Vomiting of pregnant women is the release of gastric contents (chyme) through the oral cavity as a result of contraction of the smooth muscles of the gastrointestinal tract and abdominal pressure, which occurred during gestation and is associated with it. The symptom is preceded by discomfort in the throat and chest, nausea, increased salivation. Vomiting is often observed with early toxicosis of pregnant women, it can occur with pathological pregnancy and concomitant diseases of the digestive tract. To find out the cause of the symptom, ultrasound, endoscopy, manometry, and laboratory tests are performed. To eliminate the disorder, non-drug methods, prokinetics, and sedatives are used.
Dyspeptic symptoms, including vomiting, occur in the first half of gestation in the vast majority of women. They are mainly associated with natural changes in the hormonal and nervous regulation of the digestive tract, but can be caused by gastrointestinal pathologies that have become aggravated during pregnancy. Pregnant women are characterized by the absence of foreign impurities in the vomit. The presence of bile or blood in the discharge of the stomach indicates a serious illness that requires specialist advice.
With a mild degree of disorder, the symptom is noted up to 5 times a day, vomiting is provoked by sharp chemical odors, aromas during cooking. In some pregnant women, spitting up (regurgitation) of gastric contents occurs immediately after waking up. Before vomiting, there is severe nausea, a “lump in the throat”, possibly profuse salivation. The regurgitation of chyme brings little relief, but the nausea persists almost constantly. Pregnant women try to eat less so as not to cause vomiting, so weight loss of up to 2 kg per week is typical.
Vomiting 8-1 times during the day is observed with moderate toxicosis. Women complain of constant nausea, lack of appetite, discomfort when eating. The vomit is scanty, sometimes containing bile impurities. The deterioration of the condition is evidenced by an increase in regurgitation up to 2 times a day, accompanied by excruciating nausea, sleep disorders. At the same time, the intake of both food and liquid is disturbed, pregnant women are rapidly losing weight. The appearance of such symptoms indicates a severe degree of toxicosis, in which the expectant mother is shown hospitalization in a hospital.
With gastroesophageal reflux disease, vomiting occurs in the second or third trimesters, when the growth of the uterus contributes to an increase in intra-abdominal pressure. Regurgitation of acidic gastric contents usually occurs in a horizontal position and when the torso is tilted forward. Before vomiting, the expectant mother feels a burning sensation in her throat, behind the sternum, nausea. Upon completion of vomiting, pregnant women note a sensation of a sour taste in the oral cavity. The regurgitation of chyme with gastric juice is often accompanied by severe chest pain, which indicates the development of acute esophagitis or esophageal ulcers.
During the period of bearing a child in the female body, changes in neurohumoral regulation occur, restructuring of internal organs, which provokes the development of various pathological conditions. Some of these diseases are manifested by vomiting, which occurs both reflexively when the receptors of the digestive tract wall are irritated, and as a result of damage to the nervous apparatus. The symptom is usually detected in the second half of pregnancy, combined with other dyspeptic disorders. Most often vomiting of pregnant women is caused by:
Acute inflammation of the appendix is characterized by the appearance of two or three times vomiting of gastric contents without inclusions of bile or blood streaks. The symptom is preceded by a sharp pain in the abdomen with localization in the right iliac region or near the navel. Repeated discharge of yellow-green vomit with a fetid odor indicates a generalization of the process and the onset of peritonitis, a life-threatening condition in which a pregnant woman needs emergency medical care.
Chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, which are manifested by gastric chyme regurgitation and other dyspeptic disorders, are more often exacerbated in the 2nd half of gestation. This is due to the dysregulation of the digestive tract and the negative impact of high concentrations of sex hormones. According to statistics, if a woman had gastrointestinal pathologies before pregnancy, they worsen in 50-60% of cases. Most often, vomiting of pregnant women is caused by:
To clarify the root cause of the symptom, women turn to a gastroenterologist who conducts diagnostic measures aimed at assessing the morphological features and functionality of the digestive system. Pregnant women are prescribed only those studies that will not harm the body of the unborn child. The most informative for diagnosis are the following instrumental and laboratory methods:
To confirm GERD as the root cause of vomiting in pregnant women, intraesophageal manometry is prescribed, during which relaxation of the cardiac sphincter and an increase in pressure in the body of the esophagus are determined. All patients need a gynecological examination to assess the condition of the fetus. In the absence of gastroenterological pathology, consultations of other specialists are recommended.
Examination of a pregnant woman is carried out by an obstetrician-gynecologist together with a gastroenterologist
Vomiting of pregnancy, which occurs in the first trimester with a frequency of up to five times during the day, does not require medical treatment. A woman is advised to avoid smells or foods that provoke vomiting. To relieve painful sensations, expectant mothers use mint sweets, lemon slices, herbal teas. It is important to observe the diet, not to overeat. After eating, it is advisable to walk for a short time - you can not immediately take a horizontal position. In some cases, effective methods of psychotherapy, light sedative herbal remedies.
Repeated vomiting disrupts the normal diet of a pregnant woman and indicates decompensation of the condition, so the patient needs urgent medical care. Therapy is selected individually, taking into account the root cause of the symptom. Before verifying the clinical diagnosis, prokinetics and antacids are allowed to reduce the frequency of regurgitation. During pregnancy, do not use strong antiemetics without a doctor's prescription, as this can harm the baby.