Vomiting in 2nd trimester of pregnancy

Vomiting and diarrhea when pregnant: Is it serious?

Vomiting and diarrhea are common during pregnancy. They can vary in duration and severity.

Below, we investigate what leads to both vomiting and diarrhea during pregnancy and which treatments work.

Pregnant women frequently experience vomiting and diarrhea, and these issues sometimes overlap. This does not always indicate an underlying health problem.

It is also worth keeping in mind that the two symptoms may have different causes, and one, both, or neither may stem from pregnancy.

So what causes digestive issues such as vomiting and diarrhea during pregnancy? The answers can vary, based on the stage of the pregnancy:

First trimester

During the first trimester, one of the most common symptoms of pregnancy is morning sickness. This involves nausea and vomiting and typically occurs before week 17.

For most women, morning sickness lasts for a few weeks to months, but it can last for the entire pregnancy. Some women vomit once or twice a day, while others feel nauseous all day.

One medical review reports that anxiety, depression, and negative relationships with family can each make nausea and vomiting worse or occur more frequently.

Learn more about morning sickness here.

Meanwhile, stress can also cause gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea.

Other common causes of diarrhea during pregnancy include viral and bacterial infections and certain medications. It is important to note that diarrhea can be dangerous, leading to potentially serious issues such as dehydration.

Learn more about dehydration during pregnancy here.

Second trimester

If vomiting starts or continues into the second trimester, it may indicate hyperemesis gravidarum.

This rare disorder causes vomiting and nausea that can be severe enough to require hospitalization. It can also lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies, dehydration, and a 5% loss in original body weight.

About 22% of women with hyperemesis gravidarum experience the symptoms — nausea and vomiting — throughout their pregnancies.

On the other hand, nausea and vomiting that appear after the end of week 16 may not be related to pregnancy. In this case, the cause can range from a stomach virus to a more serious issue, such as an ulcer or hepatitis.

Third trimester

Heartburn is common during pregnancy, especially later on, as the growing fetus places pressure on the stomach. Also, the sphincter between the stomach and the esophagus relaxes during pregnancy.

As a result of either or both factors, stomach acid can rise up into the esophagus, causing heartburn.

Learn more about heartburn during pregnancy here.

It is important to note that a sudden onset of nausea and vomiting during the second half of pregnancy can stem from preeclampsia, a serious complication that can lead to preterm delivery.

Some other signs and symptoms of preeclampsia include high blood pressure, heartburn, and swelling of the face and hands.

Learn more about preeclampsia here.

Also, diarrhea can be a sign of preterm labor. In some cases, a woman experiences no other signs, or there may be mucus-like vaginal discharge and lower back pain.

Various common health issues can cause both diarrhea and vomiting, including:

• food poisoning
• the stomach flu
• pancreatitis
• a food allergy

However, having diarrhea and vomiting at the same time does not necessarily mean that they are symptoms of one health issue.

Factors such as stress and preexisting conditions can also lead to either or both of these symptoms.

Mild vomiting and diarrhea during pregnancy typically require no specialized treatment. The symptoms may resolve on their own.

Some home care strategies include:

• eating bland foods, such as toast, bananas, crackers, and rice
• taking a prenatal vitamin
• eating more frequently
• eating toast or crackers in bed first thing in the morning, before moving
• taking frequent, single bites of foods such as nuts or crackers

If symptoms are more severe or are otherwise negatively affecting daily life, the following treatment options are safe during pregnancy:

• vitamin B6, which is available over the counter
• doxylamine, an ingredient in sleep aids
• prescription medication that contains both B6 and doxylamine
• prescription antiemetic drugs

It is especially important to consult a doctor about diarrhea and safe treatments, which can include loperamide (Imodium).

Learn how to manage and treat vomiting.

It may not be possible to prevent nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, but taking the following steps may help:

• eating smaller meals
• eating foods that are easy to digest
• drinking plenty of fluids
• avoiding taste or smell triggers for nausea

A pregnant woman should see a doctor about vomiting or diarrhea that is severe or lasts for more than a few days.

In general, it is a good idea to contact a doctor about any diarrhea, lower back pain, and an increase in vaginal discharge.

Also, see a doctor about any symptoms of dehydration, including:

• dizziness or fainting when standing
• low amounts of urine, which is dark
• an inability to urinate
• a pounding heartbeat
• being unable to keep down liquids

It may be best to contact a doctor about any health concerns or unusual physical changes during pregnancy.

Diarrhea and vomiting are common during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester.

Either issue can lead to complications, and a woman should receive prompt medical care for severe diarrhea or vomiting. A doctor may recommend dietary changes, vitamins, medications, or a combination.

What to expect in your second trimester | Conditions, Treatments & Specialty

Hooray – you’re almost half way through your pregnancy! Some mamas say the second trimester is the easiest. For many women, the second trimester is a time of preparation for baby’s arrival. Your energy levels are up, you’re feeling great post-morning sickness and the fatigue of your first trimester is subsiding. During these three months, you’ll notice a lot of changes going on with and in your body, all to support the growth of your little one!

When is the second trimester?

The second trimester of your pregnancy spans weeks 14 through 27, or months four through six. Your first semester nausea has probably passed (yay!), but you may have started experiencing some of the second trimester’s symptoms. Pregnancy heartburn and constipation, anyone?During these weeks, your baby and your belly are really starting to grow! At the beginning of your third trimester, your baby hardly weighs one pound, but by the end, they’ll weigh in at around two pounds.

As your baby starts to grow, you’ll start noticing some changes in your own body, too. Your breasts will continue to grow because of enlarging milk glands and deposits of fat, which means your body is getting ready to produce milk for your baby. 
As your belly grows, your doctor will measure your belly from your pubic bone to the top of your belly to measure your baby’s growth. This growth will cause some skin changes, including stretch marks and dry, itchy skin.

Other symptoms you may experience during your second trimester may include:

• Body aches
• Darker skin on your face
• Dizziness or lightheadedness from lower blood pressure
• Growing breasts and belly
• Heart burn
• Increased appetite
• Leg cramps
• Swelling hands or ankles

Creams and lotions can help with your skin symptoms, and light exercises such as walking can help to alleviate leg cramps.

You’ll start to feel your baby move during the second trimester, and you’ll hear his or her heartbeat for the first time around week 16! During your second trimester, you’ll have the option to undergo genetic testing to test your child for genetic or chromosomal conditions.

Pregnancy symptoms to call your doctor about

Not every symptom is cause for alarm; in fact, most are normal. However, if you experience anything that worries you, you can always reach out to your doctor. They are there to support you through your journey!

If you experience any of these symptoms, reach out to your doctor immediately:

• Blurred vision
• Extreme swelling
• Fever over 100°F
• Persistent nausea or vomiting
• Rapid weight gain
• Severe or unusual abdominal cramping or pain
• Severe diarrhea
• Yellowing of the whites of the eyes (jaundice)

You’ll likely see your doctor every two to four weeks throughout your second trimester but follow your instincts. Call your doctor if you need to see them sooner than a scheduled appointment.

How is your baby growing?

Your second trimester is a great time to enroll in prenatal education, breastfeeding, infant CPR and parenting classes. Your doctor can recommend and help you chose classes, too. As you start to join classes and make some great strides towards motherhood, your baby hits some incredible milestones in the second trimester.

At the beginning of the second trimester, your baby has all their facial features, which you’ll start to see at your ultrasound appointments. You can also find out the sex of your baby at around week 18! If you don’t want to know, make sure you say so at your ultrasound appointments.

Your baby’s organs fully develop in the second trimester. They can also begin to hear and grow some of their hair. They’ll develop a layer of fat to help with their metabolism, and you’ll even notice that your appetite will increase to support their growth. Towards the end of your second trimester, your baby can stick out their tongue and “dance” to music. The nerves in their ears will form enough so that they can recognize the difference between your and your partner’s voices, too.

You may also notice that your child begins to develop their sleep cycle—you’ll be able to feel their movement and stillness as they sleep and wake!

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Second trimester of pregnancy (from 13 to 28 weeks)

The beginning of the second trimester is traditionally considered one of the calmest. Walk more. Walking is very helpful. Sit down to rest only when you are tired. Movement in the fresh air improves the supply of oxygen to the fetus, which is very necessary for its normal development.

Nausea disappears, appetite improves. Do not eat a lot of salty, refuse marinades, smoked meats, if you have not done this before. The increased need of the child's body for proteins and vitamins begins. The daily diet should include meat or fish (boiled or stewed), dairy products, especially cottage cheese, eggs. Do not forget about vegetables, fruits, greens. An excellent source of vitamin C is sauerkraut (rather than salted) cabbage. Salads from carrots, cabbage, beets, apples, green radish should be on your table every day.

At 17-20 weeks you will feel your baby's first kicks. From them you can determine how comfortable the baby feels. Intense tremors are a signal of lack of oxygen. Maybe you haven’t walked for a long time or, on the contrary, you are engaged in hard physical labor. Get out into the fresh air or lie down to rest and you will immediately feel how the child has calmed down.

But the lack of movement is an alarm. See a doctor immediately!

The fetal need for calcium sharply increases - intensive growth of the skeleton has begun. If you don't have enough free calcium in your body right now, you could lose your teeth. To prevent this from happening, start taking calcium supplements in consultation with your doctor.

At this time, toxicosis of the second half of pregnancy may occur, the child suffers greatly from it. Therefore, if the doctor suggests hospitalization, do not refuse. Toxicosis can, if not be avoided, then at least reduce its manifestations. Be sure to follow your diet. Completely exclude salty, smoked, fried, spicy, canned food, chocolate. Do not eat a lot of grapes and drink fresh milk. Limit flour and rich products. As before, your diet should include boiled meat and fish, oatmeal and buckwheat porridge, vegetables and fruits

Periodically, once a week, check for fluid retention in the body. It is allowed to release liquid 200-300 ml less than what was drunk. If little urine is released, this is a signal of latent edema and the onset of toxicosis.

It is very good if you can measure your blood pressure at home. Show the results of measurements at the next visit to the doctor. Both high and too low pressure should alert. With low pressure, blood sluggishly crosses the placenta, and the baby does not receive enough nutrients.

Do not neglect blood tests - it is important not to miss the development of anemia. In this case, you will be prescribed iron supplements and multivitamins. The diet should include beef liver, tomato juice, buckwheat porridge, apples, preferably Antonovskie (they contain more iron than other varieties).

Women who are at risk of giving birth to a child with a genetic pathology (those who have severe hereditary ailments in their families), as well as women over 35 years old (they have an increased likelihood of having a child with Down syndrome) are referred for a consultation by a geneticist.

In case of a normal pregnancy at 20-22 weeks of pregnancy, a second scheduled ultrasound examination is prescribed.

Toxemia, Intestinal Problems & Heartburn

Find out how pregnancy affects the digestive tract, which trimesters are more likely to cause symptoms of indigestion and nausea, and what to do to manage them.

During pregnancy, the burden on the mother's body increases. The body needs more nutrients, the body produces additional hormones. And the growing fetus puts pressure on neighboring organs, including the stomach and intestines. We tell you what symptoms are observed in each trimester, how to cope with toxicosis and get rid of heartburn.

Contents:

• 2. Toxicosis and pregnancy
• 3. Causes, risks and treatment of diarrhea during pregnancy
• 4. Heartburn and stomach pain during pregnancy
• 5. Bloating, constipation and microbiota during pregnancy
• 6. Note

Changes in the work of the gastrointestinal tract by trimesters of pregnancy

The average duration of pregnancy is 40 weeks, which are usually divided into trimesters in accordance with the stages of intrauterine development of the child.

Each trimester is accompanied by a number of changes in the body, including in the gastrointestinal tract:

The Atlas genetic test will help you find out how your genes affect the level of female sex hormones necessary for fertility and pregnancy.

Causes of gastrointestinal problems during pregnancy

Every pregnancy is accompanied by inevitable changes in the functioning of the digestive system. They are most often caused by hormonal changes and increased stress on the organs, but they can also be associated with lifestyle and health conditions, for example:

• Sedentary lifestyle and unbalanced diet;
• Certain drugs, including calcium or aluminum antacids;
• Viral and bacterial infections;
• Intolerance to certain nutrients and allergic reactions;
• Stress;
• Diseases of the thyroid gland.

If you have chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and you are planning a pregnancy, try to consult your doctor in advance. Symptoms of conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or acid reflux are more likely to get worse during pregnancy. Your doctor will help prepare your body and create a prevention plan to help relieve symptoms during this time.

Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a functional bowel disease that causes frequent abdominal pain, impaired peristalsis, bloating, constipation, or diarrhea.

Morning sickness, vomiting and general malaise during pregnancy

Morning sickness and morning sickness during early pregnancy are common, because the body undergoes important changes necessary for the development of the child.

up to 90%

women experience nausea during pregnancy

Doctors find it difficult to say with certainty why pregnant women feel sick in the morning. The main theory is hormonal changes. But there are some patterns associated with an increased risk of morning sickness:

• Multiple pregnancy;
• Toxicosis during a previous pregnancy;
• History of morning sickness during pregnancy in close relatives;
• Tendency to motion sickness in transport;
• Use of oral contraceptives containing estrogen before pregnancy;
• Frequent migraines;
• BMI 30 and above;
• Elevated levels of stress hormones

Risks of severe morning sickness and how to reduce nausea

Nausea and vomiting are usually not associated with a risk for mother and child and disappear by 16-20 weeks of pregnancy, but it is not necessary to wait so long - there are ways that can help reduce nausea and enjoy the process of waiting for a new person more:

• Get plenty of rest - fatigue increases toxicosis;
• Avoid smells and foods that cause nausea;
• Eat something right after waking up. A toast or a slice of bread will help reduce nausea;
• Avoid hunger - empty stomach increases nausea. Eat small meals often, prefer low-fat, high-carbohydrate foods;
• Try ginger - studies show it helps with nausea;
• Sip as often as possible and prefer still water.

In rare cases, pregnant women may develop hyperemesis gestationis or excessive vomiting. This is a serious condition that can lead to dehydration, kidney damage, seizures, abnormal heart rhythms, and even death.

Signs of dehydration include: dry mouth, dizziness, dark urine, infrequent urination and/or dizziness.

Symptoms of excessive pregnancy vomiting:

• frequent nausea for a long time and regular vomiting after meals;
• dry skin and lips;
• sudden weight loss;
• low blood pressure (below 90/60).

If symptoms of excessive pregnancy vomiting occur, do not wait until the condition resolves on its own. It is necessary to seek medical help as soon as possible - the doctor will prescribe treatment, help adjust the diet and lifestyle of the expectant mother.

0.5–2%

pregnant women experience excessive vomiting

Diarrhea in pregnancy

The word "diarrhea" comes from the Greek language and literally means "to flow through". This is a condition during which bowel movements or bowel movements occur three times a day or more often. This phenomenon is especially typical for the third trimester of pregnancy, but it can also occur earlier.

Symptoms of diarrhea:

• Three or more bowel movements per day
• Urgent urge to have a bowel movement
• Abdominal pain and cramps
• Bloating

Causes of diarrhea during pregnancy poisoning, dysbacteriosis, bacterial and viral infections: