At what week does toxicosis appear? When does toxicosis and nausea begin during pregnancy?

Toxicosis sometimes overshadows a wonderful time for a woman - the period of bearing a baby. Instead of enjoying this amazing period, the woman painfully seeks a way out of the unpleasant and tormenting state. Why does toxicosis develop, how does it proceed and how to alleviate its manifestations during pregnancy? early stages, we will tell you in this material.

What it is?

In medicine, the concept of “toxicosis” is a broader concept than we are used to thinking. It refers to any pathological condition that is caused by exposure to toxins. Toxins can be external, exogenous. Such toxicosis develops as a result of a microbial infection, because most bacteria poison the body of their carrier with the products of their vital activity. Toxicosis can be endogenous, caused by exposure to substances that are formed in the human body as a result of metabolism. Toxicosis of pregnant women is one of the endogenous conditions.

In organism expectant mother a whole complex of changes occurs, which ultimately lead to signs of toxicosis. A woman’s hormonal levels begin to change literally from the first minutes after conception, and these changes can make themselves felt through toxicosis.

In the cerebral cortex of women with the onset of pregnancy, a new temporary center is formed - the so-called “pregnancy center”. Its task is to control the behavior and physiological functions of pregnancy. The new center, of course, is very necessary for the body of the expectant mother, but its active work often leads to malfunctions in the work of other centers, in particular, the center responsible for the production of saliva, for vasomotor functions, and excessive activation of the vomiting center.

That is why, already in the very early stages of pregnancy, when the woman is not yet aware of her position, profuse drooling during sleep, nausea and vomiting, headaches, chills, and a slight increase in body temperature may occur.

Although gestational toxicosis is a common companion for expectant mothers, especially in the early stages, it is not a mandatory symptom of pregnancy. If there is no toxicosis, this is also quite normal and natural. According to medical statistics, up to 80% of expectant mothers suffer from early toxicosis to one degree or another. A woman’s body is exposed to toxic effects due to the fact that in most cases it fails to adapt to pregnancy in time and accept all the numerous internal changes at once, for granted.

Doctors include work disorders in the concept of “toxicosis” gastrointestinal tract, nervous system, endocrine glands, malfunctions of immune defense, pathological changes in the functioning of the cardiovascular and urinary systems. All signs and symptoms of gestational toxicosis are considered comprehensively, not one at a time, and it is by the combination of disorders that arise during pregnancy that doctors can judge the degree, severity, type of toxicosis and how to deal with it, if any. necessity.

Start dates and duration

The true causes of toxicosis have not been fully studied, and much is still unclear about the inadequate reaction of the female body to pregnancy. But the main version is immune. In other words, the woman’s immunity is at a loss - there is a half-foreign object in the body, but it cannot be destroyed! From the first minutes after conception, the hormone progesterone begins to be produced in large quantities. It prepares the walls of the uterus for upcoming implantation, takes care of the accumulation of nutrients and fats, and also affects the woman’s immunity. The fertilized egg (zygote, and later blastocyst and embryo) contains only half of the genetic set similar to its native one. The second half of the genetic material is paternal, and it is its immunity that qualifies it as a foreign object.

To prevent the immune system from dealing with the embryo, progesterone artificially suppresses its mechanisms. In women with strong immunity, the manifestations of toxicosis are usually stronger, because their immune defense does not give up for a long time. The process of suppressing the immune system with progesterone causes changes at the biochemical level, and it is these new substances that cause internal intoxication.

Enter the first day of your last menstrual period

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After implantation of the fertilized egg, which occurs on average 7-8 days after conception, the production of another “pregnant” hormone begins - hCG. Chorionic gonadotropin also contributes to the well-being of the expectant mother. Its concentration increases gradually, and within a week, around the date when the woman expects her next menstruation, the first signs of toxicosis may appear.

Usually, it is at 5-6 weeks of pregnancy (if you start counting from the first day of the last menstruation, as all obstetricians do), that a woman begins to feel sick, has attacks of dizziness, and taste preferences change. Less commonly described is toxicosis, which appears a little earlier - at 3-4 weeks, immediately after implantation. Most often, the unpleasant condition first makes itself felt at 7-8 weeks.

How long toxicosis lasts is not an easy question. Here a lot depends on the individual characteristics of the body. Experts tend to believe that toxicosis is most likely during the period of active formation of the placenta - from 5-6 weeks to 14-16 weeks of pregnancy. Most women who suffered from early toxicosis claim that they felt significantly better after 12-13 weeks of pregnancy. For some, toxicosis “lingers” until 18-20 weeks.

The severity of a woman’s condition is determined in laboratory conditions, mainly by the level of acetone in the urine and characteristic changes in the blood count.

An increase in acetone is always associated with a lack of glucose. In the morning, the sugar level is always lower than in the evening, which is why toxicosis most often makes itself felt in the morning.

Symptoms

The signs and manifestations of gestational toxicosis are generally well known to all women and are actively discussed by them in specialized forums. Most often, toxicosis manifests itself as causeless nausea and even vomiting. Any little thing can provoke them, for example, the smell of a previously favorite perfume, the taste of toothpaste during the morning or evening toilet, the smell of cooking food, gasoline, eau de toilette husband - all this can cause a sudden attack of nausea.

Quite often as the first signs early toxicosis dizziness occurs. They can be insignificant, rare and short-lived, or they can cause a lot of trouble - if a woman suddenly, paroxysmally feels dizzy, she experiences weakness, then loss of consciousness is possible at the most inconvenient time - when traveling in transport, at work, in a store.

Also common forms of gestational toxicosis are belching, including with bile, signs of indigestion (diarrhea, constipation, heartburn), changes in taste preferences, headaches that accompany early pregnancy, appearing mainly in the evenings. Six out of ten pregnant women experience daily rises in body temperature within a week or two after conception. The temperature during toxicosis rises slightly - slightly above 37.0 degrees, usually in the afternoon or evening. It is caused by an increase in progesterone in the body of the expectant mother, the concentration of which reaches its peak in the afternoon.

This temperature does not require taking medications or antipyretics, it is physiological and cannot harm the unborn baby in any way. Most cases of gestational toxicosis in the early stages are also considered completely physiological and do not require treatment. Doctors say that you just need to endure temporary unpleasant symptoms associated with the female body’s adaptation to new conditions. However, constant toxicosis, which prevents a woman from eating normally, leads to significant weight loss, disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, changes in blood composition, and may require hospitalization.

Quite rarely, toxicosis manifests itself as dermatological problems - skin rashes with or without itching, exacerbation of bronchial asthma, osteomalacia. Symptoms of early gestational toxicosis are very individual and can be present either individually or in combination, much depends on the extent and form in which it is observed in a woman.

Kinds

As already mentioned, toxicosis in a pregnant woman may have various shapes and types. It is necessary to distinguish several main types of female malaise in the very early stages of gestation:

Poisoning. We are talking about poisoning if vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain appear suddenly. This toxicosis is also called bacterial. It is associated with poisoning of the body by toxins that bacteria have released into low-quality food products during reproduction.

Evening. Unpleasant symptoms with such toxicosis appear exclusively in the evening. It may be due to the fact that the woman was tired, did not eat enough during the working day, or experienced stress.

Despite the fact that nausea and dizziness make it difficult to fall asleep normally, such toxicosis is not considered dangerous; it passes quickly enough.

Morning. This type is the most common. It is in the morning, after a long sleep, that the level of glucose in the human body is minimal, and against this background nausea and even vomiting appear. Such symptoms at the very beginning of the day also do not pose a danger to the woman and child.

Early. Unpleasant symptoms with it are characteristic of women up to 14-16 weeks of pregnancy. If the symptoms are mild, the woman is not experiencing rapid weight loss and there are no signs of dehydration, no treatment is required.

Preeclampsia(late toxicosis). This is toxicosis that develops at the end of the second or third trimester. This is the most dangerous type of toxicosis; it can lead to placental abruption and fetal death. Among the causes of maternal mortality, gestosis also occupies one of the leading positions. It requires mandatory medical intervention.

A woman can easily assess the severity of the symptoms herself, but it is better to report any concerns to the attending physician. A minor degree (first) is usually characterized by infrequent vomiting (no more than 3-4 times a day) that occurs after eating. Weight loss in mild cases does not exceed 3-4 kilograms, the woman’s mucous membranes remain sufficiently moisturized, and the skin is elastic. Pulse and blood pressure levels are most often within normal limits. This stage does not require medication treatment.

Severe toxicosis (second degree) is characterized by more frequent vomiting, which can occur up to 8 times a day. The woman's health is deteriorating. Acetone appears in the urine, a characteristic acetone odor from the mouth may be observed, blood pressure decreases, and this causes attacks of weakness. The pulse is rapid, the skin is dry, the woman loses weight up to 6-8 kilograms. This stage necessarily requires medical intervention.

Threatening toxicosis (third degree) is characterized by frequent and debilitating vomiting (more than 15 times a day), severe dehydration, and large loss of body weight. This degree poses a threat to a woman’s life and cannot be avoided without medical intervention. The woman's skin and tongue become dry, blood pressure drops, and the pulse exceeds 120 beats per minute. The composition of the blood changes; not only acetone, but also protein is found in the urine.

Who is threatened?

Since the mechanism of toxicosis has not yet been fully studied, its causes are not obvious, and it is quite difficult to determine the circle of women who are at risk. But long-term observations of obstetricians and gynecologists show that there are quite good reasons to believe that in the early stages women are most susceptible to the development of toxicosis:

• those who became pregnant before the age of 18-19 and women who became pregnant after 30 years of age;
• those who suffered before pregnancy from various pathologies and diseases of the kidneys, immune system, and also had problems with the endocrine system;
• whose previous pregnancy was accompanied by toxicosis;
• with gynecological problems, in particular with inflammatory processes in the endometrium;
• abusing alcoholic beverages and smoking;
• those born from a pregnancy accompanied by toxicosis, as well as if their mothers and sisters have an obstetric history of other pregnancies with unpleasant symptoms of intoxication;
• those who moved from central Russia or its southern regions to the north and became pregnant within the first five years after moving;
• which are characterized by latent anemia.

And this is far from full list prerequisites for the development of intoxication in the initial gestational stages. When registering for pregnancy, the doctor must collect a complete medical history; he is interested in how previous pregnancies proceeded, what they were like for close relatives of the expectant mother.

If an obstetrician-gynecologist has reason to believe that a woman is in a state of pretoxicosis, he can prescribe preventive treatment and make recommendations. Pretoxicosis does not always develop and become full-fledged toxicosis, but such a possibility cannot be excluded.

Why is it missing?

In the generally accepted view, toxicosis is almost an obligatory symptom of pregnancy, especially in the early stages. Actually this is not true. Many pregnant women do not experience it and carry their babies easily. Why is this happening?

First of all, a toxic-free pregnancy is possible when a woman has no chronic diseases, no problems with immune pathologies, metabolism, or excess weight. The absence of gestational toxicosis as such may be genetically determined - the mother and grandmother of the expectant mother did not suffer from nausea and vomiting while carrying their babies.

In any case, if there is no toxicosis, this is normal. This suggests that the woman’s body easily adapted to the onset of pregnancy, all organs and systems began to be rebuilt to work in new conditions, there was no “protest” from the mother’s body.

The absence of toxicosis should not frighten you. But if it was there, and then suddenly disappeared before 12-14 weeks, this may be a sign of fading pregnancy, stopping the development of the embryo. If a woman’s toxicosis lasted for several weeks or months, and then suddenly disappeared, she should definitely visit her doctor and make sure that the pregnancy is developing.

The absence of toxicosis in the early stages is the most favorable prospect for a woman and her baby. If there is no vomiting and accompanying “troubles”, the likelihood of premature spontaneous abortion is lower, the child receives a sufficient amount of vitamins, minerals and other necessary substances from the mother’s blood, the mother’s mood and well-being are stable and this creates good preconditions for the development of the fetus.

Treatment with medications

Treatment with the use of medicinal drugs is prescribed only for moderate and threatening degrees of toxicosis, and for severe toxicosis. With a mild degree, you can completely get by with funds traditional medicine, of course, having previously agreed on their use with the attending physician. Moderate degree may require treatment with prescribed medications at home or in a day hospital. In case of severe toxicosis, the woman is indicated for hospitalization.

Doctors begin to fight severe toxicosis after determining the degree and severity of the course. The usual classical treatment regimen includes Droperidol. This drug belongs to the group of antipsychotics that suppress the vomiting center in the cerebral cortex. The frequency of vomiting attacks decreases. Droppers with this drug have a faster and more pronounced effect than administering the drug intramuscularly. Often a woman is prescribed Relanium tablets; sometimes the drug Cerucal is recommended. This therapy makes it possible to provide effective assistance at the first stage - the activity of the central nervous system is regulated, the urge to vomit becomes less.

The second stage of inpatient treatment is aimed at replenishing the water-salt balance, which is significantly disturbed due to frequent vomiting and diarrhea. In case of severe vomiting, a woman is given IV drips with saline solutions, saline, and vitamins. Be sure to introduce glucose, B vitamins and give ascorbic acid (vitamin C). The woman is shown enterosobrents - “Polysorb”, “Enterosgel”. If the woman’s condition continues to be severe due to dehydration, hormonal therapy is prescribed - “Prednisolone” (hydrocortisone).

For expectant mothers with severe toxicosis, antihistamines “Suprastin”, “Tavegil”, “Diprazin”, “Diphenhydramine” are recommended. These drugs, according to classic scheme treatments are indicated for intramuscular administration. Along with taking medications, it is recommended to drink plenty of warm drinks, bed or semi-bed rest.

Today, the method of immunocytotherapy can also be used. They resort to it if treatment with medications does not produce a noticeable effect. An extract from her husband's lymphocytes is injected under the skin in the area of ​​the forearm of the expectant mother. Within a day, relief should come, because the woman’s immunity will “switch” to new object increased danger – to foreign cells. However, this method has only a temporary effect and exists in order to temporarily make a woman feel better.

Termination of pregnancy for medical reasons is carried out in case of severe threatening toxicosis in cases where the medicinal methods of influence described above have not brought results within 12 hours from the start of therapy, if the woman’s condition continues to be threatening. Also, termination of pregnancy is strongly recommended as the only life-saving option if a woman develops liver dystrophy, kidney failure, or nephropathy against the background of severe toxicosis. Pregnancy is terminated in the early stages using an induced abortion.

Numerous homeopathic medicines (for example, “Nux vomica-Homaccord”, “Mercurius”, “Colchicum-6”, “Vomicumheel”, “Cocculus indicus” and others), although recommended by manufacturers as effective remedies for any form of toxicosis in pregnant women, have been proven have no effect. Clinical trials of these drugs have not been carried out, and the doses of active ingredients in the drugs are so small that, by and large, a woman will receive only small fractions of sugar, water and only a few molecules (!) of the active substance.

If you have severe toxicosis, you should not try to treat yourself with homeopathic remedies, which are considered harmless. You may miss precious time that is necessary for a woman to receive qualified medical care.

Homeopathy is harmless, but, alas, completely useless, especially in threatening conditions. Mild stages of toxicosis usually do not require the use of medications and homeopathy, and in severe cases, treatment should be quick, competent and qualified. Therefore, you should not prescribe medications for yourself, and even more so, you should not keep silent about the fact that you feel unwell, believing that this is how it should be during pregnancy.

Folk remedies

Traditional medicine has hundreds of recipes that help pregnant women get rid of unpleasant and obsessive nausea and dizziness. These recipes have been tested by dozens of generations of women, but it should be understood that resorting to them makes sense only when a woman has a mild degree of toxicosis that does not threaten her life and health.

Aromatherapy helps relieve nausea and pathological perception of odors. Pregnant women resorted to it in Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece; treatment with essential oils was widely used in Rus'.

A few drops of peppermint essential oil can help cope with morning sickness - apply them to your wrist or handkerchief. It is enough to put it next to you while washing your face or having breakfast.

Aromatic ginger oil helps reduce nighttime toxicity and eliminate bouts of vomiting that occur after eating. Just apply a drop of oil on your palms, rub well, bring it to your face and take a deep, calm breath. If a woman suffers from attacks of dizziness, she is recommended to carry with her a small bottle of pine or fir essential oil. A few drops of this pine oil on the wrist will help cope with unpleasant sensations.

When choosing an essential oil, you must take into account your own tendency to allergies, because aromatherapy is not suitable for everyone. If it is not possible to visit an aromatherapist, you need to start from what groups of substances you have an allergic reaction to. If you are allergic to citrus fruits, you should not use orange and lemon essential oils; if you are allergic to pollen, you should avoid essential oils and extracts of tropical and exotic plants, flowers and fruits.

If, after applying the oil, redness appears on the wrist, a runny nose, lacrimation, itchy skin, this method of helping with toxicosis should be categorically abandoned, giving preference to other options.

Historically, phytotherapeutic methods of combating gestational toxicosis have become more widely used in Russia. If you experience nausea in the morning, it is recommended to drink tea with mint leaves. If a woman vomits frequently, lemon water can help. To prepare it, take about one teaspoon per glass of clean drinking water. lemon juice. Also effective, according to reviews from pregnant women, are rosehip decoctions and homemade fruit juice made from sour fresh cranberries. Such drinks will not only relieve an attack of nausea, but also enrich the body with vitamin C.

In Rus', even before the advent of qualified obstetricians, when all hope was only in midwives, women took pumpkin tea for nausea. To do this, they took pumpkin pulp, chopped it finely, and then brewed it with boiling water. We drank it like regular tea. Tea with oregano was also popular, or rather, a decoction made from dried oregano and boiling water. For 300 grams of water, take no more than 10 g of herbal raw materials. Similar decoctions were prepared from lemon balm, weeping grass, and calendula flowers.

A decoction of chamomile and sage, as well as tea with the addition of an aqueous tincture of motherwort, is used selectively, in small doses.

Honey and bee products are usually not recommended for pregnant women, but in some cases it is allowed to drink tea with the addition of a teaspoon of fresh and high-quality honey.

Anyway, Before using herbal remedies, you should definitely consult your doctor, since herbs are not at all as harmless as most people think. They can lead to the development of a severe allergic reaction, disruption of digestion, sleep, decreased or increased blood pressure, and even early termination of pregnancy.

Nutrition

It is with food intake that most often occur big problems with early gestational toxicosis. In addition to the fact that taste preferences change, a woman’s appetite is disturbed (either it is absent or it is increased). Menu planning should be done Special attention. If it is compiled and planned correctly, many unpleasant manifestations and symptoms can be avoided.

The main mistake of expectant mothers is a misunderstanding of the essence of toxicosis. They believe that the less they eat, the less sick and nauseous they will be. This is wrong. The second big misconception concerns a diet based on one food or one food group. You can often hear that a woman suffering from early toxicosis is advised by more experienced mothers to eat what she wants and not to eat what makes her sick.

In the early stages, the fetus and the expectant mother need vitamins and minerals in full, and therefore a “skew” in favor of only cottage cheese or only apples can cause metabolic disorders and the development of allergies, both in the mother and in the future and in the fetus.

A balanced diet during the period of toxicosis should exclude foods to which a woman has a vomiting reaction, but they must find a worthy replacement. For example, if you have an inadequate reaction to pork, you can cook veal or poultry. But meat in one form or another must be in the diet. If a woman experiences nausea from cabbage and beets, she should add zucchini and pumpkin to her diet. You need to make sure that you have enough fruits rich in vitamin C. If you are vomiting, you should not under any circumstances stop eating salt, because it allows you to partially restore the minerals lost in the vomit.

Unlike the second and third trimesters, when salty foods are undesirable, at the very beginning of pregnancy you can afford lightly salted cucumbers and fish, but in very moderate quantities. Carbonated drinks and fatty food, canned food, as well as smoked meats.

It is also worth giving up a lot of sweets, because sugar promotes fermentation processes in the intestines.

During this period, it is best to eat raw vegetables and fruits, cereals (dairy and non-dairy), boiled and steamed meat and dishes made from it, fish, cottage cheese, and dairy products. It is better to replace nuts and seeds, which some people use as an emergency aid for nausea, with white bread crackers prepared at home without spices. Nuts can cause severe allergies, and white crackers negative consequences they won't call.

It is important not to forget to eat first courses every day. Food should be taken fractionally, in small portions, but often - every 3-4 hours.

Following simple tips will help cope with early toxicosis. General recommendations include the following tips:

• Start your morning right. Don't get up too quickly when your alarm goes off. The rise should be gradual and smooth. Keep a plate of white crackers or dried fruits on your bedside table. One piece of dried apricots or crackers right after waking up can relieve morning vomiting. Use children's toothpastes - they are less harsh and usually do not lead to vomiting. For breakfast, be sure to drink after porridge or omelette sweet tea to increase blood glucose levels. ​​​​
• Eliminate strong odors. Try not to be in smoky rooms during the day, do not use a lot of perfume, if necessary, do not hesitate to ask others to reduce the amount of perfume or eau de toilette you use.

If you need to go to work or study public transport, take with you a clean hygiene bag, like the ones they used to give on airplanes (anything can happen). Carry with you in your bag wet wipes, a bottle of still clean drinking water, maybe with a slice of lemon.

• More on fresh air. If the distance allows, replace the bus ride with a walk, and in the evenings make it a rule to walk before bed. For walks, choose quieter and secluded places, parks, squares, forest belts, located away from highways.
• Rest often. If possible, try to lie down during the day for at least half an hour. But in the evening after dinner, don’t go to bed right away, first go for a walk. This will promote better digestion and solve problems with night toxicosis.
• Sleep with the window open. The designs of modern windows allow you to sleep with the sash ajar even in winter. The better the room is ventilated, the less nausea the expectant mother will feel. In summer, you can sleep with an open window or a slightly open balcony door.

• Avoid strains and sudden movements. An attack of nausea can be triggered even by a sudden change in body position. Therefore, accustom yourself to be sedate, measured, move more smoothly and carefully. Avoid physical activity that causes noticeable fatigue, as well as active sports that can cause you to lose consciousness and get injured (bicycles, roller skates, treadmill in the gym). Swimming and skiing will be beneficial winter time of the year.
• Stay in a good mood. Psychosomatic causes of toxicosis are rejection of the child, unwanted pregnancy, fear of childbirth, leaving the baby's father, fear of losing the child. Get more positive emotions, expect that everything will be fine and the symptoms of toxicosis will subside faster than you can imagine.

If toxicosis suddenly intensifies, do not waste time - consult a doctor. Complaints about toxicosis are not as insignificant and ridiculous as they might seem, because behind its manifestations there may be a serious pathology.

​​​For toxicosis in early pregnancy, watch the following video.

Almost 2/3 of pregnant women experience toxicosis of varying severity. It can significantly worsen a woman’s well-being and even cause her hospitalization. Fortunately, in most cases, toxicosis in pregnant women does not lead to loss of ability to work, although this condition imposes certain restrictions on the diet and diet.

What is considered toxicosis during pregnancy?

Pregnancy without toxicosis is the absolute norm. But in modern world This is rare, and the absence of any uncomfortable symptoms already in the first days after a missed period is often perceived by a woman as an alarming sign. So what is toxicosis?

This term refers to a group of pathological conditions that arise only during pregnancy, lead to a deterioration in the woman’s well-being and are manifested by extragenital symptoms. They may appear even before registering a delay in menstruation and receiving positive test for pregnancy. So many women consider this condition to be the very first and most reliable sign of successful conception.

In fact, toxicosis is one of the dubious signs of pregnancy. After all, its symptoms are nonspecific, sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish them from signs of various somatic diseases. In addition, some complaints that appear in a pregnant woman may be of a psychogenic nature, that is, they may not have a physiological connection with the development of the embryo in the uterus. And sometimes a condition simulating toxicosis even occurs outside of pregnancy. This is possible if a woman really looks forward to its onset and has a tendency to somatize her emotions due to individual psychological characteristics.

The term “toxicosis” was introduced into use at the beginning of the last century. Moreover, initially it designated pathological extragenital conditions that occur at any stage of gestation. Currently, toxicosis is diagnosed only in the 1st trimester. And at later stages the term “preeclampsia” is used. And this is a much more serious and potentially life-threatening condition for the fetus and woman. But even now it is sometimes called late toxicosis, which is not a completely correct term.

Main clinical forms

According to the modern classification, toxicosis includes:

• Vomiting during pregnancy is the most common form, accounting for up to 85% of cases. This is what is most often called.
• Salivation.
• Dermatoses or “pregnancy pruritus”.
• Chorea of ​​pregnancy.
• Bronchospasm and bronchial asthma.
• Hepatosis, acute yellow atrophy of the liver.
• Osteomalacia.

In terms of severity, toxicosis can have 3 degrees of severity: mild, moderate, severe. This is decisive when deciding whether to hospitalize a pregnant woman, even if she does not show signs of a threat of miscarriage or deviations in the development of pregnancy.

Why does he appear

For quite a long time, the development of toxicosis was associated with poisoning of a woman’s body with metabolic products (toxins) formed during the development of the embryo. Currently, this theory is recognized as untenable, since it does not explain the disappearance of the main symptoms as pregnancy progresses. Subsequently, many other assumptions were made, and some of them were reflected in the modern understanding of the pathogenesis of pregnancy toxicosis. The study of this condition is still underway, because the mechanisms of development of key symptoms have not yet been fully established.

Today it is believed that the main causes of toxicosis during pregnancy lie in the developing hormonal imbalance in the woman’s body and in changes in the functional state of her central nervous system (especially the diencephalic region and the parasympathetic part). Subsequently, secondary dysmetabolic disorders occur. This aggravates the condition and can contribute to the formation of not functional, but structural changes in some internal organs with the appearance of new symptoms. In severe cases of toxicosis, dystrophic changes develop.

For example, vomiting leads to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. This can again provoke disruption of the digestive tract, convulsions, and disruption of the functioning of the central nervous system and heart. Accompanying toxicosis, starvation or low absorption of essential nutrients contributes to hypoproteinemia and the accumulation of ketone bodies. If unfavorable, this can cause severe progressive hyperlipemia with subsequent fatty infiltration of the liver.

In some cases, signs of toxicosis can be explained by the pregnant woman’s allergenicity of trophoblast proteins.

Clinically significant hormonal changes

Pathogenetically important dishormonal disorders of early pregnancy:

• Relative estrogen deficiency. In itself, this does not lead to toxicosis, but in combination with other disorders it becomes clinically significant and contributes to the development of autonomic reactions.
• Increasing concentration of progesterone in the blood. This hormone is produced by the corpus luteum of the ovary, which remains in place and continues to function after implantation of the embryo. Its main task is to prolong pregnancy, prevent spontaneous abortions and ensure adequate growth of uterine tissue. But progesterone's influence is not limited to the reproductive system. It acts on the smooth muscle fibers in the walls of the digestive tract, relaxing them. This can lead to an imbalance in the functioning of the stomach and various parts of the intestines, which causes unpleasant symptoms of toxicosis.
• The production of human chorionic gonadotropin progressively increases in the first weeks of pregnancy. There is evidence that peak values ​​of this substance often act as a provoking factor for the development of vomiting. This may explain the predominance of complaints of nausea in the morning, when the concentration of hCG is usually highest.
• Decreased secretion of glucocorticosteroids by the adrenal cortex. This leads to a decrease in the response of blood vessels to vasoconstrictor substances and promotes the accumulation of fluid in the intercellular spaces.

Currently, dishormonal changes are considered key in the pathogenesis of toxicosis.

What affects the likelihood of developing toxicosis

Not all pregnant women develop toxicosis. Even for the same woman, the period of bearing the first and subsequent children may differ. And if she has already experienced toxicosis before, during her second pregnancy her symptoms may not bother her. And it is impossible to predict its appearance.

There is also an opinion that there is a relationship between the likelihood of toxicosis and the gender of the conceived child. But it has no scientific evidence. In the very early stages of pregnancy, when toxicosis usually appears, all embryos develop equally. They do not yet have differentiation of the reproductive system; this will occur only from the 8th week of gestation. Therefore, the gender of the child cannot affect the development of early toxicosis.

Predisposing factors include:

• . The hormonal “burst” in a pregnant woman is usually higher than when conceiving with one embryo.
• Tendency to neurosis-like and somatoform reactions, migraines. Indeed, in these cases, even before pregnancy, there is a change in the interaction between the brain, the autonomic part of the nervous system and target organs.
• Transferred shortly before conception infectious diseases and surgical interventions, especially on the reproductive organs.
• Presence of chronic diseases internal organs. The onset and prolongation of pregnancy can become a factor that disrupts the existing balance and leads to decompensation of the existing pathology. This is especially true for diseases of the digestive tract.
• Hereditary predisposition.
• Age. Pregnant women over 35-40 years of age are more likely to develop toxicosis. This is explained by a decrease in their general compensatory capabilities of the body, a decrease in the functional activity of the endocrine and reproductive systems, and the accumulation of chronic and not always diagnosed pathology of internal organs.

It is important to understand that the presence of predisposing conditions only increases the likelihood of developing toxicosis. And their absence does not guarantee good health in the first months of pregnancy. Absolutely healthy and completely emotionally balanced women often experience toxicosis. This is not an exception to the rule and only indicates the development of their reaction to the changes occurring during pregnancy.

When does toxicosis begin?

How long after conception does toxicosis occur?

The timing of the development of this condition is quite individual, but in any case it appears only after implantation ovum into the functional layer of the endometrium of the uterus. And this process occurs no earlier than 5 days after the fusion of the egg and sperm, most often on the 9th day after ovulation.

But in a number of women, for various reasons, the timing of implantation shifts and can be either 7-8 or 11-14 days. At the same time, a long time interval between fertilization and implantation of the fertilized egg is fraught with failure to maintain the pregnancy; the woman’s body simply does not have time to adequately respond and prevent the onset of menstruation.

What explains this period?

Fertilization of the egg most often occurs in the lumen of the fallopian tube. Therefore, for proper implantation, the resulting fertilized egg must reach the endometrium. It also needs to go through certain successive stages of development and transform into a blastocyst through the process of active cell division. Therefore, even if fertilization occurs in the uterine cavity, implantation is still possible only after a strictly defined number of days.

Only after the implantation and consolidation of the fertilized egg in the endometrium, the woman’s body receives a signal about the onset of pregnancy and begins to produce hormones to prolong it. And a pronounced increase in progesterone levels and a progressive increase in hCG synthesis are precisely what can provoke the onset of toxicosis. But this usually does not happen immediately after implantation, and only after reaching a certain concentration of hormones and a secondary change in the functional state of the nervous system. In addition, each pregnant woman has her own sensitivity to the processes occurring in her body.

So at what week does toxicosis begin?

The majority of women begin to experience symptoms within about 1.5 weeks after a missed period. Most often, they are preceded by other signs of an increase in progesterone levels: breast engorgement, increased nipple sensitivity, and others. But in some pregnant women they appear almost simultaneously with nausea, already a week and a half before the expected date of menstruation.

Pregnancy that follows can also occur with toxicosis. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the later implantation of the fertilized egg due to the technical features and timing of the procedure for transferring embryos into the uterine cavity. Therefore, symptoms of toxicosis usually occur after confirmation of pregnancy using a laboratory test for hCG and ultrasound.

It is important to understand that toxicosis cannot be ruled out. After all, the site of implantation does not affect the functioning of the corpus luteum; the synthesis of hormones is supported by signals emanating from the developing fertilized egg. Therefore, it is impossible to assume an ectopic pregnancy only by the severity of toxicosis; other symptoms indicate this pathology.

Main manifestations

The most common form of toxicosis is nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. They are usually combined with increased salivation, increased sensitivity to odors (both food and household), the emergence of taste preferences, and changes in appetite.

Nausea is an uncomfortable, but not at all dangerous symptom for a woman’s health and for the development of the embryo. It can be almost constant, bother you in influxes in response to external taste and aromatic stimuli, or appear mainly in the first hours after waking up in the morning. But evening toxicosis is also possible, which is not a gross pathology. The deterioration of the condition at the end of the day is explained by the fatigue of the pregnant woman with depletion of the functional reserves of the nervous system.

Vomiting most often accompanies nausea and develops at its peak. In the first half of pregnancy, morning urges usually occur on an empty stomach. But vomiting can also occur after eating. Its frequency and abundance depend on the severity of toxicosis and the presence of concomitant chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The diet of a pregnant woman is also of certain importance. Rich, irritating, fatty foods usually aggravate the situation and more often provoke vomiting.

In addition, gastric emptying may not be spontaneous. Wanting to alleviate the condition, reduce the severity of nausea and the feeling of heaviness and fullness in the stomach, some pregnant women deliberately induce vomiting. This is fraught with the appearance of traumatic linear tears in the mucous membrane of the esophagus at the point of its transition to the stomach, which causes some discomfort and can even cause the appearance of individual streaks of fresh blood in the vomit.

Early toxicosis may also be accompanied by heartburn - a burning sensation behind the sternum with a sour taste in the mouth, and sometimes with a feeling of irritation in the throat. The appearance of this symptom is explained by relaxation of the cardiac sphincter between the esophagus and stomach with the reflux of acidic contents into the upper sections and even into the oral cavity. The likelihood of heartburn increases when you intentionally induce vomiting. But in general, heartburn usually appears at more advanced stages of gestation.

Changes in the general condition, the nature and severity of metabolic changes during toxicosis in the first half of pregnancy depend on the severity of its course. With repeated, debilitating vomiting, other symptoms appear and increase. They are associated with dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, protein deficiency and deterioration in the functioning of internal organs. Severe toxicosis is actually multiple organ failure.

Main criteria of severity

There are 3 degrees of severity of vomiting during pregnancy:

1. Easy. Vomiting occurs 2-4 times a day, while the discharge is not abundant and without pathological impurities. The pregnant woman does not experience weight loss and there are no abnormalities in biochemical or general blood tests. Her general condition is assessed as satisfactory.
2. Medium-heavy. The frequency of vomiting is 10 or more times a day. The pregnant woman loses weight, she exhibits obvious autonomic disorders and signs of dehydration (dry skin, decreased volume of urine excreted with acetonuria, severe asthenia, tachycardia and a tendency to lower blood pressure). But there are no critical changes in the general and biochemical blood tests yet; the existing hypochloremia and mild anemia can be corrected. The temperature is usually low-grade. With inadequate treatment, the condition progresses, and disorders of carbohydrate and fat metabolism develop.
3. Heavy. Indomitable vomiting (more than 20 times a day) is one of the many polymorphic symptoms caused by multiple organ failure. Body temperature may be low-grade or febrile. There is a progressive decrease in body weight with signs of degeneration of internal organs and tissues. The functioning of the kidneys is impaired, persistent oliguria, proteinuria, acetonemia and acetonuria develop. Liver damage causes jaundice due to bilirubinemia. The balance of minerals is grossly disturbed, and there are obvious disturbances of all types of metabolism. As symptoms increase, the level of consciousness is disrupted, and coma subsequently develops.

Fortunately, uncontrollable vomiting of pregnancy with progressive deterioration of the condition is now rarely diagnosed. After all, such a severe form of toxicosis develops through a gradual worsening of symptoms, so that there is the possibility of timely correction of emerging disorders.

When to worry

Most pregnant women experience a mild form of toxicosis, manifested by nausea and mild morning vomiting. This condition does not pose any threat and does not even require special treatment. However, symptoms may develop that require immediate medical attention.

These include:

• vomiting more than 10 times a day;
• severe adynamia and asthenia, significantly interfering with the daily functioning of a pregnant woman;
• disturbance of the depth of consciousness (in the form of stupor and even stupor), the main symptom of this condition is motor and mental retardation with a violation of the level of contact with the outside world;
• weight loss;
• dryness and decreased skin turgor;
• the appearance of the smell of acetone in the exhaled air;
• a clear decrease in the amount of urine excreted per day;
• the appearance of yellowness of the sclera, visible mucous membranes and skin;
• sudden disappearance of complaints, which may be a sign of a progressive fall hCG level due to .

Intensification of existing symptoms, the appearance of new disorders - all this also requires consultation with a doctor.

What is included in the examination

Examination of pregnant women with complaints of symptoms of toxicosis is aimed at assessing their physical condition and excluding diseases that may lead to similar complaints.

Diagnostics includes laboratory and instrumental studies:

• general blood test to detect anemia and signs of inflammation;
• biochemical blood test with mandatory assessment of the functional state of the kidneys and liver, total protein and protein fractions, the ratio of key ions;
• urine analysis, determination of daily diuresis and daily protein loss in urine;
• Ultrasound of the hepatobiliary system, pancreas and kidneys, which allows not only to identify existing chronic diseases, but also pregnancy-related hepatosis;
• consultation with a neurologist (if a neuroinfection is suspected, or if consciousness disorders develop);
• according to indications - smears and, if necessary, serological testing to exclude foodborne diseases.

Pregnant women with toxicosis must regularly monitor their blood pressure levels. After all, nausea and weakness can be caused by its significant fluctuations both in the direction of increase and in the direction of obvious decrease.

Pregnant women with sudden disappearance or sharp weakening of the main symptoms require special attention. They are shown an unscheduled ultrasound to confirm the viability of the embryo. The fact is that during a frozen pregnancy, toxicosis often quickly decreases due to the cessation of the synthesis of supporting hormones.

How to deal with toxicosis during pregnancy

Mild toxicosis is usually not treated. Only with the development of neurosis-like reactions and a decrease in working ability can a woman be offered therapy in a day or 24-hour hospital setting. Moderate forms of toxicosis are the basis for deciding whether hospitalization is advisable. And severe variants require the pregnant woman to be admitted to a hospital or even to the intensive care unit as soon as possible.

It is important to understand that all prescribed medications are not able to completely eliminate the main symptoms, since it is impossible to get rid of toxicosis while its only cause (pregnancy) remains. The drugs used help relieve potentially life-threatening complications, mitigate some manifestations and thereby alleviate the woman’s condition. Moreover, each prescribed remedy for toxicosis has its own point of application and specific indications. Therefore, only a doctor should select the optimal therapeutic regimen.

Possible areas of therapeutic treatment for toxicosis:

• Elimination of existing dehydration, the choice of technique depends on the severity of dehydration and the patient’s condition. Feeding with the use of special saline solutions, infusion therapy based on rheopolyglucin, Ringer-Lock and others are practiced.
• Correction of electrolyte disturbances and metabolic acidosis. In cases of severe vomiting during pregnancy, the administration of a glucose-insulin-potassium mixture and sodium bicarbonate is often required. The selection of solutions to replenish electrolyte deficiency is based on a dynamic assessment of their level in the blood plasma.
• Replenishment of obvious nutrient deficiencies. In severe cases, special nutritional mixtures are prescribed; plasma, albumin, and serotransfusin can be administered intravenously.
• Reducing endogenous intoxication caused by multiple organ failure. Intravenous administration of hemodesis is indicated, and sometimes extracorporeal blood purification procedures are performed.
• Maintaining the function of the hepatobiliary system. For mild to moderate cases, Hofitol and Essentiale are often prescribed for hepatoprotective purposes and to improve the functioning of the biliary system. For severe disorders, treatment regimens for non-infectious hepatitis are used.
• Fighting kidney failure.
• Fighting vomiting. Cerucal is most often used for this. Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) preparations, such as Navidoxin, also have an antiemetic effect. Injections of antipsychotic and antihistamines can be used to relieve severe vomiting attacks.
• Stabilization of the neurovegetative background, regulation of the activity of the central nervous system. In case of indomitable vomiting in the first days of treatment, potent substances (tranquilizers, some neuroleptics, anesthetics) can be used to quickly reduce the excitability of the main structures of the brain. Subsequently, it is recommended to take herbal-based medications, magnesium. The very fact of hospitalization often has a stabilizing effect, making it possible to create a protective regime for a pregnant woman. Psychotherapeutic and some physiotherapeutic techniques are actively used (electrosleep, color and light therapy, aromatherapy, acupuncture, massage of the cervical-collar area and hands, darsonvalization, etc.).

In case of severe toxicosis with the development of life-threatening conditions that cannot be at least partially corrected within 24 hours, the issue of terminating the pregnancy for medical reasons is decided. This measure is also necessary in the development of acute yellow atrophy of the liver.

How to relieve toxicosis without drugs

Drug therapy for toxicosis is by no means an everyday measure. For mild (and sometimes moderate) vomiting during pregnancy, non-drug measures are sufficient. These include diet, work and rest schedule, and various folk remedies for toxicosis. Some women during this period resort to the help of homeopaths.

Widely used herbal infusions based on mint, chamomile, lemon balm, valerian, sage, rose hips, oregano, ginger. Some of them have a mild sedative effect, others help reduce the severity of the gag reflex. But do not forget that herbal medicine is potentially allergenic. In addition, without consulting your doctor, you should avoid plants that can affect blood clotting.

Aromatherapy also helps against toxicosis during pregnancy, despite the woman’s increased sensitivity to odors. You can reduce the severity of nausea by inhaling a small amount of essential oils of peppermint, lemon, anise, and ginger oil. They are usually used not in pure (concentrated) form, but in a mixture with base neutral oil. For such inhalations, you can use aroma lamps, aroma pendants, or simply apply a few fragrant drops to a handkerchief.

How to eat

Nutrition during toxicosis is a very important aspect. Food should be taken in small portions, which will avoid overeating and long periods of hunger. Many women manage morning sickness with a light snack immediately after waking up, right in bed. Such a meal will increase the level of glucose in the blood, because natural morning subhypoglycemia for a pregnant woman can become a factor provoking vomiting.

During the day, to reduce the symptoms of toxicosis, you can use crackers, a slice of lemon, a teaspoon of honey, a small amount of sunflower seeds, and cranberry juice. The composition of such a snack is selected individually, experimentally.

Food during toxicosis should be easily digestible, appetizing-looking, freshly prepared, with a minimum of artificial flavoring and preservative additives. At the same time, it must provide essential nutrients and have adequate caloric content. It is advisable to avoid frying and deep-frying, using fatty sauces, smoked meats and factory-made sausages. Preference should be given to baked, boiled and stewed dishes, as well as fresh vegetables and fruits. Marinades and pickles can be used to a limited extent, subject to appropriate taste preferences.

It is recommended to include in the menu foods high in digestible protein, vitamin B6, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. But freshly baked bread, products made from yeast dough and premium flour, legumes should be avoided - they can increase gas formation in the intestines, which will negatively affect the well-being of the pregnant woman.

When can you expect relief?

How long does toxicosis last in pregnant women and at what stage of gestation should its symptoms disappear? This question is one of the most frequently asked questions at an appointment with an obstetrician-gynecologist. After all, nausea and other symptoms are very uncomfortable and can even disrupt the social life of a pregnant woman.

Toxicosis is typical for the first trimester of pregnancy, in most cases it begins to fade at 12-14 weeks of gestation. But sometimes its symptoms persist for some time (up to about 20 weeks), which is quite acceptable. Therefore, to refer to this condition, it is more correct to use the term “toxicosis of the first half of pregnancy.”

The disappearance of symptoms is explained by physiological changes that occur starting from the 12th week of gestation. We are talking about the formation of the placenta. It not only forms a semi-permeable selective barrier between the blood of the mother and the fetus, but also performs an endocrine function. At the beginning of the first trimester, it begins to actively synthesize hCG and other hormones that were previously produced by the corpus luteum in the ovary. And at 14-16 weeks this function completely passes to the placenta. At the same time, the concentration of hCG in the woman’s blood gradually decreases, which explains the improvement in her well-being.

Therefore, toxicosis usually goes away at the beginning of the second trimester. Of course, this happens gradually, with a gradual depletion of symptoms and an improvement in the general well-being and activity of the pregnant woman.

Morning sickness is a fairly common occurrence in early gestation. And in many cases this does not require the use of any drugs. As pregnancy progresses, its symptoms disappear, which usually allows the woman to fully enjoy the period of bearing a child.

Toxicosis is not a disease in the usual sense of the word. This is a painful condition associated with processes occurring in the first months of fetal development. What is toxicosis, how does it manifest itself in pregnant women?

general information

This word refers to the most common symptoms: nausea, vomiting, drooling, general weakness, loss of appetite.

Less common are muscle cramps, the appearance of a rash, icteric coloration of the skin and mucous membranes. Moreover, during pregnancy, some women may experience complex symptoms at the onset of toxicosis, while others suffer only from nausea.

Why do pregnant women experience severe toxicosis, at what stage does it occur and how to escape from these unpleasant symptoms that begin during pregnancy? Read on!

What is it, what are the reasons for its development?

The exact cause of toxicosis during pregnancy, despite the abundance of research, has not been announced.

There are only a number of theories explaining its nature:

• neuro-reflex;
• hormonal;
• immune;
• psychogenic.

The most popular neuro-reflex theory explains the occurrence of pathologies in the body of the expectant mother a surge in activity of the subcortical structures of the brain.

These structures contain the nerve center responsible for vomiting and most olfactory neurons.

This explains the increased sensitivity of pregnant women: the body reacts violently to odors, which were previously perceived normally. In the subcortical structures there are nerve centers associated with internal organs, salivary glands, large and small vessels.

That's why vomiting and nausea are complicated by excessive salivation, pallor of the skin caused by vasospasm and rapid heartbeat.

The hormonal theory suggests a connection between symptoms and the body’s production of new, previously foreign hormones. These are progesterone and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), the concentration of which increases exponentially with each week of fetal development.

Measuring hCG levels in the blood or urine is the main way to diagnose pregnancy early. Internal organs and the nervous system react to hormonal changes with manifestations of toxicosis.

The immune theory explains the manifestations of toxicosis by the action of antibodies produced by the embryo. These antibodies differ in antigenic composition from the maternal ones and come into conflict with them, which results in symptoms of toxicosis.

Finally, proponents of the least common psychogenic theory see the reason is the stress that the woman experiences in connection with the awareness of his new position.

Find out also what they mean and what the consequences may be!

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Is it normal if there are no signs of pregnancy?

The absence of toxicosis during pregnancy - is it good or bad? Toxicosis is so often spoken and written that in the absence of its manifestations, some women begin to worry.

But toxicosis, not being considered a “full-fledged” disease, is still a pathological condition, and the absence of pathologies is not considered a negative phenomenon.

If, having become pregnant, you do not feel either nausea or vomiting, you should not worry, but rejoice: the period of waiting for the baby will not be burdened by unpleasant sensations for the body.

The absence of toxicosis during the first pregnancy in its early stages does not guarantee that subsequent ones will be as easy.

It happens that the first pregnancy proceeds smoothly, without toxicosis, but in the second the “nausea” does not go away for days, and vice versa - this is normal.

When toxicosis begins in pregnant women, how it manifests itself in the early stages of pregnancy, how long this period lasts, you will learn from this video:

Weakness, constant fatigue, frequent nausea and vomiting - this is often how toxicosis manifests itself during pregnancy. Often such symptoms are supplemented by irritability, changes in taste, and loss of appetite. Signs of early toxicosis do not pose a danger to the expectant mother and child. But gestosis - complications of pregnancy in later stages, poses a threat as women's health, and so does the fetus.

Nausea is one of the signs of pregnancy

What is toxicosis in pregnant women?

Toxicosis or intoxication is a pathological condition that is provoked by poisoning of the expectant mother’s body with endogenous toxins that are produced during fetal development. The nervous system suffers the most, metabolism is disrupted, and problems in the functioning of the heart and blood vessels are observed.

Intoxication occurs in 90% of pregnant women, but there is also late toxicosis, which occurs at the end of the 2nd or 3rd trimester. Depending on the intensity of symptoms, mild, moderate and severe degrees are determined. The complete absence of negative signs is a sign of a normal pregnancy and good health of the woman.

Why does toxicosis occur during pregnancy?

Why toxicosis occurs is not fully understood. The main causes of the pathological condition due to which appear discomfort, it is generally accepted:

• changes in hormonal levels;
• immune reactions of the body - protective cells in the first half of pregnancy mistake the fetus for a foreign body and produce an increased amount of antibodies to eliminate it;
• unformed placenta - until the protective shell is fully formed and protects the body from intoxication, the systems independently try to cope with harmful substances;
• defensive reaction - often appears in the later stages and is the body’s response to cigarette smoke, the smell of coffee, fish, eggs - everything that can harm the mother and the unborn baby;
• chronic pathologies - untreated infections and diseases of internal organs (enlarged thyroid gland, ulcers, pancreatitis) weaken a woman’s immunity, which leads to a worsening of the condition during pregnancy;
• increased work of the subcortical structures of the brain - during gestation, the body tries to protect the fetus and activates those centers that are responsible for the gag reflex, sense of smell, the functioning of the heart, stomach, salivary glands, and blood vessels.

Toxicosis often occurs due to changes in hormonal levels

The psycho-emotional state of the expectant mother influences the development of toxicosis. Fears about the health of the unborn baby, fear of childbirth, constant worries, stress and, as a result, lack of sleep, overwork - all this provokes a deterioration in the well-being of the pregnant woman.

In addition to the reasons that contribute to the development of toxicosis in the early and late stages, there are risk factors for this condition:

• infectious pathologies of the genitourinary system of a chronic nature;
• the presence of multiple abortions;
• multiple pregnancy;
• heredity;
• bad habits – smoking, alcohol, drugs;
• improper and unbalanced diet;
• age from 30–35 years.

If a woman does not have health problems, she leads an active lifestyle and monitors her emotional background, the risk of developing toxicosis is minimal.

First signs and symptoms of manifestation

The beginning of the first half of pregnancy in many women is accompanied by deterioration in health, weakness and irritability. The first and most common signs of successful conception are:

• morning sickness;
• frequent vomiting;
• drowsiness, lethargy, constant fatigue and apathy.

Morning sickness is one of the common consequences of toxicosis

The expectant mother loses her appetite, salivation increases, weight decreases, and taste preferences change. Sometimes a skin rash, asthma appears, bone tissue softens, and an involuntary spasm of skeletal muscles is felt.

In the later stages of gestation, in addition to vomiting and nausea, swelling of the lower extremities develops, the body weight of the expectant mother quickly increases (up to 450 g in 7 days), and blood pressure rises.

Unpleasant symptoms should not increase. If vomiting intensifies and health worsens, a severe form of toxicosis develops, in which blood pressure drops and the body becomes dehydrated. The likelihood of a threat to the life of the child and the expectant mother increases.

When does toxicosis begin?

The onset of toxicosis develops individually in each woman, but most often this period occurs:

• 6–10 days after conception;
• at the beginning of the 2nd month of pregnancy - from 5–6 weeks;
• at the end of the 3rd trimester - 8–9 months.

5-6 weeks of pregnancy are considered the start for the onset of toxicosis

In the middle of pregnancy, at the end of the 2nd trimester, toxicosis is rare. Its appearance at this time is dangerous, as it threatens failure due to severe deterioration of the condition.

When does toxicosis go away in pregnant women?

Unpleasant symptoms last about 2–3.5 months. Peak toxicosis occurs at 8–10 weeks. Signs decrease from the 11th week, but continue until the protective membrane of the fetus (placenta) is completely formed and harmful substances no longer penetrate the body. On average, this process ends at a period of 3–3.5 months – 12–13 weeks.

How to deal with toxicosis during pregnancy?

Manifestations of mild intoxication of the body during pregnancy are reduced with the help of folk remedies and nutritional adjustments. In moderate and severe forms of toxicosis, it is possible to remove the symptoms with medications.

Medicines

It is possible to get rid of severe toxicosis if you comprehensively influence the cause of its occurrence. Several groups of medications help normalize the functioning of the central nervous system and reduce the main manifestations of intoxication.

1. Regulators of nervous system function that inhibit the gag reflex– Cerucal, Tavegil, Atropine. The tablets reduce morning sickness and vomiting, and establish an adequate response of the body to external stimuli.
2. Drugs that prevent dehydration– Ringer's solution, amino acid solutions. Infusion therapy replenishes fluid lost by the body due to frequent and profuse vomiting.

Ringer's solution is needed to restore water balance in the body

1. Tablets that improve metabolism– folic acid, Riboxin, vitamin C, Cocarboxylase.
2. Hepatoprotectors– Essentiale, Methionine, Chophytol. Drugs are created protective barrier for the liver, protecting it from the toxic effects of metabolic products.

Treatment of toxicosis medicines indicated when vomiting occurs from 3 to 10 times a day, develops severe weakness, body temperature rises, blood pressure drops and rapid weight loss occurs.

Folk remedies

What to do if you have frequent attacks of nausea, weakness, fatigue in the morning, during the day or before bed? Use traditional medicine recipes. Safe and simple methods help get rid of unpleasant symptoms and normalize the condition of a pregnant woman.

Rosehip decoction helps to cope with toxicosis

Pour 1 liter of boiling water 2 tbsp. l. rose hips, boil for 5 minutes and let sit for half an hour. The drink helps reduce morning sickness, remove toxins from the body and prevent vomiting. The decoction is taken in the morning on an empty stomach, then 1 glass at lunchtime and in the evening.

White clay

Stir ¼ tsp in 2/3 cup of warm water. clay. The product is drunk in the morning before breakfast. The substance has a sorbing effect, which promotes excretion from the body harmful substances and minimizing signs of intoxication.

Freshly squeezed pomegranate juice

Freshly squeezed pomegranate juice stops the urge to vomit

During the day you need to drink 1 glass of pomegranate juice, diluted with water or beet juice. A healthy drink normalizes the functioning of the circulatory system and heart, improves appetite. The urge of nausea and vomiting stops after 1-2 doses of sour juice.

Lemon and mint

Lemon and mint are needed to improve the general condition of the body

Cut 1 lemon, 2-3 mint sprigs into small pieces, pour boiling water and leave for 25 minutes. Add honey to the warm drink to taste. The product is drunk in a glass throughout the day. The recipe helps improve the woman’s general condition – nausea disappears, drowsiness and feeling of fatigue decrease.

Ginger with lemon

Combine chopped lemon with 1 tsp. grated ginger root, place in a two-liter jar and fill to the top with warm water. The ginger-lemon drink is infused for at least 10 hours, after which 1 glass is taken in the morning and evening. The infusion refreshes, gives strength, fights nausea, and prevents vomiting.

An infusion of ginger with lemon copes well with toxicosis and refreshes the body.

Mint candies, ginger tea, honey with water (1 teaspoon of honey per 200 ml), orange and grapefruit juices help overcome morning attacks of nausea and weakness. Each woman herself determines which methods suit her best by trying this or a folk recipe.

How can I relieve the condition in other ways?

It is possible to get rid of a mild form of toxicosis using effective methods.

1. Adjust your diet. Eliminate fatty, spicy foods from your diet, limit sweets and flour products. Eat more fruits, vegetables, drink mineral water, Mint tea. Take food in small portions 5-6 times a day.
2. Lead a healthy and active lifestyle. Moderate physical activity, morning exercises, long walks in the fresh air, swimming stimulate the normalization of all metabolic processes, strengthen the immune system and improve the general condition of the expectant mother.
3. Maintain a sleep schedule. A pregnant woman should sleep at least 9–10 hours a day. Adequate sleep is the key to good health, vigor and good mood.
4. Avoid stress and emotional fatigue. During pregnancy, a woman should protect herself from bad emotions and try to be positive.

Morning awakenings should not be abrupt. After sleep, it is useful to lie in bed for a while, eat 2-3 slices of orange or tangerine, and drink mint tea. Rest more during the day, drink sedatives (motherwort, valerian) if you cannot avoid stressful situations - all this helps to minimize discomfort and improve the well-being of the pregnant woman.

How does toxicosis affect the fetus?

Mild forms of early toxicosis do not pose a danger to the health and development of the unborn child. In the middle course of intoxication, a woman develops anemia, which leads to abnormalities in the development of the fetus. Severe degrees of toxicosis pose a threat to the life of not only the child, but also the mother.

Late toxicosis is also very dangerous. Its severe forms lead to placental insufficiency, what causes:

Oxygen starvation of the fetus due to toxicosis can be dangerous

• oxygen starvation of the fetus (hypoxia);
• developmental delay of the unborn child;
• threat of fetal death (premature placental abruption).

To prevent negative impact toxicosis and gestosis, the woman is prescribed individual treatment, which includes certain medications, vitamin complexes, dietary and lifestyle adjustments.

Toxicosis during pregnancy is a condition that is more common than unique. Most women at different stages of bearing a baby suffer from this disease. Morning sickness and a penchant for salty foods are so common that among the people they have long been the first signs indicating interesting position women. And the absence of toxicosis often becomes a cause for concern for expectant mothers. The reasons for which this condition develops, how quickly it passes, how to escape from it, and whether it can be avoided in principle will be discussed in this article.

Toxicosis and its signs

When toxicosis begins during pregnancy, it is difficult not to notice it. The main symptom is nausea. It may be more or less pronounced, accompanied or not accompanied by vomiting. Secondary signs include:

• increased salivation;
• fast fatiguability;
• weakness;
• change in taste preferences;
• unusual reaction to odors;
• dizziness;
• heartburn;
• vomit;
• drowsiness;
• tearfulness;
• irritability.

Secondary signs may be present all together, separately, or completely absent. However, almost every woman noted different changes in her condition during pregnancy from the very first weeks.

Nausea, characteristic of the initial stages of pregnancy, may appear intermittently or be a constant condition, may only bother you in the morning or, conversely, in the evening before bed, or may simply be a reaction to some specific foods. Some pregnant women note that they simply have a reaction to strong odors, while others even find water unpleasant.

What is toxicosis like?

Mostly the condition in question occurs in the morning and evening. Morning pain usually occurs on an empty stomach and goes away after eating. Sometimes breakfast does not help, but only intensifies the attack of nausea, but closer to lunch this condition goes away. This is due to the highest concentration of the hCG hormone in the body in the morning.

Evening toxicosis occurs as a reaction to external irritants and fatigue and stress accumulated during the day.

Types of illness according to general condition:

1. Mild degree. It is characterized by mild malaise and nausea, which occurs mainly as a reaction to certain odors and foods. Vomiting occurs no more than 5 times a day or may be absent altogether. The tests are normal. Usually goes away by the end of the first trimester.
2. Moderate weight. Here, nausea can accompany a woman all day. Many also note dizziness, low blood pressure, rapid pulse, and vomiting up to 10 times a day. As a consequence of this condition, slight dehydration is possible. If you take tests, you can see slight deviations in them. Tell your doctor if you are concerned about these symptoms.
3. Heavy. Constant severe nausea, vomiting more than 15 times a day, poor blood tests, dizziness, complete lack of appetite, problems with blood pressure. Significant weight loss and a real threat to the body of mother and child. It is necessary to be treated only in a hospital, usually with the help of droppers and a special diet.

Fortunately, severe toxicosis is quite rare. This is due to the fact that such a condition does not occur instantly, and it is usually possible to avoid it at the development stage.

When does toxicosis occur?

Many expectant mothers, having learned about their situation, immediately ask themselves: when does toxicosis begin during pregnancy? In fact, there is no universal answer, since every woman’s body is unique. Most often, this condition begins at 5-8 weeks, that is, approximately by the middle of the second month. But other variations are possible. Someone says that they felt the first nausea even before the test gave a positive result, that is, almost immediately after fertilization. For some, toxicosis occurs in the second or even third trimester. And some people have no nausea at all.

Before implantation of the fertilized egg occurs, toxicosis cannot manifest itself. It is after the fertilized egg attaches to the endometrium that the body receives a signal that pregnancy has occurred. Most often, a woman notices the first symptoms about a couple of weeks after a missed period. It is then that the hormones progesterone and hCG actively grow, which can provoke a feeling of nausea.

Do not forget that any organism is unique, and the reaction to changes in different women can be very different. In fact, many factors influence when toxicosis begins during pregnancy. For example, its early variation is typical for multiple pregnancies.


Late toxicosis can begin towards the middle of the third trimester. It is called gestosis and is considered a rather dangerous condition. In addition to nausea, gestosis is characterized by such symptoms as high blood pressure, protein in urine, swelling. This is dangerous for the mother and child, and for treatment, the expectant mother is usually admitted to a hospital to stabilize her condition. The most common causes of gestosis are:

• age from 35 years;
• bad habits;
• poor condition of the body as a whole;
• severe stress;
• diseases of the endocrine system;
• an organism that has not been restored after previous births.

There are cases when toxicosis does not occur at all or attacks are so rare that no attention is paid to it. Some women worry that this is a bad sign and that something is wrong with the pregnancy. However, the absence of nausea, as well as moderate nausea, does not threaten anything.

Reasons for appearance

Until now, no one can say with certainty when toxicosis begins during pregnancy, what determines the strength of its manifestation and duration. There is an opinion that heredity has a big influence, and if the mother had similar problems, then her daughter will also have them during her pregnancy. But this is contradicted by the fact that the same woman in different pregnancies the situation may look completely opposite.

The only thing that can be said with certainty is that toxicosis does not depend on the gender of the child, and its early variation is proof of this.

Sexual characteristics of the embryo begin to develop at 8 weeks, but early toxicosis appears several weeks before. There was a version that nausea begins due to the presence of toxins in the body, which are thus eliminated. However, this version was also refuted.

The main reasons include hormonal changes that occur immediately after conception. The body is under stress, and the fetus is considered something foreign to it. It is with the goal that the body accepts it and does not reject it, immunity decreases, and the woman becomes more susceptible to various kinds irritants.

But there are several factors that can influence the appearance of toxicosis:

1. Multiple pregnancy. In this case, the hormonal surge and changes in the body are twice as strong as during normal pregnancy. Hence, there is a greater chance of receiving such a “reaction” in response.
2. Age. The older a woman is during pregnancy, the higher the chance of getting the disease in question, because the body’s endocrine and reproductive systems can no longer function at full capacity. It is after 35 years that there is a high risk of encountering gestosis.
3. Tendency to neuroses and migraines.
4. Chronic diseases, especially the gastrointestinal tract.
5. Infectious diseases and operations within six months before conception.

But these are only factors that can affect the presence of toxicosis in your pregnancy, and do not mean that it will definitely happen.

Ways to combat toxicosis

If this illness causes significant concern, you may be offered to go to a day hospital or even be admitted to the hospital. In this case, the decision on how to alleviate the condition of the mother and the unborn baby should be made by the doctor.

Mild toxicosis does not require any special treatment. It is enough to comply simple rules, don’t overwork and rest well, as well as eat right, and this condition will go away on its own.

Infusions of various herbs are very popular among pregnant women: mint, sage, chamomile and many others. But you shouldn’t brew them thoughtlessly: be sure to consult with the gynecologist managing your pregnancy, as some plants can provoke uterine tone.

Try to eat small meals every 2 hours so as not to burden your stomach. Avoid fatty, too salty, peppery, fried foods. It is better to give preference to simple, easily digestible food, preferably freshly prepared. Steamed vegetables and meat, fruits, dairy products - make sure your body gets everything. Don't forget to have snacks. These could be nuts, dried fruits, crackers.

And, most importantly, remember that morning sickness is a temporary phenomenon that will soon pass, and you have happy months of pregnancy and long-awaited motherhood ahead of you.