Intestinal infection during pregnancy: how to treat?

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Viral and bacterial diseases are recognized as quite dangerous for pregnant women. Even a common cold can cause irreparable harm to the he alth of the expectant mother and interfere with the proper development of the fetus. It is known that during this period it is forbidden to use any drugs. But sometimes there are situations when medicines simply cannot be dispensed with. Today's article will tell you about how an intestinal infection is treated during pregnancy. Find out what to do and what drugs to take.

Symptoms and causes

Intestinal infection during pregnancy is an infrequent but serious phenomenon. During the period of bearing a child, the expectant mother's immune defense decreases. Therefore, any microbe or virus can easily infiltrate a defenseless organism. An intestinal infection, or intestinal flu, is no exception. The disease is transmitted through dirty hands, food, personal items and water.

Intestinal infection during pregnancy proceeds in the same way as in its absence. The first signs are diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Expectant mothers may experienceheadache, weakness, fever. Often, pregnant women confuse these symptoms with ordinary toxicosis. If you have an intestinal flu, then you should not self-medicate. To maintain your own he alth and normal development of the fetus, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible. At the same time, it is necessary to know how an acute intestinal infection is treated during pregnancy. Consider the main drugs for the treatment of this condition.

Cleanse your body of toxins

Treatment of intestinal flu always involves the use of sorbents. These drugs will help cleanse the body of toxins that are secreted by microbes. Most substances are excreted unchanged, they are not absorbed into the bloodstream. Therefore, the drugs are not capable of harming the expectant mother and her child. The most popular sorbents include activated carbon, Polysorb, Smekta, Enterosgel.

Women are wondering: is it possible to use activated charcoal during pregnancy? Doctors say that this sorbent is absolutely safe. It collects toxins, gases and alkaloids on its surface. Do not remember that you need to take the drug in accordance with the appointment of a specialist or according to the instructions. When using large volumes, the sorbent will also remove useful substances from the body, including vitamins.

Stop diarrhea

No stomach flu occurs without frequent stools. Diarrhea during early pregnancyat later, is dangerous. With diarrhea and vomiting, dehydration can occur. This is fraught with complications for the fetus and the woman herself. Is "Smekta" allowed during pregnancy? With diarrhea, this remedy is used quite often. In the indications for the use of the drug, diarrhea is indeed indicated. In addition, the drug has a cleansing effect. The drug is safe, as it is not absorbed into the blood. That is why in such situations, it is Smecta that is prescribed by doctors during pregnancy.

Medications based on loperamide also help with diarrhea. But they are banned in the early stages. In the second and third trimester, antidiarrheal medicine should only be taken under the supervision of a doctor and when the expected benefit to the mother outweighs the risks to the baby.

Diarrhea during pregnancy (early) can be stopped with folk recipes. Eliminate this symptom can rice water, porridge. It will also be effective to take a few peas of black pepper. Doctors are doubtful about such methods.

Restore the water-s alt balance

Intestinal infection during pregnancy can have consequences in the form of dehydration. This situation develops with profuse diarrhea and vomiting. That is why it is so important to consult a doctor in time. To restore the water-s alt balance, special solutions are used. These are Hydrovit and Regidron. They are available as a drink powder.

It is necessary to take the medicine in small portions of severalsips. It is important that the liquid has body temperature. In this case, it will be assimilated as quickly as possible. Even with subsequent vomiting, therapy will be effective. If the expectant mother cannot drink saline, then rehydration is carried out through intravenous administration of solutions.

Medicines for vomiting and nausea

Is intestinal infection dangerous during pregnancy? Undoubtedly! If diarrhea and vomiting are not stopped in time, the consequences will be disastrous. Drugs based on domperidone will help to cope with nausea and vomiting. They are available in tablets and as a suspension. Means are allowed during pregnancy, but before using it is still better to consult a specialist. Medicines in which domperidone is the active ingredient include Motilium, Motilak, Motizhekt, Passagex, and so on.

Metoclopromide medications may be used for treatment. But they are prescribed to expectant mothers only from the second half of pregnancy. If you have already crossed this barrier, then you can use them. Such funds include Cerucal, Raglan, Perinorm, Metamol and others.

Mint tablets, green tea, chamomile decoction will also help reduce discomfort and eliminate nausea. But all herbal products can be dangerous because they are allergens.

Antivirals

Intestinal infection during pregnancy is most often caused byvirus. To increase immunity and eliminate pathogenic organisms, antiviral drugs are prescribed. Interferon inducers are considered the safest. These drugs force the body to cope with the infection on its own, without interfering with this fight. Frequently used drugs - "Ergoferon", "Kipferon", "Genferon" and so on.

There are also many other immunomodulators and antiviral compounds: Cycloferon, Isoprinosine, Tsitovir. But most of them are contraindicated during pregnancy. The question of the possibility of treatment with these drugs is taken by the doctor.

Are antibiotics needed?

Does an intestinal infection require the use of antibacterial agents? During pregnancy, the use of such drugs is prohibited. Yes, and there will be little sense from their use. You already know that in most cases the disease is caused by a virus. Antibiotics are unable to cope with such an infection. But intestinal antiseptics can help the expectant mother.

The most commonly used drugs in which the active ingredient is nifuroxazide: "Ecofuril", "Enterofuril", "Stopdiar", "Ersefuril" and so on. The instruction on the use of these drugs reports that so far no clinical data have been received regarding the use of drugs during pregnancy. But doctors assure that all means are safe and are not able to be absorbed into the blood. This means that their antiseptic effect is distributed exclusively in the intestines.

Antipyretics:approved medicines and their uses

Often accompanied by high fever acute intestinal infection. During pregnancy, fever can be very dangerous. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully monitor the values of the thermometer. In the normal state, antipyretics are not used up to 38.5 degrees. But pregnancy is an exception.

It is necessary for a future mother to take antipyretics already at a temperature of 37.5. Paracetamol is considered the safest drug. It is allowed at any time. The medicine is available in different forms for the convenience of the consumer. If the patient has severe vomiting, then it is advisable to use rectal suppositories. For diarrhea, tablets and capsules are recommended. In the second trimester of pregnancy, you can take ibuprofen-based products, such as Nurofen. Use these drugs only as needed and do not overdose.

Probiotics for microflora

During the intestinal flu, all beneficial bacteria are washed out of the body. But it is they that affect the immune system and allow you to cope with many pathologies. Therefore, no treatment for intestinal infection is complete without the use of probiotics. All of them are considered safe during pregnancy. These are Linex, Acipol, Bifiform, Enterol and so on.

Can activated charcoal be combined with these drugs during pregnancy? Sorbents are well combined with probiotics, it is only important to follow a certain regimen. Cleansing formulationsused separately from all drugs. After their use, a probiotic or any other remedy can be taken only after two hours. Consult your doctor and choose the most suitable regimen for yourself.

E. coli during pregnancy

This pathology is considered separately. It does not apply to intestinal flu and other diseases of the digestive system. E. coli during pregnancy can be detected quite by accident. Normally, it is in the intestines, but sometimes it can get into the vagina or urethra. This is usually caused by poor hygiene, wearing tight underwear and thongs, improper washing technique, and so on.

At the very beginning, the pathology does not manifest itself in any way and is determined exclusively in the laboratory. But later, clear signs of its presence may begin: cystitis, unusual vaginal discharge, itching, and so on. This state is quite dangerous. Therefore, E. coli must be treated. Usually, antibiotics are used for this. They can be used from the end of the second trimester of pregnancy. For more information about the drugs, the duration of their use and the dosage regimen, you should ask your gynecologist.

Summarize

Intestinal infection that started during pregnancy can be dangerous. But if you consult a doctor in time and get a competent appointment, then unpleasant consequences can be avoided. Most often, the negative impact of pathology is noted at the beginning of pregnancy. Indeed, in the first trimester, the expectant mother cannot take many medicines, and this disease is quite difficult to eliminate without them. Therefore, in the very early stages, try to be especially careful about your he alth. The main prevention of intestinal flu is hygiene. Wash your hands frequently and don't use other people's towels. Try to apply antibacterial antiseptic gels outside the home.

If the first symptoms of the disease appear, then do not attribute them to toxicosis. Consult a doctor for examination and correct diagnosis. Stay he althy!