Dr. Amira Mohamad, MDCHB, Diploma in Obs&Gynec, Gynecologist.
The problems range from very minor to very serious, with solutions from a better diet to emergency surgery. We hope that some of this information helps you and that you never need to use any of it for more than an educational purpose.
Prenatal care is an important part of every pregnancy.
The best thing you can do is to eat a well balanced diet, drink plenty of fluids, salt your food to taste, and get regular exercise. These will help your body fend off viruses and maintain order.
There are many complaints in pregnancy:
Nausea
Nausea and vomiting generally go away by the end of the first three months.
Advice:
Deep breathing may help, as well as relaxation exercises.
A protein snack before bed will help low blood sugar in the morning.
Get up slowly out of bed.
Take a walk everyday.
Increase iron rich foods in your diet.
Heartburn
Stomach acids back up into the esophagus, causing a burning sensation. This may also occur in the latter months of pregnancy as your baby pushes all of your organs upward.
Advice:
Eat smaller, more frequent meals.
Remain upright for an hour after eating, lying down can irritate the problem.
Eating yogurt or drinking milk can help.
Avoid spicy or oily foods.
Try a tablespoon of honey in a glass of warm milk.
Fainting and Dizziness
The blood may pool in the lower body and the brain may become temporarily deprived of oxygen, causing fainting or dizziness.
Advice:
Avoid standing for long periods of time.
While standing practice contracting and relaxing your leg and buttocks muscles to help blood return to your head.
When sitting return to standing slowly.
If you feel faint, sit to avoid injury and place your head lower than your body, kneeling on all fours works too.
Constipation and Hemorrhoids
Constipation can become a problem in pregnancy due to hormonal changes affecting the digestive system. However, iron tablets can also lead to constipation as well as a lack of fiber in your diet. Hemorrhoids are varicose veins of the rectum which are associated with pregnancy. Preventing constipation is a good start to preventing hemorrhoids.
Advice for constipation:
Regular exercise, especially squatting.
Plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet.
Drink plenty of fluids.
When you have to go..GO! Do not delay the urge to defecate.
Avoid straining your bowels (This will also help prevent hemorrhoids).
Leg Cramps
May be caused by the weight you are carrying, circulation changes, or calcium deficiency.
Advice:
Regular exercise.
Adequate calcium intake.
When the cramp begins, bring your toes towards you, and massage the muscle.
Backaches
They can be caused by poor posture, inappropriate lifting techniques, lack of exercise, or the weight of the baby and the stretching ligaments.
Advice:
Utilize good posture.
Use proper lifting techniques.
Massage.
Sleep with pillows supporting your legs and back.
Wear flat heeled shoes that offer good support.
Heat (bath, shower, pad, sock).
Swimming.
Coughs and Colds
Pregnancy can cause your mucous membranes to swell.
Advice:
Well balanced diet.
Increase Vitamin C foods.
Eating garlic or onions can help with infections.
Zinc and Vitamin C supplements will help increase your resistance.
B vitamins help if you are under stress.
Use a humidifier.
Skin Changes
Most of these changes will go away shortly after the birth of your baby.
Advice:
Pigmentation:
Use a sunblock when in the sun.
Never bleach your skin.
Itching:
Changing laundry detergents to a dye free, perfume free brand.
Wear cotton clothes.
Acne:
Acne may either get better or worsen during pregnancy, try to keep your face dry, and avoid oils.
Stretch Marks
Contrary to popular belief, stretch marks cannot be prevented.
These marks will fade and turn silvery after the birth.
Advice:
Eat the proper diet.
Drink plenty of fluids.
Use a cream to moisturize the area, some people prefer a Vitamin E oil.
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure may be physiological or a reaction to stress or anxiety.
Advice:
Regular checking throughout the pregnancy.
Exercise regularly.
Balanced diet, containing plenty of raw fruits and vegetables.
Protein is very important in preventing high blood pressure.
Limiting red meat can help you maintain a lower blood pressure, make sure you are getting protein from other sources.
Salt your food to taste, do not eliminate salt from your diet
Cucumbers help reduce blood pressure
Avoid stress where possible
Instead of coffee, tea, or colas, drink: raspberry leaf, nettles, limeflower or dandelion teas
Juice of half a lemon or lime plus two teaspoons of cream of tartar in a half a cup of water once a day for three days, lowers your blood pressure. If needed repeat after a break of two days.
Headaches
Resulting from hormonal changes or stress, headaches can be familiar during pregnancy.
Advice:
Get plenty of rest.
Excessive caffeine can cause headaches, as can caffeine withdrawal. If you have been totally avoiding caffeine, a cola or cup of caffeinated tea may help.
Try relaxation exercises.
Soak a washcloth in cold water containing a few drops of essential oil of lavender. Apply to forehead and rest in darkened room.
Massaging the neck and spine may help.
Anemia
Anemia is very common during pregnancy.
Advice:
Eat lots of iron rich foods (liver, leafy greens, beets, oysters, heart and tongue).
Avoid caffeine, it prevents absorption of iron.
Avoid excessive bran, alkalinizers and phosphates, they inhibit absorption.
Drink something with vitamins C with your iron supplements (tablets or
herbal). Vitamin C aids in the assimilation.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
This syndrome affects a lot of us. I am assuming since you are probably reading this on a computer that you type quite a bit. This puts you at a higher risk.
Advice:
Use a wrist rest by your computer.
Sleep with your arm on a pillow at night.
Massage: Have a partner massage, using thumbs, from the inside of your wrist outwards and down.
A splint on your wrist at night may also help.
Do you have a Question? Click the button below to send
your questions, which will be answered by the gulfmd panel of doctors.
No site can replace the expertise and advice of healthcare practitioners who have direct contact with a patient. Any decision to use a healthcare provider is the sole responsibility of the consumer. gulfMD.com makes no representations concerning the quality of medical care or level of professional skills of any specific provider. Rather we hope the medical information that gulfMD.com provides will help consumers communicate more effectively with their healthcare practitioners and as a result, understand more completely their situations and choices. gulfMD.com is supported by hospitals, physicians, dentists and other type of healthcare providers.
This material may not be published, broadcast, re-written or redistributed.
