary source of the condition is a bacterial infection of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), which can cause ulcers and in severe cases, stomach cancer. It is usually passed from person-to-person contact but may be transmitted via contaminated food or beverages as well.

Gastritis risk factors

Other risk factors can also engender gastritis, including:

Alcohol, drug, and tobacco abuse
Routine use of anti-inflammatory medication and pain relievers
Extreme stress
Chronic vomiting
Old age as older adults are more prone to H.pylori infection and the stomach lining usually thins with age
Autoimmune gastritis where the body attacks its own stomach lining
The presence of other diseases such as Crohn's disease, HIV/AIDS, or parasitic infections

What are the main causes of gastritis in pregnancy?

Women who already live with gastritis will suffer an aggravation of the disease during pregnancy. This is due to fluctuating hormone levels combined with the pressure that a growing foetus places on the body. In addition to the typical symptoms, expecting mothers may also experience heartburn, toxicosis accompanied by severe vomiting, stomach pain, flatulence, and diarrhoea.

Gastritis symptoms during pregnancy

Heartburn, vomiting, stomach pain, flatulence, and diarrhoea pose minor inconveniences during pregnancy but could indicate serious health issues depending on the severity and frequency. Use self-help measures and home remedies to relieve negligible irritation. Visit your specialist should the problems persist.

How to treat gastritis during pregnancy?

Antacids containing aluminium, calcium, and magnesium were not found to be teratogenic in animal studies and are recommended as first-line treatment of heartburn and acid reflux during pregnancy. Over-the-counter antacids such as Gaviscon may help you cope with occasional heartburn symptoms.

The doctor may also prescribe Histamine-2 blockers (such as ranitidine or cimetidine) or proton pump inhibitors (such as omeprazole) if your symptoms do not respond well to antacids. Although there is no evidence suggesting that these medications use is harmful during pregnancy, it is recommended that the drug only be used during pregnancy as needed, when no other options are available.

If you are experiencing nausea and vomiting (especially during the early trimester), your doctor may prescribe you certain antiemetic medication, such as Metoclopramide (brand name Maxolon) and Domperidone (brand name Motilium). However, some women with the more severe form of pregnancy sickness, Hyperemesis Gravidarum, may require further hospitalisation and investigation.

Does gastritis affect baby during pregnancy?

While a pregnant woman afflicted with gastritis may encounter exacerbated symptoms, there is no negative effect on the course of pregnancy and the development of the child.

Does the effect of gastritis heighten solely due to pregnancy?

No, it may be due to underlying pre-existing diseases, such as presence of Helicobacter pylori infection or peptic ulcer disease.

Home remedies for gastritis during pregnancy

While it may be almost impossible to eliminate every gastrointestinal issue when you are pregnant, the following tips may help you feel a little better:

Drink plenty of water
Avoid gassy drinks such as soda and other carbonated drinks
Avoid sugar substitutes such as sorbitol
Keep a food diary to track foods that might be problematic for your digestive tract
Eat high fibre foods
Consider taking fibre supplements
Exercise regularly to relieve constipation as physical activity may help speed up digestion
Wear comfortable clothes such as loose-fitting maternal clothing
Find ways to reduce stress, such as meditation, or taking a nice warm bath

Foods to avoid for gastritis during pregnancy

Changes should be made to your dietary habits. Cut out foods that are spicy, fried, acidic, and high in fat content as these can cause gastritis flare-ups. Caffeinated drinks are also culprits, so swap your coffees and sodas with herbal teas and flavoured water.

Certain dishes like red meat, pork, and refined foods may not elicit immediate reaction but could exacerbate pain in the long-term. Instead of having three big meals, space out about four to six reduced portions throughout the day.

Your plate should consist of foods that are easy for your stomach to break down, for example low-fat dairy products, soup, porridge, as well as steamed or boiled lean meat and fish. Wash it all down with a fresh juice made out of fruits and vegetables.

When to see a doctor for gastritis during pregnancy?

It is essential to see your doctor for gastrointestinal issues even if they do not seem serious when you are expecting. Besides being able to prescribe you treatment to alleviate the symptoms, your doctor will also be able to monitor your condition to ensure that you remain healthy throughout pregnancy.

Call your doctor immediately if you experience severe or chronic symptoms such as:

Severe pain or discomfort that interrupts your daily activities
Blood in stools
Constipation for more than a week
Vomiting blood
Extreme weight loss
Pain or difficulty swallowing
Frequent choking episodes
Extreme tiredness or fatigue

Gastritis during pregnancy can be very uncomfortable. If you are an expecting mom experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms, do not hesitate to make an appointment with Gleneagles' Ob/Gyns or Gastroenterologists. Our team of doctors are well equipped to journey with you throughout your pregnancy and beyond.

Gastroenterology

Gastritis Pregnancy | Push Doctor

Medically reviewed by:

Dr Dan Bunstone -

Updated: Aug 18, 2021

Next review: Aug 18, 2022

Pregnancy can increase your risk of gastritis. If you are pregnant and are experiencing the symptoms of gastritis, it could possibly be due to all of the changes taking place in your body.

If you believe that you have symptoms that are indicative of gastritis, or if you are worried and concerned about the treatments available, then you can speak to one of our caring doctors.

Our GPs will listen to how the symptoms are affecting your day to day life and provide the support and treatment that you need.

As we briefly mentioned, if you are pregnant, you are more likely to develop non-chronic gastritis, even though the reasons why are not fully understood. You may experience:

Pain in your upper abdomen that comes and goes
Feeling sick or retching
Being sick
Indigestion
A full feeling in your upper tummy area after eating
Loss of appetite
Bloating

If it is mild, a simple change in diet may help your symptoms. Certain foods have a tendency to increase the risk of gastritis. To help prevent it, you should avoid hot and spicy, acidic, processed or packaged foods. As recommended, you should also avoid all alcohol and reduce your caffeine intake too.

There are some foods that can alleviate the symptoms of gastritis and you may want to adjust your diet to include them. These healthy diet changes include eating food that:

contain flavonoids, such as cranberries, cranberry juice, apples, garlic, celery, onions and tea
are rich in fibre, such as carrots, broccoli, oatmeal and beans
are not acidic, such as vegetables
are low in fat, such as turkey breast, chicken and fish.

A doctor can recommend safe treatments and medicines to bring your gastritis under control, if a change in diet does not help. You may also be recommended to make certain diet and lifestyle changes to help ease your symptoms.

Some medicines are not licensed for use in women who are pregnant. If you are already taking medication for gastritis and are either pregnant or trying to get pregnant, then you should speak to a doctor for further advice.

The doctor will be able to check if the current medication that you are taking is safe for you and your baby. They will be able to recommend an alternative medicine or treatment if needed.

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Gastritis during pregnancy

Gastritis is a disease of the stomach, which is characterized by inflammation of the mucous walls of the organ. Pathology can occur in acute and chronic stages. In women who developed gastritis before pregnancy, the risks of relapse during childbearing increase significantly. This is due to a decrease in the protective functions of the body, against which many chronic diseases become aggravated, an increase in the load on the digestive organs, and hormonal changes. Treatment of gastritis during pregnancy should be carried out under the strict supervision of a physician, since illiterate therapy can cause serious complications.

Symptoms of gastritis during pregnancy

The severity of the symptoms of this disease depends on the form in which it occurs. Acute gastritis in pregnant women is manifested by pronounced symptoms:

acute pain in the stomach, aggravated after eating;
stomach discomfort on an empty stomach;
heartburn, nausea;
lack of appetite;
yellow or gray coating on the tongue;
violation of general well-being.

In the chronic course, the symptoms are blurred, and worsen only during periods of relapse. Characteristic signs of exacerbation:

discomfort, pain in the stomach;
bloating;
heartburn, nausea, profuse belching;
lethargy, fatigue;
lack of appetite, weight loss.

If a pregnant woman suffers from gastritis with high acidity, the following symptoms predominate in the overall clinical picture:

persistent heartburn worse after eating;
increased abdominal pain after eating;
stool disorder.

With low acidity, the symptoms are different:

profuse belching with an unpleasant, putrid odor;
constant heaviness in the stomach;
nausea, bouts of vomiting;
Bloating, rumbling in the abdomen.

Treatment of gastritis during pregnancy

Treatment of gastritis in pregnant women is carried out by a gastroenterologist. To confirm the diagnosis and choose the most effective treatment regimen, you first need to pass tests and undergo instrumental diagnostics.

In the period of bearing a child, only drugs that regulate the acidity of the stomach are prescribed. With increased acidity, antacids are used, with reduced acidity, gastric enzymes that stimulate secretory function are used. To eliminate the pain syndrome, antispasmodics are prescribed, for example, No-Shpa. Additionally, prebiotics can be prescribed to normalize the intestinal microflora.

In addition to taking medication, you must follow a special diet, during which it is recommended to limit the consumption of spicy, salty, smoked, fatty foods. It is desirable to diversify the diet with such food groups:

whole grain cereals;
fermented milk products: kefir, fermented baked milk, cottage cheese, sour cream, medium fat milk;
vegetable soups, stews;
lean meat, fish;
milk jelly;
fresh non-sour fruits, vegetables, herbs;
therapeutic mineral water, selected by a doctor, taking into account the nature of the acidity of the stomach.

Ovakimyan Karina Poghosovna

Gastroenterologist

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Gastritis during pregnancy


April 23, 2019

Causes and symptoms of gastritis
Diagnosis of gastritis during pregnancy
How to eat pregnant with gastritis?
Medical treatment of gastritis in pregnancy

Gastritis is an inflammatory disease of the gastric mucosa, which takes a long time in various forms and causes irreversible changes. Many adults suffer from this disease, and during pregnancy it worsens in about 75 percent of cases.

Gastritis of the stomach during pregnancy has certain features associated with the manifestations of the disease, diagnosis and treatment methods. In women with chronic gastritis during pregnancy, early toxicosis usually develops, lasting until about 15 weeks of gestation. The disease does not affect the development of the fetus and delivery.

Symptoms and causes

With atrophic gastritis during pregnancy, there are no specific symptoms, since the disease proceeds differently in different people. The main features include:

nausea;
belching;
stool disorder;
vomiting.

With low acidity, gastrointestinal disorders are more common, and with an increase in acid levels, pain in the upper abdomen predominates. In the second case, patients complain of discomfort in the epigastric region, in the navel and right hypochondrium. Discomfort and soreness usually occur after eating certain foods, and sometimes at night or on an empty stomach.

In the case of high acidity, the pain is usually strong, and in case of low acidity, it is weaker. To prevent discomfort during pregnancy, do not overeat, since the more the stomach walls stretch, the greater the discomfort will be.

Chronic gastritis of the stomach during pregnancy develops due to the bacterium Helicobacter, which enters the pyloric and fundic sections of the gastric mucosa. Microorganisms are not found on the epithelium of other parts of the gastrointestinal tract. The bacterium has a pathogenic effect on the mucous membrane due to certain factors that cause damage to the membrane and change the endocrine functions of the gastrointestinal tract.

How to diagnose gastritis?

To clarify the diagnosis of gastritis in early pregnancy, studying the patient's complaints and the history of the development of the disease is not enough. A special endoscopic examination is required, which involves checking prototype samples of gastric juice. To take them, the usual gastric sounding is performed, in which particles of gastric juice are taken and the acidity of the juice is measured. The procedure is carried out using a device that is immersed in the stomach.

The procedure is completely safe during pregnancy and allows you to determine the acidity level of the juice, which is necessary to determine the type of gastritis. A correct diagnosis helps to correctly prescribe effective therapy.

The endoscopic method of diagnosis during pregnancy is very valuable today, since with its help doctors determine the presence of erosions on the gastric walls. This method is quite burdensome and unpleasant, but it is the most effective, so you should not refuse it.

Nutrition for pregnant women with gastritis

With an exacerbation of gastritis during pregnancy, any therapist and gastroenterologist will tell you what to do. An important role is played by a diet that involves fractional meals up to five to six times a day. It is better to eat food in a semi-liquid form, giving up everything fatty and fried, as well as limiting the amount of salt and simple carbohydrates in the form of sugar and various sweets. Recommended products include:

milk;
milk soups of cereals;
fish and meat balls;
soft-boiled eggs;
low-fat cottage cheese;
butter;
kefir;
fresh fruit;
vegetable stew.

After the condition of a pregnant woman with gastritis improves, the diet menu is expanded by adding boiled fish and meat, potatoes, durum pasta, low-fat ham, doctor's sausage, cereals, sour cream. To prevent exacerbation, it is better to permanently exclude smoked, fried and spicy foods from the diet.

If a woman during pregnancy does not suffer from swelling, and the level of gastric juice is elevated or normal, you can drink mineral water for gastritis 300 ml three times a day two hours after eating. Suitable: Borjomi, Slavyanovskaya, Smirnovskaya and other waters. If the acidity is low, preference is given to the waters of Essentuki No. 4, Mirgorodskaya and Arzni.

Drug therapy

Treatment of gastritis with drugs during pregnancy has important features. Given the nature of the disease, the doctor prescribes appropriate medications, and self-medication during this period for a woman can become very dangerous.

You can not use such popular drugs to combat Helicobacter as Tetracycline and De-Nol. They relieve inflammation during pregnancy with Maalox or Gastrofarm, and Gelusillac is taken to suppress the production of acid in the stomach. Pipervin hydrochloride and No-Shpa help reduce pain, and Reelan and Cerucal can be used against vomiting and nausea.

Sometimes gastroenterologists advise herbal treatment. A good result is given by infusions of medicinal plants with anti-inflammatory, analgesic and enveloping effects: mint, St. John's wort, chamomile, flaxseed, mountaineer, calamus rhizome and others.