Pregnancy isn’t an illness by any means, but that’s not to say it doesn’t come with some annoying and – sometimes worrying – health niggles. Piles, morning sickness, acid reflux, constipation, and thrush are just some of the common pregnancy health problems that can crop up in the nine months of your pregnancy.
Less common, but more serious problems in pregnancy include hyperemesis gravidarum, a more severe type of pregnancy sickness, which can be prolonged and lead to dehydration. Another is pre-eclampsia, a condition that only affects pregnant women and can result in dangerous complications if not diagnosed and treated early enough.
If any pregnancy health problem is worrying you, mention it to your GP or midwife and get it checked out – however embarrassing or trivial it may seem to you, it’s best to be cautious and get medical advice. At the very least they’ll be able to reassure you that your symptoms are common in pregnancy and can be easily treated, and in some cases reporting your problems could alert your health professional to a more serious issue and get it treated sooner.
In some cases, you may need an extra ultrasound scan to check on the health of your baby and these can be arranged on the NHS if appropriate, or privately via companies such as Ultrasound Direct.
Coping with pregnancy sickness
Pregnancy sickness is often the symptom pregnant women struggle with most, with around 70 per cent affected to some degree. Fortunately, symptoms do tend to ease off after 15 weeks as pregnancy hormones settle down, but in a minority of cases sickness and nausea may be severe and persist throughout the whole of pregnancy, a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum, which may require treatment with IV fluids to treat dehydration and anti-sickness drugs. Women often worry their baby will be affected by the sickness and so a wellbeing baby scan at this time can be immensely reassuring.
In most case pregnancy sickness can be managed by avoiding certain foods and smells. Tips include avoiding certain odours such as fried food and petrol, eating small meals often (every two hours),separating solid and liquid food by at least 2 hours, and eating bland foods and avoiding rich, fatty foods. The BRATT diet (banana, rice, apple sauce, toast and tea) may help. You can also try sitting upright for 45 minutes after eating, and avoiding caffeine, alcohol and tobacco. Dry crackers and crisps are likely to be well-tolerated, as are brown rice, ginger ale, mushroom soup, fruity ice lollies, lemonade, celery sticks , juices, and chicken broth.
Heartburn
Acid reflux and heartburn in pregnancy are caused by pregnancy hormones such as progesterone relaxing muscles and the baby growing and pressing against the stomach. Symptoms include a burning sensation in the chest, feeling sick and full, and burping and belching. It gets more common in late pregnancy after around 27 weeks.[i]
Lifestyle measures such as eating only when upright, propping yourself up on pillows at night, eating smaller meals and avoiding spicy and fatty foods can bring relief. Indigestion remedies such as antacids and alginates can also be taken to reduce stomach acid.
Constipation and piles
Pregnancy hormones slow down your digestive tract and so food and waste can take longer to pass through the body sometimes leading to constipation, leading to straining, hard stools and haemorrhoids (or piles), swollen blood vessels inside or outside the anus or rectum. Haemorrhoids can be itchy and painful and make your bottom feel uncomfortable.
To avoid constipation drink plenty of fluids and eat fibre-rich foods such as wholegrains, fruit, vegetables, fruit and legumes and stay as active as possible.[ii] In severe cases where lifestyle measures haven’t worked, you may be prescribed a laxative, always see a GP or midwife first though to check which types are safe in pregnancy .[iii]Ask your GP or midwife if there is a haemorrhoid cream that may help, always check with them first before using a product.[iv]
Thrush
Thrush is a yeast infection that is more common in pregnancy because of changes going on in your body. Be reassured though, there’s no evidence it can harm your baby at all . It can cause uncomfortable symptoms though, including a white discharge, itching and irritation around the vagina and pain/ soreness during sex and when you pass urine. See your GP or midwife to get treatment with anti-fungal pessaries, but do not start treatment without checking with them first as anti-fungal tablets are not safe in pregnancy.[v]
Pre-eclampsia
Pre-eclampsia is a condition that develops in around 6 per cent of pregnancies.[vi]It’s believed to be caused by a problem with the placenta and the early symptoms are high blood pressure and protein in your urine – this is one of the issues screened for at your antenatal check-ups. Other symptoms include blurred vision, swollen feet, legs, ankles and face, and sudden weight gain due to fluid retention, as well as pain under the ribs , severe headaches and heartburn.
The only cure is to deliver the baby, so you will be closely monitored with regular blood and urine tests and baby scans to check the placenta is still functioning and your baby’s wellbeing. This can be a worrying time so parents sometimes seek extra reassurance with private scans to check their baby is still growing and the placenta functioning. In most cases you’ll be prescribed blood pressure lowering-medication and stay in hospital until your baby is delivered early, usually around 37/38 weeks.
References
[i] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/common-pregnancy-problems/
[ii] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/constipation/
[iii] https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/senna/
[iv] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/piles-haemorrhoids-pregnant/
[v] https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/pregnancy/can-thrush-harm-my-baby-during-pregnancy/
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