The unpleasant side of pregnancy

Monday, March 01, 2010

SOME women make carrying a child for nine months seem like no fuss, and sometimes it actually is! But whether you are having an issue-free pregnancy or a stressful one, there is another side to pregnancy that all mothers experience -- a side that most are often too embarrassed to talk about. It's that icky side that pushes the beauty of pregnancy in the background and makes it downright annoying!

However, gynaecologists say these side effects are a natural part of the process and come with the territory.

1. Incontinence: Many pregnant women find that they wet themselves slightly when they cough, laugh, exercise, bend over, or lift something. This condition is known as stress incontinence and can be very embarrassing, but is extremely common. Because the pelvic floor muscles are under considerate strain during pregnancy, they have to support the weight of the growing uterus, and also cope with the changes caused by pregnancy hormones. A sharp increase in abdominal pressure, such as a cough or laugh, may be momentarily too much for the muscles to hold back the flow of urine, resulting in the escape of fluid.

2. Gas and bloating: During pregnancy you have much higher levels of progesterone, a hormone that relaxes smooth muscle tissue throughout your body, including your gastrointestinal tract. This relaxation slows down your digestive processes, which can lead to gas, bloating, burping and flatulence, and generally creates an uproar in your stomach, especially after a big meal.

3. Leaking breasts: Leaking of the breast usually occurs during the last trimester of the pregnancy, but it can occur sooner. The liquid that comes out is called colostrum. It is a thick yellowish substance that is also referred to as 'liquid gold' because of its colour and value to the baby. It is jam-packed with protein, carbohydrates, and antibodies, among other things. It is all that baby will need until the milk transitions to mature milk.

4. Bleeding gums: Some pregnant women suffer from swollen, tender gums that bleed when they floss or brush. This is also caused by higher progesterone levels, which make the gums react more to the bacteria in plaque, and causes an increased blood supply to the mouth. This is said to affect about half of the pregnant population.

5. Constipation: This affects many pregnant women. It is also due to an increase in hormone progesterone, which slows the movement of food through the digestive tract. The problem is later compounded by the pressure of the growing uterus on the rectum.

6. Excessive spitting: Some women tend to spit a lot during pregnancy, especially when they're nauseated.

Excessive salivation is called ptyalism or sialorrhea and is more common among women suffering from severe morning sickness. While experts can't say for sure what causes some women to have excessive salivation in early pregnancy, they believe it is caused by hormonal changes. Also, nausea might make some women try to swallow less, causing saliva to build up in the mouth.

7. Swollen veins: During pregnancy, some women's varicose veins become unusually swollen and show up in the rectal area. These veins can be itchy or very painful, and sometimes they even cause rectal bleeding, especially during a bowel movement. Some women get haemorrhoids for the first time while they're pregnant -- and if you've had them before pregnancy, you're quite likely to have them again now.

8. Itchy skin: Some women go through a bout of itching. While it is not uncommon to feel itchy, particularly around the stomach and breasts, things that normally make you want to scratch -- dry skin, eczema, food allergies -- affect you even more during pregnancy as your skin stretches to accommodate them. However, severe itching can indicate a pregnancy problem, and you may need to see your doctor.

9. Excessive facial hair: The hair on your head is not the only hair on your body that grows longer and gets thicker during pregnancy. Increased amounts of facial hair (particularly on the lips, chin, and cheeks) are the most obvious. But you might also see thicker hair on your arms, legs, back, and belly. Even the area covered by your pubic hair might expand. Much of this growth disappears within six months after the baby is born.

10. Yeast infections: During pregnancy, the higher level of oestrogen makes it easier for yeast to grow in the vagina. Women always have a certain amount of yeast in their vagina but this only becomes a problem when it grows so fast that it overwhelms other competing micro-organisms.

11. Excessive vaginal discharge: Because of an increase in oestrogen production and greater blood flow to the vaginal area, you may find an increase in your vaginal discharge. This is called leukorrhea and is an odourless or mild-smelling milky discharge that you might have found in your underwear before you were pregnant -- there's just a lot more of it now.

-- Donna Hussey-Whyte

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The unpleasant side of pregnancy