Diarrhea in late pregnancy

Pregnant women must pay special attention to their diet. Eating improper food can cause diarrhea and pose a greater risk to the fetus. Pregnant women should not think that they are safe in the late pregnancy. Although the fetus is mature at this time, if the pregnant woman does not pay attention to her diet and causes diarrhea, it will also be harmful to the fetus. Therefore, if there is diarrhea in the late pregnancy, pregnant women must seek medical treatment in time and recover as soon as possible.

What to do if you have severe diarrhea in late pregnancy

1. The first thing is to replenish fluids appropriately to make up for the water and electrolytes lost due to diarrhea, especially potassium ions, and to replenish the calories lost due to diarrhea. At the same time, closely observe the fetal condition and whether there are any signs of premature birth or miscarriage.

2. Pay special attention when taking medication. Pregnant women should be particularly careful when using antibiotics. Many commonly used antibiotics and antiprotozoal drugs, in addition to adverse reactions, have potential teratogenic potential and should not be used. Some milder antidiarrheal agents can absorb water and reduce intestinal motility and can be tried. Do not use opioids to stop diarrhea, because these drugs may cause bacterial overgrowth and repeated infections, which will aggravate diarrhea.

3. Pregnant women with diarrhea who are about to give birth should be isolated at the bedside according to intestinal infectious diseases to ensure the safety of the baby and other mothers.

4. Pregnant women suffering from diarrhea can generally resume normal bowel movements after 24-96 hours. If treatment is ineffective, fecal bacteriological culture and drug sensitivity testing should be performed, as well as intestinal protozoa and parasite examinations. Fiberoptic sigmoidoscopy should be performed cautiously when necessary to exclude inflammatory bowel disease.

5. If a pregnant woman with diarrhea has an abnormal fetus, she should go to the hospital in time to prevent the disease from becoming serious and leading to miscarriage or premature birth.

How to prevent diarrhea in pregnant women

To prevent diarrhea in pregnant women, the best thing is to develop good living habits, pay attention to diet and daily care.

1. Fasting during the acute phase. When acute diarrhea occurs, you need to temporarily fast to allow the intestines to rest completely. If necessary, you should receive intravenous infusion to prevent dehydration due to excessive water loss.

2. Eat a light liquid diet. When you first start to have diarrhea, you can eat some light liquid food, such as fruit juice, rice soup, etc., mainly salty food. Liquid foods that produce gas, such as milk and sucrose, should be avoided.

3. Dietary choice: After the diarrhea has basically stopped, a low-fat, low-residue semi-liquid diet or soft food can be provided. Eat small, frequent meals to aid digestion. You should still appropriately limit the intake of vegetables and fruits rich in crude fiber, and then gradually transition to normal food.

4. Supplement vitamins. Pay attention to supplementing vitamin B and vitamin C on a daily basis to help prevent diarrhea.

5. Pregnant women who are prone to diarrhea after drinking milk powder should find out the cause and stop drinking milk powder during the period of diarrhea. You should also avoid eating raw and cold foods, and keep warm in cold seasons.