During pregnancy, the expectant mother has many fears and worries. The woman's body is being rebuilt, bringing unusual reactions. This is especially true for the digestive system. When is it worth sounding the alarm and finding out if worms have appeared in a pregnant woman and how to deal with this if the problem is real?
What are the symptoms of helminthiasis?
Worms during pregnancy are not uncommon. The immune system is weakened, and the woman eats ordinary foods. An elementary oversight - and infection occurs. Determining the presence of worms by symptoms is quite difficult. But you should pay attention if you have:
- severe itching in the anus;
- constant feeling of fatigue;
- peeling of the skin on the eyelids or fingers;
- allergic rashes of unknown etiology;
- saliva flows out of the mouth in a dream, grit your teeth;
- permanent indigestion, gas;
- weight loss;
- I really want sweets.
Any of these symptoms may be one of the usual manifestationspregnancy. The most indicative is weight loss, since a fetus develops inside a woman, and in the normal course of pregnancy, weight loss seems impossible. The only option for such a development of events is a very strong toxicosis. Although it can be a symptom of helminthiasis.
Danger of worms during pregnancy
Any disease is dangerous not only for the mother, but also for the baby in the womb. Worms during pregnancy are dangerous because they cannot be removed with conventional medicines, as they have too strong an effect.
And if you do not take up treatment, then the child and mother may have allergic reactions due to contact with toxins that are secreted by helminths. Oxygen starvation may develop. The greatest danger to the life of the child is roundworm. They pierce the wall of the amniotic egg and settle in any organs of the fetus.
For a woman, worms during pregnancy can result in severe toxicosis, allergic rashes. Helminths are saturated with useful minerals from the host's body, so a woman will have to share not only with her unborn baby, but also with parasites. This will inevitably affect the condition of the skin, teeth, hair and the development of the baby, who may lack important elements.
What tests should I take?
Doctors order a routine stool test. If nothing is found, then the process ends. When identifying helminths, their type is first determined. If roundworms are found, ultrasound is prescribed andamniotic fluid analysis. These are mandatory procedures to exclude the presence of worms in the fetus.
Possible tests:
- Stool analysis for the detection of helminth eggs.
- Scraping. It is taken with a stick or simple tape from the skin, in the immediate vicinity of the sphincter.
- Blood from a finger and a vein is checked for the amount of hemoglobin and bilirubin, the value of which changes with the presence of parasites.
- Analysis of amniotic fluid if tapeworms are present in the body.
Worms during pregnancy: what to do?
Finding helminths in her, an already frightened woman gives in to panic. This cannot be allowed. Also, in no case do not choose medicines yourself - believing in advertising, the advice of friends, etc. Drugs that remove worms are quite toxic, they put a strong strain on the liver. Self-medication can result in irreparable harm to the fetus, and even abortion.
First, a pregnant woman should calm down and visit a doctor as soon as possible. Then take tests and follow all the doctor's instructions. You don't need to worry. Although the treatment is complicated by the presence of pregnancy, professionals know how not to harm either mother or child.
How to get rid of worms while carrying a baby?
Tablets for worms during pregnancy are prescribed only after a doctor makes a diagnosis. The main criteria for selecting a medicine are the gestational age and the type of helminths. Many doctors consider the treatment of worms during pregnancy an unreasonable risk.
It's too dangerous to take anthelmintic drugs in the first trimester. Their action can provoke a miscarriage. It is in the first trimester that the formation of all vital organs occurs, and such drugs can disrupt the normal course of the process, cause developmental pathologies. In the second and third trimester, treatment is still prescribed, but more sparing than in the normal state.
The decision on treatment largely depends on the condition of the mother and the type of helminths. So, for example, roundworm should be removed as quickly as possible. Having penetrated the placenta, they can settle in the baby's brain. The baby's head will become much larger, and the birth will be very difficult.
If the expectant mother experiences only discomfort from the realization that there are parasites inside her, then treatment is recommended to be postponed until the postpartum period. It should be noted that if worms are found during pregnancy, treatment is carried out with just one drug called Piperazine.
Do I need to be treated for worms?
Worms during pregnancy do not always require the use of the so-called heavy artillery. For example, when infected with pinworms, you just need to follow the rules of prevention and in two weeks there will be no trace of helminths, since this period is equal to their life expectancy.
To avoid re-infection, you need to follow a number of rules:
- Keep hands incleanliness, because uncleanliness is the main source of all diseases. Be sure to wash your hands with soap after going outside, before eating and after going to the toilet.
- Careful about food. Meat and fish must be of high quality and properly cooked. These products are in the first place in terms of the content of helminth eggs. Fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly under running water.
- After washing, it is necessary to iron things. The high temperature will destroy the remaining helminth eggs.
- Take care of your personal hygiene. Be sure to change your underwear every day.
- You must not bite your nails and the skin around them.
These simple rules must always be followed. Then the risk that worms will appear during pregnancy is minimized.
Conclusion
The world around us is full of various microbes and bacteria. Every day on Earth, many people are infected with various unpleasant diseases. And far from uncommon - worms during pregnancy. Symptoms can make a woman doubt whether it is helminthiasis or simple indigestion that has arisen as a consequence of pregnancy. But it is recommended to visit a doctor at the first suspicion. Do not be shy and embarrassed - the he alth of both mother and fetus depends on this.
Doctors are calm about such cases and will do their best to help the expectant mother. In addition, by postponing the moment of taking tests, a woman can harm her unborn child. Do not think that you yourself can assess the danger of the situation. No visual analysishelminth, it is impossible to judge. Therefore, at the first opportunity, you need to visit a parasitologist, share your problems and either get qualified help or confirmation that fears are groundless.
