Entries Tagged 'Pregnancy Food Plan' ↓

Until a number of years ago, a drug called Bendectin was available for women with nausea and vomiting. Bendectin contained vitamin B6 and an antispasmodic. This is the only drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. Bendectin was taken off the market in 1983 after several lawsuits claimed that it caused birth defects. The association of this drug and birth defects was never shown in scientific research, but the drug has not returned to the market in the United States. In Canada, a drug containing the same ingredients is available under the name Diclectin. This drug was reviewed in Canada in 1989 by a panel of experts in the fields of teratogenesis, obstetrics, and pediatrics. The panel concluded that this drug is safe in pregnancy and prevents nausea and vomiting from be­coming severe. Bendectin, however, is unlikely to reappear in the U.S.

Other Remedies

In a review of scientific studies of various alternative remedies for nausea and vomiting, three remedies were shown to be effective in controlled trials. These are vitamin B6, ginger root, and acupressure.

Vitamin B6 can be taken in a dose of 25 mg three times a day.

Higher doses should not be taken, as the cutoff for a safe dose in pregnancy has not been established. Ginger root can be taken in capsules of 250 mg four times a day for severe nausea and vomiting, although its value with less severe symptoms is unknown. Adverse effects on the fetus have not been seen with this dosage of ginger, but have not been evaluated extensively. You can also make ginger tea from 1 teaspoonful of freshly grated ginger. You should not drink more than 4 cups a day of the ginger tea. Ginger will work best if taken at the onset of nausea. Other herbs have been suggested for nausea and vomiting, including red raspberry and wild yam, but have not been tested scientifically.

A number of studies have found that acupressure relieves nausea and vomiting. All studies have used an acupuncture point called the pericardium 6 (P6) or Neiguan point. This is on the palmar (inner) surface of the forearm about the width of three fingers above the wrist. Several regimens of acupressure have been studied, with women applying pressure themselves to the Neiguan point four times a day for 10 minutes at a time or wearing wrist bands which apply continuous pressure to this point. The wrist bands can be purchased in many health food or drug stores. They come with clear instructions.

Hypnosis and behavior modification have been suggested as beneficial for nausea and vomiting during pregnancy but have not been studied. Homeopathic remedies, which use extremely small doses of natural substances to stimulate the body’s ability to heal itself, are also available in many health food stores and pharmacies. Again, these have not been evaluated scientifically to date. A therapy such as behavior modification may appear to be beneficial but actually the symptoms would have abated anyway simply due to the time passed between treatments.

The nausea and vomiting of pregnancy usually do not clear up dramatically. Improvement is gradual, with the appearance of good days that soon gain ascendancy over bad days. The bad days become fewer and fewer and finally disappear.

Calcium is needed for the development of the baby’s bones and teeth. Recent studies point to a likely link between calcium deficiency and the development of maternal hypertensive disorders (high blood pressure) in pregnancy. Calcium may also playa role in preterm birth. Neither of these associations has been proven. Calcium supplementation is not a routine requirement. Sufficient calcium can be achieved through diet.

Four eight-ounce glasses of milk a day, or its equivalent in cheese or yogurt, supply enough calcium for the pregnant woman’s needs. (Ice cream is high in calcium, but the caloric and fat load is high too!) If you don’t drink milk or eat dairy products, you can take a calcium supplement-l ,200 mg a day in divided doses.

Calcium citrate is absorbed whether or not you take the supplement with food while calcium carbonate needs to be taken with food. The disadvantage of taking a calcium supplement over getting enough calcium from dietary sources is that dairy products also supply a lot of protein, at low cost. If you don’t drink milk or eat other dairy, you need 32 grams more protein than the woman who drinks a quart of milk a day. This is the equivalent in protein of 4 eggs, about 4-5 ounces of meat, 1 cup of most nuts, or 1½ cups of legumes. Calcium supplementation might cause constipation in some women.

Phenylketonuria (PKU)

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a rather rare disorder of metabolism in which the body cannot utilize the amino acid phenylalanine. In the past, this disease had serious consequences, including interference with brain development. Since 1968, all newborns have been screened for the disease. Those affected are placed on phenylalanine free diets. Today, women with PKU are healthy and becoming pregnant, but they often have elevated levels of phenylalanine in their blood. These levels are enough to cause serious damage to the fetus, including microcephaly (small head), heart problems, and mental retardation.

Any woman who knows she has been diagnosed with phenylketonuria must receive careful assessment and dietary counseling, optimally beginning in the preconception period. She needs referral to a special center as her diet will need to be restricted greatly and she will need nutritional supplementation. Any woman who bears a child with microcephaly for whom a cause cannot be ascertained should have a test for PKU.

Diabetes

Women who enter pregnancy with diabetes or develop gestational diabetes need to follow special food plans. These are based on guidelines provided by the american diabetic association (ADA). The number of calories and how they are allotted by food group is determined by a dietitian or specialist in the care of pregnant women with diabetes. The specifics of the plan are worked out according to your weight, level of activity, and weeks of pregnancy. Diabetic diets follow a food group plan so they are not difficult to implement. In general, carbohydrate “loads” or large portions of carbohydrate at one time are to be avoided, as are simple sugars, or sweets.

Once you receive your individualized food plan, you will be taught how to test your blood sugar so adjustments can be made as necessary. Some pregnant women will also need insulin, even if they never took it be fore.