Stomach Flu And Pregnancy
Pregnant women can be infected by stomach flu like non-pregnant women, but they are more susceptible for the severe damage from dehydration. Hence, pregnant women should be well hydrated to avid the serious effects of stomach flu. Moreover, stomach flu can also affect the baby inside the mother. Pregnant women can reduce the chances of dehydration by drinking oral rehydration fluids, water or juices.
Stomach flu is an infection of flu virus that infects the small intestine in the body. It is not exactly the influenza virus. It is not also the result of the infection from the bacteria like Salmonella or parasites, but symptoms are alike with diseases of these infections.
Symptoms of Stomach Flu in Pregnancy
Pregnant women have similar symptoms as the non-pregnant women. These symptoms can be:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Dehydration
- Abdominal pain
- Fever
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Muscle aches
- Chills
Stomach flu symptoms can remain for more than 10 days. This period dependent on the type of the stomach flu virus that has infected. Hence, these symptoms differ from one woman to another.
However, stomach flu directly does not affect the unborn baby, as its affected area is limited to the digestive tract. But sometimes severe dehydration in women can affect the baby.
Dehydration in Stomach Flu
As of now, there is no effective medicine available that can cure stomach flu symptoms. Hence, pregnant women are provided more power to fight against the stomach flu infection. Preventing dehydration is important especially for pregnant women because it may cause bad effects to the baby. In Dehydration, a woman loses fluid from her body. Apart from fluids, important minerals like electrolytes are also helpful in dehydration.
Dehydration can be caused due to following factors:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Sweating
- Urination
- Lack of fluids in foods
Most of them feel difficulty in swallowing and problem in appetite, and they cannot drink. Vomiting and diarrhea are the major causes for dehydration. Dehydration has some symptoms that include:
- Dry mouth
- Problem in urination
- Lack of tears
- Excessive thirst
- Dizziness
- Lethargy
Stomach Flu Treatment for Pregnant Women
However, there are no treatments for the stomach flu cure, but women can reduce the severity of stomach flu symptoms fighting the infection. These suggestions are:
- Drinking more fluids is an effective treatment to reduce the dehydration in pregnant women. Pregnant women can drink oral dehydration fluids (ORF) and juices of fruits to supply good amount water, minerals and nutrients to the body. These medicines and fluids are easily available.
- When a woman suffers from severe vomiting, she must be given immediate treatment in the supervision of specialist. Sometimes, body fluids are replaced using an intravenous (IV) line.
- Stop eating for a few hours to settle down the gastrointestinal tract
- Do not eat dairy products
Stomach flu makes a pregnant woman dehydrated and tired. Her energy level goes down. Hence, a pregnant woman must have enough rest until she recovers from the stomach flu and feels better.
