How to treat diarrhea in pregnant women. Diarrhea during pregnancy: causes, diagnosis and treatment

Diarrhea is dangerous - this is exactly the conclusion modern doctors have come to. But not in itself, but its consequences. The body loses moisture and nutrients, and this is a direct path to dehydration, lack of vitamins and minerals. This condition poses the greatest threat to pregnant women. Therefore, it is important to know what can be done for pregnant women for diarrhea as an emergency aid and further treatment.

Why might a pregnant woman have diarrhea?

There are many factors that cause intestinal dysfunction; in a pregnant woman it can be caused by special reasons:

Toxicosis. It is considered normal in the early stages, and is often accompanied by various dyspeptic symptoms, including diarrhea. The reason may be a change in the food priorities of the expectant mother, intolerance to certain foods and the emergence of strange eating habits.
Hormones. An increase in the production of certain hormones can affect the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. In the last days, diarrhea can be a harbinger of childbirth - the body has mechanisms for natural bowel cleansing.
Reorganization of the body. The growing uterus puts pressure on the lower abdomen, which affects the digestive processes - both diarrhea and constipation occur.
Changes in diet. A pregnant woman's diet should be varied and contain a large amount of nutrients. The need to eat foods that were not on the menu before pregnancy can trigger diarrhea. In addition, expectant mothers are often haunted by the desire to eat incompatible dishes (for example, watermelon with milk) - this is also a common cause of the disorder.
Medicines. Taking vitamin complexes or medications may have side effects, including diarrhea. If such a symptom is observed during the course of treatment, you should discuss with your doctor a dose adjustment or complete discontinuation of the drug.
Psychogenic factors. Pregnant women are susceptible to frequent mood swings, unreasonable anxiety and other manifestations of anxiety. Therefore, nervous diarrhea is not uncommon.
Viruses and bacteria. During pregnancy, the body's defenses weaken and do not provide adequate resistance to microbes, in particular those that cause intestinal diseases. Therefore, if, against the background of diarrhea, the body temperature rises, there is severe pain in the abdominal cavity, there is vomiting or an unusual type of stool (with blood, mucus), you should immediately contact a doctor.

How to distinguish pathology from normality

Acute diarrhea is a frequent urge (more than 3 times a day) to defecate, loose stools, and cramps in the intestines. Sometimes it lasts for several days, then stops on its own. And sometimes it can become chronic, which in some cases requires hospital treatment. It is necessary to quickly take measures to restore intestinal function and eliminate the consequences of diarrhea, because:

Intestinal spasms often provoke an increase in uterine tone and contraction. This is fraught with placental abruption, miscarriage or premature birth. In the 1st trimester and late pregnancy, uterine contractions are most dangerous.
With the infectious nature of diarrhea, there is a risk of harmful microbes penetrating the placental barrier. Pathogenic microorganisms can cause problems in fetal development, hypoxia and even death.
High temperatures also pose a risk to the health of the embryo.

If a pregnant woman complains of weakness, dry mucous membranes and skin, constant thirst, decreased amount of urine when going to the toilet, dizziness, fainting, she needs immediate hospitalization.

A reason for concern and contacting doctors is a disorder that does not go away for more than 10–14 days. This may be a signal of a serious gastrointestinal pathology or a general disease.

How to get rid of diarrhea

There are many known remedies for diarrhea, but most of them are prohibited for pregnant women, especially in the first three months. This also applies to traditional medicine - not all medicinal herbs, decoctions and tinctures can be drunk while pregnant. But approved anti-diarrhea pills for pregnant women are not the only treatment. It is important to adjust your diet, give up “heavy” foods, and in case of poisoning or severe diarrhea, follow a diet.

Diet

Regardless of the cause of diarrhea, you need to reconsider your nutritional principles. Food portions should be small, it is better to eat often, every 2-3 hours. All fried, smoked and spicy foods should be completely removed from the menu. And you also cannot drink kefir, fermented baked milk, milk, or eat products made from it, or sweets. From the very beginning of the disorder, any vegetables and fruits are also prohibited.

In the first 12–24 hours, you should refuse food, but be sure to take plenty of fluids - still water, teas. On the second day, you can add fruit juice or compote, light broth with vegetables or chicken. Then you can start introducing food: watery porridge without salt and sugar. Porridges made from whole grains of brown rice, oats and millet are healthy. Dietary or diabetic breads and crackers are allowed.

From the third day you can diversify your diet with boiled, steamed, stewed vegetables, a couple of spoons of grated fresh apples. But you need to remember that some fruits have a laxative effect. This:

cabbage;
cucumbers;
beet;
pumpkin;
plums;
pears;
bananas.

You can add lean boiled meat or a steamed cutlet to the vegetables; soup with light broth is also allowed. Herbal teas - chamomile or mint - will help soothe irritated intestines.

The diet must be followed for at least 7 days, then, if the condition improves, gradually introduce familiar foods. But “aggressive” foods - fried, fatty, spicy and salty - should be limited as much as possible. It is better to refrain from unusual combinations of products.

Most often, adjusting your diet or stopping taking any medications helps get rid of diarrhea in a matter of days. If diarrhea is caused by microbes or nervous tension, then you need to be treated under the supervision of a doctor. It is he who will explain what pregnant women can drink for diarrhea and how exactly to take medications.

Pharmacy drugs

There is no one cure for all situations. All medications are divided into groups and have different effects. What to drink depends on the cause of diarrhea.

Sorbents

This group of drugs is capable of removing toxins from the body, therefore it is used for food poisoning and diarrhea of an infectious nature. The following are allowed for use in pregnant women:

Smecta: you can take 2-3 packets per day. The powder must be diluted in 100 ml of water and stirred thoroughly.
Enterosgel: take one hour before meals, three times a day. A single dose is 15 g, which is approximately 1 tablespoon. This drug is also prescribed for toxicosis.
Activated carbon: this is the most famous sorbent; it is not absorbed into the blood, therefore it is not dangerous for pregnant women. Take it at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 kg of weight, three doses per day.

If the patient is taking any other medications, then an interval of at least 2 hours must be maintained between doses of these drugs and sorbents.

Products for restoring water and electrolyte balance

With diarrhea and vomiting, salts that are involved in metabolism and blood circulation leave the body. You definitely need to know what to take to compensate for their loss. These are special solutions.

Regidron. 1 sachet of powder is diluted in a liter of water and taken in small portions throughout the day. The course of treatment is no more than 4 days. The powder will help increase potassium, sodium and glucose levels.
Hydrovit. The composition of this drug is almost similar to Regidron. It prevents dehydration and loss of electrolytes. For adults, a single dose is 2 sachets, which should be taken every time after a bowel movement until the diarrhea completely stops.

In a hospital setting, such drugs are administered through an IV. The most famous is Trisol solution.

Sedatives

If diarrhea begins to bother a pregnant woman due to stress, it makes sense to use sedatives. Without a doctor's prescription, a woman can take only one of them - valerian extract, but from the 2nd trimester. All other sedatives, including herbal ones, should not be taken without permission.

The well-known motherwort is prohibited during pregnancy in any form. Therefore, the tincture of this herb is not prescribed to pregnant women as a sedative.

Medicines to restore intestinal microflora

Such preparations contain beneficial bacteria. They help quickly eliminate dysbiosis and restore normal intestinal function.

Linux. The drug contains live 3 types of lacto- and bifidobacteria. They are involved in the processing and absorption of food and their presence in the intestines is necessary. Adults are prescribed 2 capsules three times a day.
Hilak forte. It is a metabiotic or breakdown product of 4 types of beneficial bacteria. Thanks to this, it acts much faster than probiotics. The composition helps restore the acid-base balance in the intestines and creates a favorable environment for the proliferation of beneficial microorganisms. Adults take 40-60 drops three times a day.
Bifiform. It contains 2 types of bifidobacteria, which help restore intestinal function. The minimum dose is 1 capsule 2 times a day, the maximum is 4 capsules twice a day.

Antibiotics

If a pregnant woman has diarrhea due to an infection, then only the doctor decides how to treat the patient. Medicines are selected depending on what caused the disease - bacteria or virus. Most antimicrobial agents are prohibited during pregnancy, including the last three months. They are prescribed only when the benefit to the mother outweighs the threat to the fetus.

Enterofuril. This medicine has an antibacterial effect and is widely used for diarrhea of infectious etiology. The drug acts quickly - the effect is noticeable within a few hours. This remedy should not be taken without consulting a doctor. Enterofuril should not be used by pregnant women as a preventive measure against intestinal infections.

Antidiarrheal drugs

After about 7 months, it is allowed to take medications that can quickly stop diarrhea. Such medications contain substances that slow down peristalsis in the large intestine. Thus, more time is given for food to be digested and it begins to be better absorbed.

Imodium is safest to use for pregnant women. Diara and Enterobene tablets can be taken after the 1st trimester . Loperamide is contraindicated for expectant mothers. The dosage of the drug and duration of administration are determined by the doctor.

Antispasmodics

Cramping from diarrhea increases the likelihood of complications. To play it safe, you can take a remedy that eliminates them.

No-shpa. This medicine relieves spasms of smooth muscles, including the gastrointestinal tract. This is one of the few drugs approved for pregnant women. The exception is for patients with arterial hypotension - they must take No-shpa with the consent of the doctor. A safe dose is 1 tablet three times a day.

The following drugs should not be used to treat diarrhea during pregnancy:

Antimicrobial: Biseptol, Levomycetin, antibiotics from the tetracycline group;
NSAIDs: Ibuprofen, Aspirin.
Antispasmodics: Combispasm, Spasmalgon and others.

The ban on treatment with most drugs is due to the fact that the active ingredients of the drugs can be absorbed into the mother’s blood and reach the fetus. It is difficult to predict what harm a substance will cause to an unborn child. The list of negative consequences from drugs includes oxygen starvation in the fetus, various malformations (for example, deafness), and even its death. Medications are especially dangerous in the first and third trimesters. In the first third of pregnancy, the placenta has not yet formed, which protects the fetus from harmful influences. In the third trimester, medications can provoke premature birth, affect the fetal heart function and cause developmental delays. Therefore, with the question “how to treat diarrhea,” you need to go to the doctor managing the pregnancy.

Before taking any medicine, it is important to read the instructions for it. Each drug has contraindications and features of use.

Traditional methods

During pregnancy, it is correct to try to do without medications. Alternative medicine is the best help. But you cannot use all methods indiscriminately; you need to know what pregnant women can and cannot do with diarrhea.

The most famous remedy for diarrhea is rice water. Rinse the cereal, add cold water and cook for about 40 minutes. 1 tablespoon per 0.5 liter of water is enough. Drink the resulting drink little by little throughout the day. If the diarrhea is severe, it is reasonable to completely replace the daily diet with it.

Kissels and starch water. You can cook it from blueberries, oatmeal or quince. Drinking this drink is beneficial throughout the entire treatment period. Kissel has enveloping properties, which helps soothe irritated intestines. And starch, which is part of the drink, helps eliminate toxins.

Starch water is a “quick” remedy for diarrhea. 1 teaspoon should be diluted in half a glass of cold water and drunk in one sitting.

Infusion of pomegranate peels. For 250 grams of boiling water, take 1 tablespoon of small pieces of peel. Leave it for a day and drink it like tea.

Herbal infusions

For diarrhea, it is useful to drink tea from medicinal plants. The collection is prepared from St. John's wort, chamomile and calendula flowers, plantain leaves and water pepper, alder cones, oak bark, cinquefoil roots - 1 part of all herbs. It is not necessary to take all the components; you can use only those available.

If diarrhea appears due to nervousness, tea with the addition of mint or lemon balm will help.

Pregnant women are allowed to take medicinal plants only if pregnancy proceeds without complications and the patient is not allergic to them. In the first trimester, you should generally avoid any herbs.

It is easier to prevent any disease than to treat it, especially during pregnancy. So that during the entire 9 months a woman does not have the question “what can be done for pregnant women with diarrhea and how not to harm either herself or the baby,” she needs to take simple preventive measures:

do not eat in public places;
prepare food from fresh, high-quality products, boil and fry them well;
do not prepare meals for the week, it is better to do this once every 1-2 days;
drinking water must be clean – bottled or boiled;
wash your hands frequently, use clean dishes and kitchen utensils;
wash well, or better yet, pour boiling water over fruits, vegetables and berries that will be consumed raw or in the form of juices;
stick to a diet - limit foods with a laxative effect or completely abandon them.

It would be a good idea to supplement your home first aid kit with Smecta, Activated Carbon, No-Spa and Regidron - let first aid medications be at hand.

If you have frequent loose stools, it is diarrhea. It should be noted that everyone experiences diarrhea at various points in life; it is especially important to stop and treat diarrhea in time during pregnancy. Statistics show that most of us experience diarrhea, on average, 4 times a year.

Diarrhea, or diarrhea, is medically defined as loose (or watery) and unusually frequent bowel movements. Sometimes, unbalanced hormonal fluctuations lead to a combination of two unpleasant factors like diarrhea and vomiting. Armed with basic knowledge, listening to your condition and following the advice of a doctor, individually in each individual case, you can choose the treatment for diarrhea during pregnancy.

Acute - 14 days in a row. Acute diarrhea usually occurs due to infections with bacteria and viruses. Such diarrhea problems are self-limiting and last for a few days. Most cases of mild diarrhea are viral, while more severe, acute forms of diarrhea are caused by bacteria.
Persistent diarrhea - more than 14 days.
Chronic - more than 30 days. Chronic diarrhea usually occurs due to non-infectious etiologies. A large number of disorders are, in one way or another, associated with chronic diarrhea. Can be divided into: irritable bowel syndrome; intestinal inflammation; ulcerative colitis.

Diarrhea can be caused by:

Unlike constipation during pregnancy, which can be caused by fluctuating hormones, diarrhea tends to be caused by something happening outside your body—and something that may not even be harmful. Diarrhea may be a result of the food you are now eating that is too good and healthy. The extra water you drink, or even the prenatal workouts you start doing, can all trigger diarrhea during pregnancy. Some women find that certain vitamins cause loose stools, and changing them can even cause diarrhea in late pregnancy.

Treatment of diarrhea during pregnancy, which will help you feel better and restore normal physiological processes:

It is very important to drink plenty of fluids. The liquid should contain salt and sugar. For example, "Sports Drinks" are a good choice, as is juice or broth. To control what and how much to drink, monitor the color of your urine. It should be light yellow or almost clear if you have hydrated yourself enough.
Change your eating habits. Small, frequent meals - noodles, rice, bananas and crackers. Salty foods are a great addition to meals.
Naturally, before making a decision at any stage of pregnancy, be sure to consult a doctor. There are many medications available to help relieve diarrhea, some can be obtained without a prescription. However, do not self-medicate if you have a fever or bleeding. The most common drug treatment for diarrhea is:

Loperamide or Imodium is available without a prescription. Loperamide is taken 2 tablets at a time initially, and then 1 tablet with each loose stool. You should not take more than 8 tablets in 24 hours.

Diphenoxylate or Lomotil requires a prescription from your doctor. Diphenoxylate, a more serious treatment than Loperamide, but it has a number of unpleasant side effects. The usual dose is 2 tablets four times daily, then reduced to 2 tablets daily once the frequency of diarrhea is controlled. If there is no change or reduction in diarrhea within 48 hours, treatment should be discontinued.

Yogurt contains live microorganisms called probiotics, which may shorten the duration of some forms of diarrhea. The duration of diarrhea during pregnancy can be reduced to 30 hours if treatment is started at the first symptoms of diarrhea.

It is important to understand that diarrhea during pregnancy is normal. . Your digestive system can either slow down, causing constipation, or speed up, causing you to get diarrhea. Most often, diarrhea in the early stages of pregnancy takes mothers with their first pregnancy by surprise.

What should you know?

Diarrhea tends to be less common than constipation during pregnancy and does not last as long. In fact, diarrhea that persists for more than a few days, no matter how mild the discharge, is a reason to visit your doctor. Diarrhea can cause back pain and can quickly lead to dehydration, a major risk factor for preterm labor. Therefore, if you have diarrhea, take it seriously...

What to do?

The so-called BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) has been recommended for many years. The newest views on this diet recommend adding the following:

other starchy foods like potatoes, unsweetened cereals and crackers;
vegetables such as boiled or baked carrots;
lean soups with noodles, rice and/or vegetables;
lean meat;
yogurt, especially those with live, active cultures.

Avoid "simple" drinks with high sugar content (apple and grape juice, jelly, cola and other soft drinks), they will cause diarrhea to persist for a longer period. Sports drinks and plain water are more acceptable options. And as always, but especially now, avoid fatty and fried foods.

Also, make sure you are not taking diarrhea medications that contain sodium bicarbonate or sodium, which is a prohibited substance for treating diarrhea during pregnancy.

Remember, while mild cases of diarrhea during pregnancy are nothing to really worry about. Severe diarrhea, more than three loose stools per day, or discharge with blood or mucus is a sign to see a doctor today!

Everyone has loose stools from time to time: nerves, eating something “wrong” the day before, or a contracted virus often cause diarrhea. As a rule, it goes away in 3-4 days and does not pose a great danger to a healthy person, with the exception of cases of intestinal infections and serious diseases of the digestive tract. But for a woman carrying a child, diarrhea creates an increased risk of pathology and even termination of pregnancy.

Diarrhea, or diarrhea in common parlance, is frequent stools with a high water content (90% or more), characterized by a sudden urge and difficulty controlling bowel movements. Diarrhea can be painless, but is more often accompanied by cramps and pain in the abdomen, general poor health: nausea, vomiting, weakness, fever.

Most expectant mothers monitor their diet with special care: they carefully choose foods for cooking, avoid “harmful foods,” and follow the correct diet. But even such measures do not always protect against intestinal upset. A pregnant woman’s body is weakened, her immunity is reduced (this is necessary to preserve the fetus) and is not able to resist numerous microbes.

In addition, the physiological characteristics of the “pregnant” body themselves are the cause of various dyspeptic manifestations: bloating, nausea, heartburn, stool disorders, both in the direction of consolidation and relaxation.

Symptoms of diarrhea and their danger for a pregnant woman

The risk associated with diarrhea depends on the severity and cause of the condition. Indigestion caused by errors in diet usually goes away quickly and painlessly. Infectious diarrhea begins acutely and continues violently for several days, manifesting itself with numerous unpleasant symptoms. Chronic diarrhea lasting more than 3 weeks may indicate the presence of gastrointestinal pathology or a general disease.

How can diarrhea in pregnant women harm the unborn baby and the woman?

Severe spasmodic pain poses a threat of termination of pregnancy. Active intestinal peristalsis can provoke uterine contractions, which can result in detachment of the fertilized egg, death of the embryo, and premature onset of labor (depending on the period). Abdominal cramps are especially dangerous in the 1st and 3rd trimesters.
Intestinal infections and viruses can penetrate the placental barrier, which in the early stages threatens pathologies of the child’s formation, and in the later stages – intrauterine infection, hypoxia, developmental delay, premature birth, and fetal death.
An increase in body temperature at the beginning of pregnancy is also harmful to the developing fetus.
Excessive diarrhea, especially with vomiting, quickly leads to dehydration and a deficiency of vitamins and nutrients in the expectant mother’s body, which can negatively affect the baby. Long-term disruption of food absorption in the intestines leads to chronic vitamin deficiency, which for a child means the development of pathologies and growth retardation.
Symptoms such as nausea, weakness, chills indicate poisoning of the body with toxins, the likelihood of which entering the fetal bloodstream is high.

A pregnant woman needs to call an ambulance if diarrhea is accompanied by high fever and vomiting, dizziness and faintness. Also, immediate hospitalization requires the appearance of blood in the stool in the form of mucous streaks or staining of the stool almost black.

Signs of dehydration should also cause concern:

constant thirst and dry mouth;
feeling of dry skin and mucous membranes;
weakness, drowsiness, tinnitus;
the appearance of dark circles around the eyes;
rare urge to “small”, discharge of dark urine.

Treatment of diarrhea in pregnant women

Treatment of diarrhea during pregnancy is complicated by the fact that most medications are contraindicated for expectant mothers, especially in the early stages. This greatly limits the doctor’s freedom in choosing treatment methods. If possible, diarrhea can be eliminated by following a diet and using safe folk remedies. Every woman should remember that many harmless “herbs” during pregnancy can harm the unborn baby and even jeopardize the pregnancy itself. Before using this or that recipe, it is better to consult with your doctor.

In cases where the patient’s condition is alarming and pills cannot be avoided (for example, antibiotics), the doctor may decide to prescribe drug therapy, despite the potential risk to the fetus. Naturally, you cannot take any medications on your own, even if the woman was constantly “saved” from indigestion by them before pregnancy.

What can pregnant women do if they have diarrhea? Diet for illness

Following a diet is recommended for all expectant mothers, but for gastrointestinal disorders it should be especially strict. The purpose of special nutrition for diarrhea is to “unload” the digestive organs, create the correct regimen (frequent and fractional), and eliminate foods with a laxative effect. A pregnant woman should not starve; nutrients must be supplied to the body in a timely manner and in sufficient quantities, therefore strict restrictions are permissible only on the first day of the diet.

Spicy, smoked, fried foods should be excluded completely; milk should not be consumed if you have diarrhea. It is necessary to reduce to a minimum the consumption of fatty, sweet, sour and salty foods.

On the first day, it is recommended to drink plenty of fluids, which will “flush” the gastrointestinal tract and replenish the fluid supply in the body. Strong tea is suitable for this, but it is better to prepare rice water: 1 tsp. rice half a liter of water, boil for 40 minutes and strain the resulting “jelly”. Take half a glass of the decoction every 2-3 hours. For a “snack” - white bread croutons.

On the second day, you can eat slimy porridge with water (rice, oatmeal), without adding salt and sugar. Drink: fruit juice, tea, still water. Diet bread and dried wheat slices are allowed. It’s better to avoid vegetables and fruits for now, but if you really want to, you can finely grate carrots and apples (without peel) and add a spoonful of vegetable oil. You can drink light chicken or vegetable broth. You definitely need fresh kefir, yogurt, fermented baked milk, containing “live” lactic acid bacteria, which will help the intestines restore their function.

On the third day, you should add soft boiled or stewed vegetables (without coarse particles), a steamed cutlet, and light soup to the porridge. All food should be at a comfortable temperature - neither hot nor cold, so as not to irritate the digestive organs.

This diet should be followed for at least a week. Jelly, compote (not made from dried fruits), and herbal teas (chamomile, mint) are recommended as drinks.

What medications for diarrhea can pregnant women take?

During pregnancy, you should not take any medications unless prescribed by a doctor. As an exception, you can only take an adsorbent agent, for example, Eneterosgel, Polyphepan, Enterodes; regular activated carbon is also suitable, which, by the way, is now sold in purified form under the name “White Coal”. Sorbents should not be used simultaneously with vitamins and other medications - at least 2 hours must pass between taking charcoal and other tablets.

In case of severe diarrhea and profuse vomiting, Trisol, Gudron, Regidron saline solutions are recommended, which will maintain the body's water and electrolyte balance and prevent dehydration.

All other medications during pregnancy should only be taken in consultation with your doctor. This also applies to antispasmodics (No-shpa, papaverine suppositories), which relieve pain from excessive intestinal peristalsis, and sedatives (valerian, motherwort), if diarrhea is caused by increased nervousness of the expectant mother.

After the 30th week, it is permissible to prescribe antidiarrheal tablets based on loperamide - these are Loperamide, Imodium, Diara, Lopedium, Entrobene. These capsules help to quickly stop diarrhea and avoid large losses of fluid and nutrients from the intestines. Such remedies should not be used if loose stools are caused by pathogenic microorganisms (dysentery, salmonellosis, shigellosis and other infections) so as not to interfere with the cleansing of the intestines from pathogens.

For intestinal infections, pregnant women are allowed to be prescribed Nifuroxazide, an antimicrobial drug that suppresses the activity of most pathogens that cause diarrhea. If necessary, your doctor may prescribe other antibiotics.

To restore the intestinal microflora after treatment, you may need a course of probiotics (Linex, Bifidumbacterin, Bifi-form, Baktisubtil, etc.) For mild diarrhea, it is enough to regularly drink fermented milk drinks labeled “bio”.

Folk remedies for diarrhea during pregnancy

For acute diarrhea, the use of folk remedies is ineffective: the active substances in medicinal plants are in too low concentrations to quickly relieve unpleasant symptoms. Herbal medicine and “grandmother’s recipes” are justified when diarrhea is long-lasting and not associated with infection. Then regular intake of mucous drinks and herbal preparations based on “astringent” plants will help softly consolidate the stool and normalize intestinal function.

Here are some home remedies that can be recommended for women during pregnancy to stop diarrhea:

Pregnant women should take herbal infusions with caution, as they can cause allergies. Here are several formulations that are considered safe during pregnancy, if individual reactions are excluded:

St. John's wort and chamomile flowers, plantain leaves, oak bark, Icelandic moss, cinquefoil root (1 part each).
Veronica and strawberry leaves, water pepper grass, calamus root, white willow bark, marigold inflorescences.
Thyme, wormwood, falcon grass, bedstraw and alder cones.

Prevention of diarrhea in pregnant women

If a pregnant woman did not follow a diet before becoming ill, the occurrence of diarrhea should be a good reason to reconsider her diet. The expectant mother is responsible not only for herself, but also for her unborn baby. Therefore, it is extremely important for her not to overstrain her body, which is already under double load, with heavy, unhealthy food. But you also need to treat healthy foods with caution: if you have problems with digestion, you should not indulge in raw vegetables and fruits; excess fiber can cause loose stools.

It is important to pay special attention to the prevention of poisoning and intestinal infections:

buy only fresh products;
eat freshly prepared food;
monitor expiration dates;
wash vegetables and fruits thoroughly;
heat-treat foods: boil meat, fish, eggs well, boil milk and water;
during pregnancy it is better to refuse catering;
avoid public places, especially during viral epidemics;
observe hygiene rules.

Diarrhea occurs in all people for different reasons and circumstances; it can be stress, nutrition, infections or somatic diseases.

As a rule, diarrhea goes away on its own within 1 or several days and is not dangerous.

If the problem occurs in a pregnant woman, then diarrhea can be a dangerous symptom, which even leads to termination of pregnancy, so you need to know what can be done for pregnant women for diarrhea.

Main causes of diarrhea during pregnancy

Diarrhea is frequent bowel movements, and stool contains a lot of water. In some cases during pregnancy, diarrhea may be entirely water.

Diarrhea is accompanied by a sudden urge, as well as difficulty controlling the process of bowel movements.

This course of pregnancy can be painless, but is often accompanied by cramps and abdominal pain, as well as nausea and other symptoms.

During pregnancy, many women carefully select food products and adjust menus to avoid diarrhea and other disorders.

In addition to physiological characteristics, a pregnant woman may have other causes of diarrhea:

Up to 12 weeks of pregnancy, diarrhea appears as a result of toxicosis. During this period, the pregnant woman's digestive system is disrupted, tastes change, and women begin to get rid of eating harmful foods. An increased craving for salty or sour foods is possible and the menu is supplemented with a large amount of plant products. Such factors provoke weakening of the stool, and diarrhea appears. If diarrhea during pregnancy does not cause severe discomfort and additional symptoms do not appear, then treatment may not be necessary, but simply adjust the diet.
During pregnancy, a woman needs to receive more nutrients and vitamins. Due to this, before pregnancy begins, it is necessary to take a course of vitamin supplements. Such medications have side effects such as nausea and diarrhea. If diarrhea appears after taking a vitamin tablet, then you should change the medications to others.
Diarrhea during pregnancy often occurs as a result of hormonal changes. During late pregnancy, intensive production of prostaglandins begins, which allows the body to independently prepare for childbirth. Thus, the intestines are completely cleansed due to diarrhea. A similar reason appears in the later stages, but in the early stages you need to be on guard with pain and cramps, since a miscarriage or early birth is possible.
As the belly grows during pregnancy, pressure on the gastrointestinal tract begins to increase. The uterus quickly increases in size, begins to put pressure on various organs, and diarrhea, pain, nausea, and even various diseases appear. In this state, you should pay attention to the feces and its color. If there are diseases, the mass will be white or yellow, with undigested foods or fat. If before pregnancy there were chronic diseases of the digestive system, then when carrying a child they may worsen.
Diarrhea during pregnancy can occur as a result of infection with pathogenic microbes. For such reasons, diarrhea becomes severe and difficult.

Pregnant women experience an increase in temperature, abdominal pain, possible vomiting, and dehydration. The condition is very dangerous for both pregnant women and the child and requires medical attention.

Similar signs may occur with toxic poisoning as a result of eating spoiled foods.

Many pregnant women often experience fear, stress and other emotional disorders during childbirth and childbearing. This may also result in diarrhea.

In any case, if you have diarrhea during pregnancy, it is recommended to immediately consult a doctor for advice and help.

Symptoms of diarrhea

Diarrhea during pregnancy can vary in severity and for different reasons. If the cause of diarrhea is poor nutrition, the symptoms go away quite quickly and do not cause pain.

In case of infectious infection, diarrhea occurs in an acute form, severe diarrhea appears lasting several days, in addition, additional symptoms appear, such as increased body temperature, dry mouth, and vomiting.

If diarrhea in pregnant women is chronic and lasts for 2-3 weeks, then the cause will be diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or other organs.

With diarrhea, women may experience various symptoms and need to know which of them can harm the fetus and the woman herself:

If severe pain occurs, it is possible to terminate the pregnancy. Due to strong intestinal activity, there may be uterine contractions, as a result of which the fertilized egg exfoliates and the fetus dies. Depending on the duration of the pregnancy, premature labor may begin for this reason. Pain and cramps with diarrhea in the 1st and 3rd trimester are very dangerous.
When infected with viruses or other infections, women also experience diarrhea. Bacteria begin to cross the placental barrier to the fetus. If infection occurs, then in the early stages pathologies may appear in the fetus itself, and in later stages a delay in the development of the fetus begins, childbirth may be premature, and in some cases the child dies.
With diarrhea and fever at the very beginning of pregnancy, the threat lies in the disruption of the formation of the child’s organs and systems.
With severe diarrhea, which is accompanied by vomiting, a woman begins to become dehydrated; nutrients are not absorbed and are quickly lost, which can worsen the development and condition of the child in the womb. With prolonged diarrhea, a constant lack of vitamins and nutrients begins, the child’s growth and development slows down, which can lead to the appearance of congenital pathologies.
Diarrhea, nausea, and general weakness in the body indicate poisoning when there are a lot of toxins in the body. All this also threatens the fetus.

Pregnant women need emergency help if, during diarrhea, they develop fever, vomiting, their general condition worsens, and fainting or dizziness begins.

In such a condition, prompt hospitalization is necessary. It is also necessary to hospitalize pregnant women if blood clots appear in the stool, if the color of the stool changes, or if there is mucus.

Alarming symptoms are signs of dehydration, which include the following symptoms:

Dry mouth and thirst that cannot be quenched.
Dryness of the mucous membrane and skin.
Increased drowsiness and weakness in the body, tinnitus.
Presence of dark circles under the eyes.
Dark colored urine and very infrequent urge to urinate.

Treatment of diarrhea in pregnant women is a rather complicated process, since many medications cannot be used in this situation, even in the early stages.

The very first thing the doctor should suggest is to adjust the menu, as well as use safe folk remedies for diarrhea.

Women should understand that even folk remedies, herbal remedies and other recipes during pregnancy can harm the fetus or affect the pregnancy.

Before using any treatment method, you should consult a doctor.

If the pregnant woman’s condition is very bad and there is a fear that the pregnancy will be terminated, then it will be necessary to use pills, even antibiotics.

Doctors may use drug treatment, regardless of the risk to the unborn child.

Diet for diarrhea

The diet should be followed by all pregnant women without exception, but if diarrhea occurs, a particularly strict menu is used. The basic principle of nutrition is to relieve the digestive organs.

To do this, you need to eat small portions, often, and also exclude foods that have a laxative effect.

In this regard, strict nutritional requirements are observed only during the first stage of the diet.

You will need to exclude or reduce to a minimum the following products from the menu:

Spicy, fried and smoked foods are removed from the diet altogether.
Milk, fresh vegetables and fruits should not be consumed if you have diarrhea.
The consumption of sweets, pickles and sour foods, as well as fatty foods, is reduced.

The first day of the diet is accompanied by increased water consumption, which will correct the water balance in the body. For this, not only water is used, but also strong tea (not sweet).

Rice broth ideally restores balance and strengthens stool.

To prepare it you need:

Pour 0.5 liters of water into a saucepan and add 1 tsp. rice
Let it cook for 40 minutes.
After preparation, strain the drink, which looks like jelly.
Take the decoction 3 times a day, 100 ml.

This jelly has an enveloping effect, due to which it has a protective effect on the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines. Without allowing the walls to become irritated.

On the second day, you need to use a variety of cereals that are prepared in water. They should be slimy and rice and oatmeal are best. Salt and sugar are not added to porridge.

For now, eating vegetables and fruits is prohibited, but if you have a strong desire, you can use grated carrots and an apple without skin, with the addition of 1 tbsp. vegetable oil.

It is allowed to use light broths based on poultry or vegetables on the second day.

You should definitely take fermented milk products, which contain bacteria beneficial to the gastrointestinal tract. Such products can restore intestinal function and relieve diarrhea.

On the third day, you need to add vegetables to the menu, but not fresh, but boiled or stewed. The diet is supplemented with steamed cutlets and light soups.

All foods and dishes should be warm, since hot dishes and cold foods can irritate the mucous membranes and walls of the gastrointestinal tract.

A similar diet must be used for 7 days during pregnancy. In addition, from 3-4 days you can add jelly and fruit compotes to the menu, but not dried ones. Chamomile and mint teas are good for diarrhea.

Medicines for diarrhea during pregnancy

When diarrhea appears during pregnancy, many women wonder what to do and what medications to take. In this case, no drugs are used.

Treatment should only be carried out under the guidance of doctors. As an exception, the use of adsorbents is allowed, for example:

"Enterosgel".
Activated carbon.
"Polyphelan".

Such remedies can be used if vitamins or other medications are not taken. When using other medications, such as vitamins, sorbents are allowed to be taken only 2-3 hours after their use, since the latter reduce their effectiveness.

If the diarrhea is severe, accompanied by severe vomiting, then use saline solutions:

"Tar".
"Trisol".
"Regidron".

Such products will help maintain a woman’s water-salt balance during pregnancy at the proper level, and will also prevent dehydration from occurring.

Pregnant women are allowed to take other medications only with the permission of a doctor. A similar rule applies to antispasmodics, for example, “No-shpa”, various suppositories that can relieve pain.

It is forbidden to use valerian and motherwort if diarrhea occurs as a result of emotional stress.

Pregnant women after 30 weeks can be prescribed anti-diarrhea tablets based on loperamide.

These include:

"Imodium."
"Diara."
"Lopedium".
"Entobene."

If you take such tablets, you can quickly stop diarrhea, as well as retain fluid and nutrients in the body. It is forbidden to take medications on your own if diarrhea is caused by harmful bacteria.

For intestinal infections during pregnancy, only a few antibiotics can be used; their compatibility must be justified by a doctor.

These antimicrobial medications help get rid of many known bacteria that cause diarrhea.

To restore beneficial bacteria in the intestines, after therapy, you may need to drink probiotics:

"Linex".
"Beefy-form."
"Baktisubtil".

If the diarrhea is not severe, then treatment can be carried out with ordinary fermented milk products, the packaging of which is marked “bio”.

Folk remedies

For acute diarrhea in a pregnant woman, traditional methods of treatment will be of little benefit, since their active substances in recipes are in low concentrations to remove diarrhea.

Using folk remedies will be useful and effective if diarrhea continues for a long time, but the cause is not due to infections.

For non-infectious diarrhea in a pregnant woman, you can use various drinks, herbal teas and other means to gently consolidate the stool and normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Below is a list of what pregnant women can do if they have diarrhea and how to take medications correctly:

Starch water. To prepare, you need to use potato starch in a volume of 1 tsp, which is diluted in 150 ml of water at room temperature. You need to drink the product in one gulp.
Tincture of blackberry leaves. This product is sold in pharmacies and for diarrhea you need to drink 1 tbsp. three times a day.
Blueberry jelly. You can prepare the drink using different methods, and then drink 250 ml of it before your main meals.
Pomegranate tea. To prepare, you need to put 1 tbsp in a cup. crushed pomegranate peel and add boiling water. Leave for 20 minutes and take throughout the day. This tea should always be made fresh, and it perfectly replaces regular teas.
Mint tea. You can prepare it according to the usual scheme: for 1 tsp. mint, add 250 ml of boiling water and take after 15 minutes of infusion. This remedy will help treat diarrhea during pregnancy, which is caused by stress and emotional state.
Decoction of walnut leaves. Making this product is quite simple. You need to put 1 tbsp in the pan. nut sheets and pour in 500 ml of water.

Turn on low heat and simmer for 20 minutes. After cooking, leave to brew for half an hour, then drink 1 tbsp. 3 times a day.

If you use herbal teas during pregnancy, you need to be extremely careful with them, because they can cause allergies.

Understanding why diarrhea occurs and knowing the methods for its relief, you can make medicine yourself at home or use medications that your doctor allows, but the easiest way is to prevent the occurrence of disorders using preventive measures.

Prevention

If before the onset of diarrhea the nutritional rules were not followed, then if an unpleasant symptom appears, it is imperative to reconsider the diet. During pregnancy, you are already responsible not only for your health, but also for your unborn child.

To do this, you need to treat all diseases in a timely manner, and also not load the body with food, which can negatively affect the condition.

Despite the benefits of many products, they should also be included in the diet carefully.

A large amount of plant foods will not be beneficial, since such foods are high in fiber, which relaxes the intestines and causes diarrhea.

In order not to treat diarrhea, you will need to adhere to the prevention of infections and poisoning:

Buy only high-quality and fresh food.
Eat only fresh dishes; it is recommended to cook them for the whole day, and eat a new dish the next day.
Monitor the expiration dates of the products in the refrigerator and more.
All vegetables and fruits must be thoroughly washed before consumption.
Meat, fish, dairy and other types of products should be carefully processed using temperature.
You should avoid fast foods and public eating places during pregnancy.
Always wash your hands before eating.

Using these simple rules, infections and poisoning will not appear and will not cause diarrhea in a pregnant woman.