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What diseases does pregnancy treat
While carrying a baby, a woman’s body changes so much that even health problems can recede – not all, but some.
Obstetrician-gynecologist of the network of centers of reproduction and genetics “Nova Clinic”.
“There is no need to hope that pregnancy will help cure existing diseases. Carrying a child is a serious load on a woman’s body, therefore, contrary to popular belief, it cannot give either a rejuvenating or a healing effect. However, the symptoms of some diseases can actually become less pronounced during pregnancy or even disappear completely. “
Endometriosis
This pathology involves the spread of cells of the mucous membrane of the uterus outside its cavity. During pregnancy, the signs of this disease (if, of course, they are) can be leveled.
If a woman’s disease is asymptomatic, no changes will occur. An improvement in the patient’s condition is possible if, for example, she is diagnosed with external genital endometriosis of the 2nd degree, which is common on the pelvic peritoneum. Such localization of pathological foci causes a decrease in the quality of life – discomfort, pain in the lower abdomen, pelvis, lower back, and the duration of menstruation increases.
During pregnancy, symptoms such as dyspareunia and algodismenorrhea – pain during intercourse and menstruation – go away. However, this does not mean at all that self-healing has occurred.
“During the period of gestation, patients may experience pelvic pains caused by adhesions in the small pelvis. In some cases, they do not recur even after childbirth. Much depends on the degree of endometriosis. For example, if this is the last, fourth degree, there is no need to wait for an improvement, ”explains our expert.
With this form of endometriosis, such as adenomyosis, cells of the uterine lining (endometrium) penetrate into its muscle layer (myometrium). Among the main signs of pathology are pain in the lower abdomen and heavy menstruation. During pregnancy, these symptoms disappear due to the absence of menstruation and some stabilization of the hormonal background. An improvement in the condition is observed for some time after childbirth. However, it cannot be said that pregnancy helped to cure adenomyosis.
Hypertonic disease
In the first half of pregnancy (until about 20 weeks), women with this condition begin to feel better. The fact is that at this stage there is a physiological decrease in blood pressure. As a result, the state of health is normalized. During this period, the doctor adjusts the treatment, since there is no need to take several drugs at once. Monotherapy is sufficient.
However, in the second half of pregnancy, symptoms return. After giving birth, the situation remains the same, if not worse.
Cycle disturbances
Irregular periods are a familiar problem. After the birth of the first child, it usually fades away.
“As a rule, some kind of regulation after pregnancy and childbirth occurs: if there was an instability of the cycle, it still more often normalizes,” the doctor says.
Deterioration
Unfortunately, in most cases, pregnancy only aggravates the course of chronic diseases. This also applies to endocrine pathologies (for example, hypofunction of the thyroid gland), and diabetes, and bronchial asthma, and a number of other pathologies.