Toxicosis in the later stages: symptoms, causes, treatment and consequences

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

Undoubtedly, for the vast majority of women, pregnancy is a wonderful and long-awaited state. Unfortunately, there are many factors that can overshadow it. One of the most common is toxicosis in late pregnancy. What is it and what is the danger?

Definition

Toxicosis in late pregnancy or, as it is also called, preeclampsia is a complication that can occur in the third trimester. It is characterized by severe disorders in the vascular system of the body, as well as in vital internal organs. At the same time, the woman feels unpleasant symptoms.

At what time can late toxicosis occur? Most often, such deviations occur after 18-20 weeks. At what time can late toxicosis during pregnancy be detected? They can be diagnosed only after 26 weeks of gestation, which significantly worsens the prognosis.

Causes of occurrence

There are many theories as to whygestosis. Despite this, reliable causes of toxicosis in late pregnancy have not been identified. At the same time, there are a large number of factors that can provoke the development of this condition. These include the following causes:

• disturbances in the work of the cardiovascular system;
• being overweight;
• frequent stressful situations during gestation;
• impaired renal function;
• disorders of liver and gallbladder functions;
• some diseases of the endocrine system, in particular the thyroid gland;



• stay of the expectant mother in a state of alcoholic or drug intoxication;
• individual allergic reactions;
• faults in the immune system.

Pregnancy is a period during which you need to monitor your own he alth much more carefully in order not to miss the onset of the development of any disease and stop it in a timely manner. Otherwise, complications may develop, such as late toxicosis or preeclampsia.

Who is at risk

Unfortunately, about 20% of all pregnant women face the problem of toxicosis in the later stages. At the same time, there are such risk factors in which a woman may encounter this trouble:

• multiple pregnancy;
• frequent occurrence of stressful situations;
• first pregnancy, especially before the age of 18 or after 35;



• chronic fatigue;
• short time after previous pregnancy;
• has a history of abortions;
• poor living and eating conditions;
• presence of chronic infectious diseases;
• lack of qualified treatment for inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system;
• infantilism (underdevelopment) of the internal genital organs.

Also common causes of late toxicosis can be considered smoking and drinking alcohol during childbearing.

Consequences

Preeclampsia is a rather unpleasant complication of normal pregnancy, which can have serious consequences, including infant or maternal death. What is the danger of toxicosis in the later stages? For a woman, this condition is dangerous for a number of the following reasons:

1. There may be a disorder of one or more internal organs, including the organs of vision.
2. Violation of blood microcirculation in the brain.
3. Formation of blood clots in the brain. They, in turn, can provoke the development of cerebral or pulmonary edema. The condition is also dangerous due to sudden cerebral hemorrhage.
4. Dehydration of the body against the background of vomiting, which can occur with preeclampsia. Such vomiting can be quite difficult to control.
5. Premature partial or complete separation of the placenta, which is dangerous not only for the mother, but also for the baby.
6. Premature birth.
7. Fetal asphyxia.

A newborn baby may experience suchunpleasant complications:

1. Intrauterine oxygen starvation can lead to physical or mental underdevelopment in the future.
2. Low birth weight.



3. Soreness throughout life, especially in childhood.

A woman who has toxicosis in late pregnancy needs constant medical support.

Symptoms

A pregnant woman who is in a state of gestosis feels pretty bad. Common symptoms of toxicosis in the last stages of pregnancy include the following manifestations:

1. At the first stage of the development of gestosis, dropsy of pregnant women is observed. This designation is a condition in which a woman experiences severe swelling. Especially characteristically they develop in the limbs. At the same time, a woman cannot wear rings, and when bending and unbending her fingers, numbness and soreness are felt. Fortunately, edema does not always indicate toxicosis, but they are the reason for a more thorough diagnosis of this condition.



2. The second degree of development of preeclampsia is characterized by nephropathy - impaired renal function. With this condition, a pregnant woman often experiences significant pressure surges, which can even lead to partial or complete detachment of the placenta.
3. The third stage of the development of the condition is preeclampsia, which is accompanied by severe disorders in many internal organs. At the same time, the womanexperiencing symptoms such as a headache that feels heavy in the back of the head, uncontrollable vomiting, nausea, visual disturbances, olfaction, memory lapses, very high blood pressure, drowsiness, irritability.
4. The fourth or terminal stage of preeclampsia is called eclampsia. With this anomaly, oxygen starvation of the fetus develops, a heart attack, stroke, severe pulmonary edema, and convulsions may occur. Often this condition leads to complete detachment of the placenta, premature labor or intrauterine death of the fetus.

Any symptoms of toxemia in late pregnancy require emergency medical attention.

Diagnosis

Throughout her pregnancy, a woman often visits a gynecologist who carefully monitors her condition and the development of the fetus. Knowing how dangerous toxicosis is in late pregnancy, the task of an experienced gynecologist is to recognize undesirable symptoms, as well as timely diagnosis of the pathological condition, and the appointment of competent and effective treatment. If preeclampsia is suspected, the pregnant woman must undergo a series of such examinations:

• blood pressure measurement;
• weight control;
• control over the amount of liquid drunk per day;
• Ultrasound of the kidneys and adrenal glands;
• general and biochemical blood tests;
• urinalysis for protein.

In addition, the expectant mother may need to see an ophthalmologist to check her vision, as well as a nephrologist and a neurologist.

Medicated treatment

At what time can late toxicosis begin? Most often, this pathological condition is diagnosed later than the 26th week of gestation. For this reason, treatment should begin immediately after diagnosis. During pregnancy, a large number of medicines are prohibited, because they can harm the baby. However, in this case, some of them are a necessity. The most commonly prescribed medications are:

1. With increased irritability of a pregnant woman, it is recommended to take light herbal sedatives. It can be infusions of valerian, motherwort. In severe cases, there is a need to prescribe antipsychotics.



2. With a pronounced swelling of the body and limbs of a woman, she is offered to take diuretics. The dosage and the drug are selected individually.
3. Also shown to use antioxidants such as vitamins C, E.
4. Medicines may be prescribed to normalize blood rheology.

In some cases, specific medications may be prescribed to support vital organ function.

General principles of treatment

In the vast majority of cases, a pregnant woman is shown staying in a hospital so that doctors can monitor the condition of the expectant mother and child. The following measures are recommended:

• bed rest;



• measuring blood pressure about 6 times a day;
• control of body weight, which is recommended to be performed 1 time in 4-5 days;
• compliance with the drinking regime;
• monitoring the presence of protein in the urine.

Also, a pregnant woman needs to consult a gynecologist to check the condition of the baby in the womb. When the condition stabilizes, we can talk about premature delivery under the supervision of doctors.

Diet

The diet for pregnant women should also be special. During this period, it is important to consume a large number of vitamin and he althy foods. The diet of a woman with toxicosis in the later stages must necessarily include dietary meat, steamed or boiled, fish, vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin B, C, E. Also, the expectant mother should not be limited in the amount of fluid, even with pronounced puffiness. Food should be balanced, with a predominance of protein rather than carbohydrate foods.

Prevention

Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely prevent the development of symptoms of late toxicosis. This is due to the fact that it is not exactly known the reasons that cause it. However, it is in the power of a woman to reduce the number of prerequisites due to which preeclampsia may presumably occur. Prevention of this condition is as follows:

1. At the planning stage of pregnancy, you need to visit a gynecologist, as well as undergo a full examination for the timely detection of diseases of the internal organs. If availableyou need to complete the full course of treatment, and then plan the birth of a child.
2. It is important to stop bad habits such as smoking or drinking alcohol when planning a baby.
3. Set up a daily routine, sleep well.
4. If the work is associated with a lot of stressful situations, then it is recommended to change it.
5. It is also very important to create a favorable psychological background within the family.
6. Set up a diet, as well as diversify the diet as much as possible.
7. Spend some time outdoors every day.
8. It is noted that moderate sports, yoga or swimming are useful for strengthening the body.

In addition, it is very important during pregnancy not to neglect planned visits to the gynecologist, as well as all the necessary laboratory tests that are important for monitoring the development of the fetus.

Forecast

Fortunately, modern medicine is now at the level at which it is possible to provide qualified assistance to expectant mothers. For this reason, child and maternal mortality has also declined significantly. The prognosis for preeclampsia in late pregnancy is most often positive, however, provided that the expectant mother complies with all the doctors' prescriptions.

In addition, possible complications during pregnancy and after childbirth are also determined by the period at which late gestosis was detected, and the expectant mother began adequate treatment.

Conclusion

Late toxicosis during pregnancy is quitecommon occurrence. It has been studied enough, so experienced doctors know all the mechanisms for its treatment and maintaining the mother and child in the womb in a normal state. However, a favorable outcome most often depends largely on the mother, since it is the woman who must comply with all the prescriptions of doctors and their recommendations.