Gestures
The term gestosis generally refers to pregnancy-related diseases with an unclear cause. A distinction is made between early gestosis, which occurs in the first trimester (the first three months of pregnancy), and late gestosis, which manifests itself in the last trimester. Early gestation usually manifests itself as hyperemesis gravidarum (excessive vomiting on an empty stomach during pregnancy) and ptyalism (increased salivation).
Hyperemesis gravidarum usually ends in the 14th week of pregnancy. The affected women complain of persistent nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and dizziness. In most cases, it is sufficient to admit the pregnant woman as an in-patient and to supply her intravenously with fluid and electrolytes.
In case of persistent hyperemesis, one treats with antiemetics. Late gestoses manifest themselves as so-called preclampsia or eclampsia. Preclampsia is a hypertensive disease that causes high blood pressure (hypertension), protein in the urine (proteinuria) and water retention (edema).
These are the main symptoms. Those affected also complain of dizziness, headaches and nausea. Since the cause is not completely clear, one should be careful with a therapy.
The blood pressure of pregnant women must not be lowered uncontrolled by medication. A life-threatening situation for the fetus can arise, which ultimately ends in premature birth or an emergency C-section. The mother’s blood pressure is lowered when the values are constantly above 170/110 mmHg.
However, care must be taken to ensure that the blood pressure does not fall below 140/90 mmHg. Since 2009, however, early detection of preclampsia has been possible by means of a blood test. Furthermore, there is a risk of developing eclampsia in a late gestation.
An eclampsia is a seizure that requires constant monitoring of the expectant mother and the fetus. The seizures can be treated with intravenously applied magnesium. In this case, however, it must be strictly observed that the woman’s reflexes can be triggered well.
Otherwise there is a risk of respiratory arrest. Another important symptom of gestures in general is pain in the right upper abdomen. In no case, however, one can conclude the presence of gestosis from unspecific pain in the abdomen.
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