Monday, March 17, 2008

Sickness And Stress Problems During Pregnancy

Morning Sickness is a combination of nausea and vomiting. This is the common problem in the early months largely due to various changes in hormone production. It may be able to control morning sickness by making a simple changes in the diet of a pregnant mothers.

Eating crackers, dried fruits, or boiled sweets potatoes should help to coat her stomach in the early morning and reduce gastric discomfort. Eating small but frequent meals can also alleviate the symptoms.

Expectants mothers may also feel bothered by an increase in saliva, known as pytalism, which will add to the feeling of nausea she may have. Chewing gum may provide some relief.

As you purely heard, many pregnant women craving for strange foods. No one really knows why such cravings develop, but these foods do not harm the unborn child, and they may supply some special nutrients.

Another problem is heartburn, which is often caused by pressure on the stomach from the uterus and by relaxation of the valve between esophagus and stomach. Mothers to be also, bothered by stomach and intestinal gas. The answer here is to avoid gas producing foods such as cabbage, cauliflower, and beans.

Constipation and Diarrhea
Also related to food problems are two further discomfort: constipation and diarrhea. Pregnant women can relieve constipation by drinking more fluids and eating more fiber, fresh fruits and vegetables. Bowel changes may also cause diarrhea in this case, eating bland foods such as rice, potatoes, scrambled eggs, and bananas.

Frequent urination
Most of the pregnant women urinate more frequently because of the pressure on her uterus on her bladder. Pregnant women are require to drink lots of water to avoid to prevent the risk of urinary infection. This happen because the hormones and the enlarge uterus can slow the passage of urine.

Urinary tract infections are common during pregnancy, probably because the enlarging uterus slows the flow of urine by pressing against the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder (ureters). When urine flow is slow, bacteria may not be flushed out of the urinary tract, increasing the risk of an infection. These infections increase the risk of preterm labor and premature rupture of the membranes containing the fetus. Sometimes an infection in the bladder or ureters spreads up the urinary tract and reaches a kidney, causing an infection too.

Extreme tiredness may experience of the pregnant women during pregnancy. Enough sleep and nap are required to cope with the extreme tiredness and fatigue.

In the second to third trimester of pregnancy woman will experience leg cramps and swollen ankles. Doctors do not know the exact cause of leg cramps but think it may be related to changes into the blood circulation. Another common problem is varicose veins, prominent knotted veins on the surface of the legs especially the calves.

Preeclampsia
It usually develops between the 20th week of pregnancy and the end of the first week after delivery. The cause of preeclampsia is unknown. But it is more common among women who are pregnant for the first time, who are carrying two or more fetuses, who have had preeclampsia in a previous pregnancy, who already have high blood pressure or a blood vessel disorder, or who have sickle cell disease. It is also more common among girls aged 15 and younger and among women aged 35 and older.

Anemia
Most pregnant women have an iron deficiency and develop it to some degree of anemia. Women should double the iron intake when she is pregnant. Iron is needed in making red blood cells in the fetus. Intake of iron pills are advisable by the physicians to prevented iron deficiency anemia. Iron is needed also in brain development of the fetus. When iron is lacking the risk of pretem labor is increased.