Early toxicosis: instructions for survival

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

The first trimester is the most important period of pregnancy, when all organs and systems of the baby are being formed. But, unfortunately, it is this time that is often complicated by a number of undesirable phenomena, such as nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. Probably every expectant mother is afraid of toxicosis, and, according to statistics, every second suffers from it. Why does it appear and how to deal with it?

Causes of toxicosis

A number of doctors believe that the cause of toxicosis in the early stages of pregnancy is the psychological rejection of a woman's new condition. Others justify its appearance by the "riot" of hormones. Still others insist on a genetic predisposition. There is also an opinion that a woman's immunity reacts in a similar way to an unborn child, therefore toxicosis is even useful, since toxins are eliminated from the body along with vomit.

Despite many opinions on this issue, cause of toxicosis has not yet been clearly established. Why do some women during pregnancy do not experience any discomfort, while others suffer from ailments?

We will try to consider this problem comprehensively.

Early toxicosis - what is this?

Early toxicosis, or, as it is often called, "morning sickness", begins at about 5-6 weeks of pregnancy. The expectant mother's appetite sharply decreases, the taste changes, the sense of smell is aggravated, in the morning there is nausea, vomiting, salivation. In most cases, early toxicosis passes by 12-13 weeks of pregnancy, but sometimes it lasts up to 16-17 weeks.

There are three degrees of severity of vomiting in early toxicosis: mild, moderate and severe. With a mild degree, vomiting occurs no more than 3-5 times a day, usually in the morning on an empty stomach or after eating.

With a moderate degree, vomiting can appear up to 10-12 times a day, and regardless of food intake. Such frequent rejection of food can negatively affect the general condition of the body of the expectant mother. General weakness, irritability, heart palpitations, dryness and laxity of the skin may appear.

Physiological background

Soon after conception, dramatic changes take place in the female body: the body adapts to meet the needs of the growing fetus. The production of hormones increases, the uterus expands. There is a gradual adaptation of the woman's body to pregnancy. However, if this mechanism is violated, toxicosis can manifest itself with all its unpleasant consequences.

Very often, chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and thyroid gland, nervous overstrain or malnutrition are “guilty” of toxicosis.

How can you still facilitate the process of bearing a fetus, avoid the unpleasant phenomena of toxicosis and at the same time take care of helping the body adapt to pregnancy?

Treatment of early toxicosis

When the first signs of toxicosis appear, it is very important to consult a doctor on time, and then follow all recommendations.

A pregnant woman needs good sleep, walks in the fresh air. You need to wake up slowly, without jumping out of bed from the alarm clock. It is necessary to allow the body to gradually move to a state of wakefulness.

However, first of all, in the case of early toxicosis, doctors recommend that expectant mothers take complex multivitamin preparations. In particular, B vitamins help to reduce nausea, vomiting and other unpleasant manifestations of early toxicosis.

Elevit Pronatal® contains 12 vitamins and 7 minerals and trace elements and is the only vitamin-mineral complex that has proven its effectiveness in reducing the undesirable manifestations of early toxicosis. These results have been confirmed by numerous studies and approbations. Thus, 5500 (!) Pregnant women participated in a randomized clinical trial conducted in Europe. According to its results, it was proved that against the background of taking Elevit Pronatal®, the undesirable phenomena accompanying the first half of pregnancy (nausea, vomiting, dizziness) are more than halved *. Also during the study, it was noted that this multivitamin complex reduces the risk of congenital malformations of the fetus.

Prevention of early toxicosis

It is better to prevent than to cure - a truth known to more than one generation. Therefore, if you are preparing to become a mother or are just planning a pregnancy, try to take care of your health and the health of your unborn baby in advance. First of all, give up all bad habits: cigarettes, coffee, tea, alcohol. If you have any health problems, try to resolve them as soon as possible by contacting the appropriate doctors. Start taking vitamin and mineral complexes, which already at the planning stage of pregnancy compensate for the lack of vitamins and minerals in the body of the expectant mother, preparing it for one of the most important trials in a woman's life - the birth of a child.

Details about the features of the course of pregnancy, as well as the opportunity to ask a question to a specialist on the website www.elevite.ru

* A. E. Czeizel Use of multivitamins containing folic acid during conception

Europ. J. Obstetr. Gynecol. Reproductive Biology 1998,151-161.