Dehydration During Pregnancy
How To Avoid Dehydration During Pregnancy
Dehydration during pregnancy is not a common condition but once it occurs it can become very serious. It can lead to complications and even harm the baby. When a woman is pregnant she needs more water because most of it is being used for the development of the fetus. If she doesn’t keep up with the amount of water needed she can slowly become dehydrated. To avoid dehydration during pregnancy, it is recommended that a woman drink at least a gallon and a half of water through out the day.
During the first trimester if the mother does not drink enough water the baby is in real danger. With out enough water the body cannot produce enough amniotic fluid. The baby floats in this fluid when it is the uterus and if there is no fluid available, the baby will lean on the side of the uterus wall. With out enough amniotic fluid the baby may be born with deformities of the feet, legs and arms.
In the late second or early third trimester a pregnant woman who is dehydrated can go into premature labor. Women who experience this also have premature contractions. This is one of the most common reasons for this occurrence. In most cases women can be intravenous given fluids and the premature labor can be stopped until the baby comes to full term.
Extreme nausea in the first and second trimesters can cause dehydration during pregnancy. Pregnant women can experience morning sickness and while most of them recover from it in a short period of time, other women continue to feel sick all day. If they keep on being ill and not retaining any fluids the situation becomes dangerous. The longer the woman is ill the sicker she will feel and her condition may worsen. In this situation the mother may be admitted into the hospital and given an IV until she returns to normal. Even after she is discharged she may be given medication to stop morning sickness and nausea.
Pregnant women during their last trimester may be urged not to travel long distances on an air plane. The climate in an airplane is dry and with out warning it can slowly cause dehydration during pregnancy. If the women plans on traveling for over eight hours it is recommended that they tell the stewardess about their situation. Now that airport security is stricter a woman cannot carry on a jug of water. But the stewardess can make sure that the pregnant woman always has all the water she needs.
Heat and humidity can also cause dehydration in pregnant women. Women who are used to lying out on the beach or doing yard work, may not realize that when they are pregnant they will not be able to work as hard or spend as much time in the sun. Because they are probably not drinking as much water as they should in the first place, after spending a day in the hot sun their water can become depleted. Excessive sweating from doing yard work or planting a garden can also zap water levels. Women who are pregnant should never allow themselves to become too warm and if they will be spending time in the sun they must drink even more water.
It helps to avoid caffeine while you are pregnant. If you do drink things like coffee in the morning, make sue to limit them to two cups a day. It is also recommended that pregnant women stay away from sodas, and juices with high fructose corn syrup. Sugar is another natural dehydrator, so limit any drinks that contain a lot of sugar.