DEFINITION
The condition of having a developing embryo or fetus in the body, after union of an oocyte (ovum) and spermatozoon. The average gestation period for a human pregnancy is (10 lunar months) 280 days from the first day of the last menstrual period.
CONCEPTION
Once a month an ovum matures in one of the ovaries and travels down the nearby fallopian tube to the uterus. This process is called ovulation. At Fertilization, which must take place within a day or two of ovulation, one of the spermatozoa unites with the ovum to form a zygote. The zygote then implants itself in the wall of the uterus, which is richly supplied with blood, and begins to grow.
INTRODUCTION
Pregnancy is an interesting and absorbing time for most women and can also involve a great deal of stress. Many emotional, hormonal, and physical changes take place as the baby grows. There are Homeopathic remedies that can help a woman’s body deal with various stresses and help to maintain its balance as the pregnancy proceeds.
Homeopathy is ideal for women in their childbearing years as it is a gentle yet highly effective system of medicine. During pregnancy some women will choose to live with the discomfort of minor complaints such as morning sickness or heartburn rather than seek treatment because they are concerned about the possible side effects of orthodox medicines on their unborn child.
Homeopathic medicines are safe for your growing baby because only a minute amount of the active ingredient is used in their preparation. They work by stimulating the body’s own healing powers. Good Homeopathic treatment prior to conception can prepare you for a healthy pregnancy. Staying as healthy as possible during pregnancy, you are giving your baby the ideal conditions in which to thrive. Many Homeopaths will also offer advice on your diet and lifestyle to encourage a healthy pregnancy and birth.
Self-care with Homeopathy during pregnancy can be rewarding. A correctly-chosen remedy can work gently and efficiently to relieve discomfort and help the body heal itself without toxicity or side effects. Of course care and guidance from a competent, sympathetic physician is very important during pregnancy for both general support and to monitor for complications.
Physical and emotional changes during pregnancy may cause minor health problems such as nausea, mild urinary problems, constipation, heartburn, anemia, varicose veins, backache, cramps, thrush or emotional distress. All these problems and more potentially complicated symptoms such as raised blood pressure can also be helped by professional Homeopathic treatment.
AILMENT DURING PREGNANCY
1) Anxiety prior to labour
2) Premature birth
3) Bleeding related to trauma
4) Symptoms related to blood loss
5) Bruised feeling in pelvic region
6) Post partum depression
7) Fainting from weakness
8) Fainting from over excitement
9) Fainting from fright
10) Fear prior to labor
11) Fetal position – abnormal
12) Hemorrhage, post partum
13) Insomnia, during pregnancy
14) Jaundice, neonatal
15) Labour, difficult due to rigidity of the os
16) Labour pains, false
17) Labour pain, unbearable
18) Labour, premature
19) Labour, slow, weak or interrupted
20) Labour, to promote
21) Lactation, deficient
COMPLICATIONS DURING PREGNANCY
There are 3 trimesters during pregnancy & each trimester is of 3 months duration.
The First Trimester
This term refers to the first three months of pregnancy, from the moment of conception onwards. Most women now a days find out that they are pregnant from almost the first day of a missed period, thanks to modern technology and ever more sophisticated pregnancy tests.
Nausea and morning sickness
One of the first signs of pregnancy is a feeling of nausea or sickness. Some women may actually vomit. The term “morning sickness” is somewhat of a misnomer as many women feel sick all day long, or not until the afternoon or evening. This symptom usually lasts until you are 14 to 16 weeks pregnant but occasionally can persist through the whole pregnancy.
Breast tenderness
Another common problem in the first trimester is breast tenderness or discomfort. This is due to the hormonal changes occurring in the body at this time.
The Second Trimester
Backache
This is the most common during 2nd trimester of growing womb and pelvis enlarging slightly as ligaments stretch due to the effect of pregnancy hormones.
Constipation
One of the most troublesome symptoms of the middle stage of pregnancy is constipation. This is due to added pressure on the bowels from the growing baby and also the effects of the hormone progesterone.
Varicose veins
As the womb grows it presses on the main arteries and veins in your pelvis leading to a feeling of faintness if the woman lies on the back but more upsettingly to the appearance of knobbly veins the legs otherwise known as varicose veins. These can be prevented by wearing support tights, not crossing the legs and keeping feet up at every available opportunity. However, the latter is not always possible if one is a working woman. Avoiding long periods of standing is essential at this point in the pregnancy and if the legs are particularly uncomfortable.
The Third Trimester
Heartburn
This is the final three months of pregnancy bring their own problems. Nearly half of all pregnant women suffer from heartburn, which is due to the relaxing effect of the progesterone hormone on the oesophagus and increased pressure on the stomach from the growing bump.
Urinary problems
The other major problem at this stage is UTI, principally urine infections and incontinence of urine. UTIs are common throughout pregnancy, they can occur more often in these final three months. Symptoms of infection, such as a stinging or burning when passing urine and having to go to the toilet more often may be noticeable in pregnancy. Because of the weight of the baby on the bladder at this time, may find that dribbling a little urine at the time of cough, sneeze or stand up. Also find it harder to hang on to your urine when your bladder is full.
Of course these problems will persist until your baby is born.
HOMOEOPATHIC APPROACH DURING PREGNANCY
Homoeopathy is very safe medicine it should be use throughout pregnancy as well as after parturition. Because it is prepared by very minute dose & it will not harm the baby & mother both.
There are effective remedies to help deal with possible problems of pregnancy and childbirth. The following remedies are often required both during and after labour.
HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES DURING 1ST TRIMISTER
Arsenic alb: Nausea at the sight of cooking food
Cocculus indica : Nausea starts as soon as lift the head off the pillow. Nausea while travelling on bike, bus, train
Nux vomica: Nausea occurs only after eating, patient is irritable easily
Sepia: Nausea at the smell of cooking food
Ipecac: Constant nausea not relieved even after vomiting. Amelioration on lying down.
Pulsatilla: Nausea worse in late afternoon and evening and after eating, weeps easily, strong aversion to fatty food
HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES IN 2nd TRIMISTER
Kali carbonicum: For a back which feels weak and tired and with a dragging pain in the middle and lower region
Alumina: No urge to have the bowels open and trouble passing even a soft stool
Lycopodium: Hard, small stools that are difficult to pass
HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES IN 3rd TRIMISTER
Capsicum: Severe burning sensation behind the breastbone
Causticum: For dribbling urine at the time of cough, sneeze, stand ..etc
HEMORRHOIDS IN PREGNANCY- HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES
AESCULUS: Painful hemorrhoids, swollen veins, do not bleed very much. Sensation of needles and sticks in rectum
HAMAMELIS: Bleeding profuse, hemorrhoids feel bruised and aggravates by heat
HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES DUIRNG LABOUR
Aconite: The labour is too fast (any stage), the pains are very strong (even unbearable) and the woman has a feeling of panic
Arnica: An indispensable remedy that can be given from time to time during labour to help the muscles function properly, to relieve the over-exertion of labour and reduce the bruised feeling after delivery
Kali phos: For simple exhaustion during labour, mental, emotional and physical
Caulophyllum : For a difficult labour where the cervix is slow to dilate and the pains are strong but ineffective, feeling cold and trembling
Pulsatilla: When contractions are irregular and weak, the cervix is slow to dilate. Feel miserable, clingy and tearful
BREASTFEEDING ISSUES & HOMEOPATHY
Problems that can make it difficult for women to breastfeed successfully include mastitis painful nipples and a slow milk supply. Homeopaths recognize that breast milk gives babies a good start in life, so do keep in touch with your midwife, breastfeeding counselor and/or your Homeopath if you want to breastfeed but find it painful or difficult or both. One useful remedy is Phytolacca for sore, cracked nipples, which hurt when the baby nurses. It is also useful for breast infections (mastitis) where there are painful lumps in the breast.
