A - C Of Pregnancy Problems
Allergies - rarely appear during pregnancy, but if you already suffer from allergic reactions, they may get worse. This is because your body's immune system has to get weaker so that it does not reject your baby, since half its genetic make-up is its fathers's not yours.
If you're already taking medication for an allergy, check with your midwife or doctor that it's safe to use in pregnancy. Eating healthily can help reduce the risk of allergies making your life a misery.
Anaemia - In pregnancy is not uncommon. Watch out for symptoms, which can include shortness of breath, tiredness, faintness, palpitations, loss of appetite, paleness, and headaches. Most of these are common problems in pregnancy, so don't panic if you develop one, but do tell your doctor as anaemia in pregnancy, can make you feel quite unwell.
In any case, you will be tested as soon as you become pregnant, and again at 28 weeks. The need to take supplements of iron and folic acid.
Anxiety - can strike even the happiest and most hopeful mum-to-be. It can take any form, from a nagging worry to a sudden panic attack. Getting more information and taking over your worries can help alot, which is why it's really worth joining an antenatal class. You'll meet other pregnant women there who will probably be feeling just as nervous. If your feelings of panic are very severe, do tell midwife or G.P.
Backache - It's not surprising that backache is a very common difficulty of pregnancy. This is because most of the weight you gain in pregnancy is at the front of the body, and pregnancy hormones soften the ligaments that help your spine support this weight. Gentle exercise, like yoga or wimming, can help to ease aches and pains. If you have a history of back pain, try to start exercising before the weight gain really starts.
But if ackache is more than a mild niggle, ask your doctor to refer you to an obstetric physiotherapist. If you have cystitis and develop backache, you will need to see your doctor, as this can be a sign of kidney infections.
Breathlessness - is common in pregnancy. This is the result of your expainding uterus pressing up under your ribs. with a first baby, it usually continues until 36 weeks, when your baby moves deeper into the pelvis, but subsequent babies do not usually move down until about 40 weeks.
Breathlessness is hardly ever anything to worry about - your body adapts to pregnancy and your lungs become alot better at their job, so you're in litle danger of running out of air. However, it's worth mentioning to your midwife or doctor as it can be a symptom of anaemia.
Constipation - is a hazard of pregnancy. The culprit here is progesterone, a pregnancy hormone that relaxes all the muscles in your body, including those that move your food along. Eat plenty of fruit and other roughage ( foods that provide bulk and make you go to the loo) and drink more fluids, such as prune juice. Take regular gentle exercise, and avoid junk food and ready-made meals.
Cramp - can cripple your calf muscles, especially during the later stages of pregnancy. Pointing your toes upwards helps to bring relief, so does firm leg massage.
Cravings - strike early in pregnancy. Infact strong dislikes or cravings for certain foods are often the first clue that you are pregnant. You can probably expect to go off drinks containing caffeine, like tea and coffee. It weight is a problem, try to fight that longing for ice cream or chips. 'Pica' - strong cravings for unlikely things like chalk or coal - could probably be mentioned to your midwife or doctor, but they're rarely a problem.
Cystitis - can be really aggravated by pregnancy. If you're prone to it, be especially careful to follow all the usual medical advice. Always go to the toilet as soon as you have to, and be careful to wipe yourself from front to back, Avoid wearing tights or underwear made from anything but cotton, and use KY jelly as extra lubrication during sex. Your doctor needs to know if you have systitis because their is a risk of kidney infection. If you have a backache and cystitis at the same time, you'll need to tell him or her immediately.
D - N OF PREGNANCY PROBLEMS
Dizziness - can strike at two points during pregnancy. For some women, in the first three months blood pressure drops and this can make you feel dizzy, or you could even faint, when you stand up. Drinking a glass of water is a surprisingly quick remedy. In general you should make sure you drink enough fluids, eat lots of snacks to keep up your blood sugar, and remember to get up slowly. A few women experience faintness when lying in bed in late pregnancy, due to the weight of their bump pressing down on their blood vessels. A simple tip is to lie on your side.
Flatulence - can be relieved by drinking several glasses of water a day and avoiding caffeine. Sucking mints or sipping peppermint cordial or peppermint tea also helps.
Haemorrhoids, or piles. - can be a very real problem, with symptoms ranging from mild itching to genuine pain. Again they are the result of progesterone loosening your muscles - this time the walls of the veins around your bottom. you can avoid constipation by following the tips above. Other things that can help include washing after using the toilet, using cold compresses, avoiding standing for long periods and practising your pelvic floor exercises. Your GP can also prescribe an effecctive cream.
Headaches - are helped by breathing in fresh air, practising relaxation, and homoepathy. Paracetamol tablets are thought to be safe, but if you suffer from migraines your doctor may advise you to stop taking your medication. A few migraine sufferers find their symptoms disappear during their pregnancy. There's a small chance that a severe headche in later pregnancy could be a warning sign of pre-eclampsia, so do report it to your doctor immediately.
Incontinence - As your growing womb presses on the bladder, you'll need to go to the loo more often and may also have accidents in later pregnancy. Keep doing the pelvic floor exercises to lessen the problem. If you need more help, ask your midwife or GP to refer you to an obstetric physiotherepist or talk to your antenatal teacher.
Itching - can be caused by the skin of your abdomen stretching. you can help yourself by keeping cool, wearing pure cotton next to the skin, bathing in lukewarm (not hot) water, and using non-scented creams to keep your skin supple. Calamine lotion stroked into the skin can also help. If it gets really widwspread - over your head, arms and legs, - see your midwife or GP. Very occasionally, severe itching is a sign of a condition called obstetric cholestasis, which puts your baby at risk. This requires attention.
Nausea - is one of the aspects of pregnancy that everybody's heard about, and every pregnant woman develops her own way of coping. Comfort yourself with the fact that nausea stops around week 14 (usually). Meanwhile try to keep your fluids up (you can get a surprising amount of nutrition through juices, clear soups and other drinks), rest well, and avoid becoming overwrought. Nausea later in pregnancy can be the result of a tummpy bug - remember your immune system is very low - and should be referred to a doctor.
Nosebleeds - are often caused by hormonal changes in your body - lean forward in a chair, pinch just below the bridge of your nose, apply an ice pack, and don't blow your nose voilently. Mention them to your midwife or doctor, especially if they become a regular occurence, as they could contribue to anaemia.
P - Z OF PREGNANCY PROBLEMS
Pins & Needles - in the hands and fingers can be a symptom of carpal tunnel syndrome. It's most commonly felt in the mornings after your wrists have accumulated fluid during the night. To relieve the discomfort, wriggle your fingers and extend your hands above your head for a few minutes. If it becomes a big problem, a wrist splint may help: ask your GP.
Stretch Marks - usually appear in the second half of pregnancy - reddish lines on your stomach, hips, or breasts that are the result of all the growing you are doing. Although some people don't get them at all, mainly because of their skin type, there's nothing you can actullly do to avoid them. In any case they usually fade into silvery scars within six months of delivery. Meanwhile, using a moisturising cream can help your skin feel smoother.
Thrush - is a very common, and very irritating, infection of the vulva and vagina caused by the fungus Candida albicans, and many women develop it during pregnancy. To avoid this or to avoid developing chronic thrush, there are a number of steps you can take. Reduce your intake of sweet or starchy foods, eat a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables, drink more water or herbal teas, wear loose cotton underwear and pour warm water over your vulva after going to the loo to keep yourself as clean as possible. Canesten cream and pessaries, which really help, are now available over the counter, but they are quite expensive without a prescription.
Varicose Veins - are caused by progesterone - a hormone which has a lot to answer for. The walls and valves in the veins relax, causing swelling. If you have a family history of varicose veins, you can reduce the risk by walking daily, putting your feet up as often as you can, or flexing your calf muscles while standing,. Putting on maternity support tights before getting out of bed in the morning (keep a pair under your pillow) makes a big difference. if the veins become very uncomfortable, try sleeping with your feet slightly raised.
Weight Gain - in pregnancy varies from woman to woman, but averages around 10 - 12 kg (22-26lb). Most of the weight is a baby, but the placenta, membranes and amniotic fluid add up, so does the increase in the size of your breasts and uterus and your increased blood supply. Water retention also adds to your weight and after the birth, the most rapid weight-loss occurs in the first few days as the extra two to eight litres of water carried during late pregnancy, is passed out in the urine.
Zonked! - Growing a baby is hard work and you need all the rest you can get, especially after all the above!
Ultrasound Scans
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