Toxicosis during Pregnancy – Causes, Symptoms, Risk Factors

Many women experience a very unpleasant condition during pregnancy known as toxicosis. This condition is so common that pregnant women who don’t experience it often worry about its absence. In reality, the myth that toxicosis is a mandatory companion of fertilization in 100% of cases has no basis. 

It is worth noting that the level of toxins indeed increases after conception in every woman’s body, and this process is completely natural. However, the manifestation of classic symptoms does not always occur. Therefore, it is important to separate medical truth from pseudo-scientific myths about toxicosis during pregnancy.

What is Toxicosis

To understand whether toxicosis during pregnancy is a natural condition for a woman in this state or a complication in carrying a child, it is necessary to figure out what it actually is. Experts qualify such a condition as a special form of poisoning of the body. In a woman’s body, the foreign particles of the embryo, which are the “paternal” component, cause a real hormonal storm leading to changes in the future mother’s well-being. 

Additionally, the developing fetus produces metabolic by-products that are released into the mother’s body and cause her intoxication. The body reacts with classic symptoms of poisoning – nausea, vomiting, weakness, and general malaise.

Types of Toxicosis in Pregnant Women

In medicine, it is customary to distinguish such types of this pathology as rare, early, and late toxicosis. Rare is the term used for toxicosis during pregnancy when nausea occurs suddenly at any stage of pregnancy, and the symptoms are entirely individual. The second type is early pregnancy toxicosis. It manifests with specific symptoms at the beginning of the first trimester. A classic example is sudden-onset nausea, which is the first sign of conception.

Women who planned their pregnancy usually view these signs of toxicosis without rejection and quite favorably, while the symptoms of early complications are tolerated fairly easily. The third type is late toxicosis, which threatens pregnant women in the third trimester and is very dangerous for both the mother and the fetus. 

Causes of Complications

Scientific research has yet to definitively establish why toxicosis occurs in some pregnant women and is completely absent in others. However, the causes of its occurrence are known. Among them:

• Changes in hormone composition from the moment of fertilization, which affects the well-being of the pregnant woman and manifests as irritability, sensitivity, and heightened sense of smell. The hormone levels will normalize over time, the body will “get used” to the embryo, and toxicosis will cease.
• Unformed placenta. Research has shown that the symptoms of early pregnancy toxicosis manifest because the placenta is not fully formed. One of its functions is to block toxic substances. Until this process is fully completed, the body tries to protect itself from intoxication through vomiting.

Other Causes of Toxicosis

Among the causes cited by experts for the manifestation of toxicosis during pregnancy are chronic diseases. To rule out this cause, it is advisable to undergo a complete examination at the pregnancy planning stage and start taking vitamins.

In addition to chronic diseases, heredity plays a significant role among the causes that lead to this condition. 

Genetic predisposition and the presence of complications in women in the previous generation, for example, its manifestation in the mother at 16 weeks, have a 70% chance that her daughter will develop the same condition. In addition to the causes that lead to early pregnancy toxicosis, it can also occur in the third trimester due to the mother’s psychological state. She worries about the upcoming birth and the baby’s condition, which provokes toxicosis. 

Causes that worsen toxicosis

Additionally, in some women, nausea is a kind of protective reaction to pathogenic microorganisms in food, which can pose health risks. For instance, cigarette smoke, coffee, meat, and eggs trigger nausea and the vomiting reflex, which protect the body from harmful substances. According to scientists, during pregnancy, the nervous system undergoes changes, activating those centers in the brain responsible for the sense of smell and the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. 

Among the factors that exacerbate unpleasant symptoms of nausea during pregnancy are:

• multiple pregnancies – the likelihood of these manifestations is higher in women pregnant with twins than in those expecting a single baby;
• age – complications occur more often in women after 30-35 years, with a particularly high risk during the first pregnancy. Experts claim that nausea is easier to manage the younger the mother is.

Signs of Nausea

Early pregnancy toxicosis usually has characteristic manifestations, initially the woman experiences:

• constant drowsiness;
• increased salivation;
• irritability,
• changes in taste preferences,
• nausea,
• loss of appetite,
• vomiting,
• weakness,
• weight loss.

There may also be low-grade fever, dizziness, fainting. Much less frequently, toxicosis during pregnancy may manifest as dermatosis, asthma. 

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The manifestations and content of toxicosis symptoms do not depend on whether the pregnant woman is expecting a son or daughter. Signs of intoxication can occur equally in both a normally developing and a missed pregnancy. Such a condition harms the woman’s well-being and prompts the search for ways to deal with pregnancy toxicosis.

Degrees of severity of toxicosis during pregnancy

Although early toxicosis during pregnancy is usually considered a physiological condition that does not require medical intervention, medical response considers the severity of the complication, which can be of three degrees. The first is characterized by vomiting up to 5 times or the same number of nausea episodes that did not end with vomiting. The pregnant woman has a good appetite and the quality of life remains the same, so in this state, it is premature to consult specialists regarding toxicosis symptoms.

The second degree involves vomiting 5-10 times a day, loss of appetite, and weight loss. Despite oral hygiene, there is an unpleasant odor from the mouth. At this stage, a doctor’s consultation is necessary. The third degree is severe, requiring hospitalization, as there is vomiting 10-25 times a day, rapid weight loss, severe weakness, and increased heart rate.

Treatment Methods

There are no specific methods for treating toxicosis during pregnancy – the focus is on maintaining vital signs of the body and is symptomatic in nature, to ensure the successful development of pregnancy and a successful delivery. If a woman is diagnosed with 2nd degree toxicosis on an outpatient basis or at home, she is prescribed medication treatment, selected based on test results. Its main goal is to replenish nutrient and vitamin deficiencies and suppress the vomiting reflex.

In the case of developing 3rd degree complications, treatment without hospitalization is not possible. The woman is under the supervision of doctors and receives various IV drips to restore the body’s water-salt balance, eliminate intoxication, abdominal pain, muscle spasms, reduce blood pressure, and overcome general weakness.

When to See a Doctor

The absolute harmlessness of morning sickness during pregnancy is one of the common myths. However, it is considered a physiologically acceptable condition only when morning sickness starts in the 5th to 6th week and ends around the 13th to 14th week. It is particularly dangerous if complications manifest in the middle of the second trimester. This is one of the important reasons to consult a doctor. 

Immediate specialist attention is required for dehydration and exhaustion developing from constant vomiting and nutrient loss, resulting in a weight loss of more than 2.5 kg per week. A doctor’s assistance is also urgently needed when urination becomes infrequent and urine turns dark. Dangerous symptoms include abdominal pain during attempts at active movement, dizziness, vomiting during meals, and the inability to eat for 12 hours. 

Tips for Alleviating the Condition

What helps with morning sickness during pregnancy, experts suggest checking by listening to your body’s reactions. For example, in the mornings, before getting out of bed, eat a little dried fruit, a cracker, or a piece of bread. Then, to normalize glucose levels, drink mint tea with lemon and a small amount of sugar. Sucking on a slice of lemon or orange can relieve nausea. It’s important to consume drinks suitable for the individual woman – this can be plain water or herbal teas. 

Doctors advise consuming fruits high in liquid content – melon, grapes, watermelon. Introduce steamed dishes into the diet instead of spicy, fried foods. Yogurt, raw vegetables, and fruits can be used as snacks. Another tip is to eat frequently and in small portions, consume a banana, an apple throughout the day, and avoid lying down immediately after eating. A traditional remedy that helps with the first signs of morning sickness is a spoonful of honey.

What are the risks of complications for the mother and future child?

The negative impact of the complication on a woman’s body depends on the degree of its development. The first degree progresses naturally, often manifests only as morning sickness, and is harmless to the woman’s body. The second degree is also not a threat in certain cases, and by the 14th week, if normal, the symptoms disappear. The most dangerous for the health of the fetus and woman is the third degree, which is accompanied by exhaustion and dehydration of the body. 

In its development, complications such as the following may occur:

• pulmonary edema;
• late-term placental insufficiency;
• risk of premature birth;
• fetal growth retardation;
• kidney and heart failure;
• coma due to exhaustion.

Unfortunately, morning sickness in pregnant women does not always occur in a mild form. As the negative symptoms intensify, the risk of complications proportionally increases.