Appendicitis during pregnancy - symptoms and consequences

Pregnancy is one of the brightest periods in a woman's life. At this time, the expectant mother should enjoy her excellent position, expect the appearance of the baby, and not worry about anything. However, the period of gestation may be overshadowed by some health difficulties. One of the difficulties that may arise is appendicitis. How dangerous is this disease during pregnancy and how to treat it?

What is appendicitis?

Appendicitis is a disease that manifests itself in the inflammatory process in the appendix - a kind of appendix that has the shape of a worm. This process in the human body does not perform any function, it is rather a rudiment.

However, even an organ that does not perform any function may from time to time manifest itself, and not in the best way. According to statistics, approximately 25% of the population suffers from appendix inflammation. Most often, appendicitis occurs at a young age up to 30 years, however, age does not play any role.

In women in the appendix position is also able to become inflamed. Moreover, such a disease by and large arises precisely due to pregnancy. According to statistics, approximately 5% of all women with appendicitis were in position at the time of inflammation. This disease in acute form, by the way, is much more common in pregnant women.

Appendicitis can be presented in two different forms, namely catarrhal and destructive. The first, catarrhal form is characterized by an increase in appendix size and swelling. However, the process remains intact. The destructive form of appendicitis is divided into several types:

1. Phlegmous. With such inflammation, the appendix is ​​filled with pus, as a result of which it turns into a real bubble. In order for the appendicitis to pass from the first form to phlegm, it will take at least 6 hours, a maximum of this will happen during the day. There are cases when this transition takes place within just one hour. If there are a number of conditions, a bubble filled with pus can simply burst. This is precisely what appendicitis is dangerous.
2. If during the phlegm appendicitis the necessary measures were not taken, the pathology can go to the next stage - gangrenous. In this case, the process of tissue death begins, as a result of which there is also a danger of rupture of the appendix. In this form, the swollen bubble can remain for approximately 12 hours.
3. The most complex and most dangerous form of appendicitis is perforated. Pathology can come to this form only a day after the first symptoms of inflammation appear. The stage is characterized by rupture of the appendix and filling the abdominal cavity with pus from the bladder. This circumstance can provoke the appearance of infection, which is very dangerous both for the mother herself and for the unborn child. If during the day the patient is not provided with proper assistance, the consequences can be most sad.

Appendicitis Factors

To date, the medical community is not able to give a detailed description of the causes of appendicitis. The most common version is blockage of the lumen between the appendix and the cecum.

Blockage itself can occur for various reasons. Firstly, stagnation of feces.If a small amount of feces remains in the intestines, they can harden over time and turn into fossils. The result is stagnation. Moreover, toxins not removed from the body can take a place in the lumen between the intestine and the appendix. Sometimes the unusual position of the appendix can also contribute to the development of appendicitis. This process is located in the abdominal cavity in completely different ways.

Pregnancy is a condition that negatively affects the development of appendicitis. The fact is that during this period the uterus in the abdominal cavity of a woman increases very much, due to which there is a displacement of neighboring organs. This is especially true of the intestines. It is easy during pregnancy can change the position of the appendix, which as a result will lead to inflammation.

In addition, while expecting a baby, many expectant mothers suffer from an unstable stool, namely, they suffer from constipation. As a result, feces from the intestine can penetrate directly into the appendix, thereby causing stagnation. Or, a blockage of the lumen between the intestine and the appendix may occur, which can also provoke inflammation.

You should also take into account the fact that during disorders of the stool, and specifically, with constipation in the intestine, the microflora balance is disturbed. This circumstance may also slightly affect the development of the inflammatory process. Malicious microorganisms from the intestine can penetrate the process and in some way provoke inflammation.

Signs of appendicitis in pregnant women

It is rather difficult not to notice that the patient developed appendicitis, since it is usually accompanied by severe symptoms. However, women in pregnancy often confuse signs of appendicitis and an increase in uterine tone. An increased tone of this organ during the period of bearing the baby is far from uncommon, like many other difficulties that arise in this condition.

It is very important for any pregnant woman to detect signs of appendicitis in time, since any delay can lead to very sad consequences. You can highlight the main signs of appendicitis in pregnant women:

1. The first thing in the formation of the inflammatory process is always pain. And it will hurt exactly at the site of localization of inflammation. Since during the pregnancy due to an increase in the uterus, the appendix shifts somewhat upward, then soreness will be felt mainly in the upper part of the abdominal cavity.
2. The next stage in appendicitis is the spread of pain, as a result of which the pain will shift to the lower abdomen. Sometimes the pains are shingles. In this case, unpleasant sensations will be observed in the back, in the lumbar region, as well as in the opposite side. The intensity of the pain also increases. If at the beginning of the inflammatory process the pain was not so severe, now it will be constant and more pronounced. At first, soreness has a aching and pulling character, after which it takes a cramping look. You may notice that when lying on the right side, the soreness becomes more severe.
3. Since the appendix also puts pressure on the uterus, the expectant mother may appear hypertonic. With this pathology, abdominal hardness is noted, mild pain can also occur.
4. Sometimes the appendix, depending on its position, puts pressure on the liver. In this case, the expectant mother will feel nauseous, vomiting may begin. If the appendix is ​​located in the pelvic area, inflammation will lead to pain during urination.
5. A woman has a weakness that is not characteristic of her body.
6. Quite often, appendicitis is accompanied by a significant increase in body temperature.

What are the effects of appendix inflammation?

As mentioned earlier, the consequences of the development of appendicitis for the expectant mother are very serious:

1. If the process filled with pus will exert too much pressure on the uterus, excessive tension may form in it. This condition threatens premature birth or even termination of pregnancy.
2. Pathological processes in the body during the gestation of the baby can easily provoke placental abruption in the uterus, which in the absence of the necessary measures can also lead to fetal death.
3. A woman may develop internal bleeding amid inflammation.
4. Due to the inflammatory process, hypoxia can begin to develop - a phenomenon characterized by the absence of the required amount of oxygen in the child. This circumstance very much affects the development of irreversible changes in the brain in the baby, as well as many other internal organs.
5. There are certain risks in the future life of a pregnant woman and after the operation to remove the appendix. It is extremely important here that the woman is under the close supervision of doctors, otherwise she may begin to have complications. Firstly, in the postoperative period, obstruction in the intestine may appear, since at this time the process of emptying changes somewhat. Secondly, there is a risk of infection, which is also very dangerous for both the mother and the unborn child.

How to determine appendicitis?

It is impossible to diagnose the presence of inflammation in the appendix by a mere examination. In this case, a set of diagnostic measures is needed. A woman will need to donate blood and urine for analysis, as well as undergo a study using ultrasound.

To date, the most accurate data can provide a modern procedure - laparoscopy. In this case, the abdominal cavity is punctured and then the chamber is placed there.

Therapy

There is only one way to cure inflammation in the appendix - through surgery. Unfortunately, it is impossible to cure appendicitis by any other methods. If the inflammatory process has begun, the appendix will need to be deleted unambiguously. This can be done using two different techniques:

1. Conducting a traditional operation in which a small incision is made in the abdominal cavity, up to 10 centimeters long. Then, through the incision, the appendix is ​​carefully removed, and sutures are applied to the site of tissue rupture. Stitches are removed, usually a week after surgery.
2. The second method is a more modern version, which is more suitable for pregnant women. In this case, a laparoscopic intervention is performed. In this case, several punctures are made in the abdominal cavity, in one of which the camera is placed, and in the other special tools, which are called manipulators. This technique involves a much smaller number of possible complications, which, without a doubt, is safer for the expectant mother.

In the postoperative period, it is extremely important for a pregnant woman to follow all the doctor's prescriptions in order to avoid complications and undesirable consequences. A woman will be prescribed a strict diet with a sparing diet, and specialists will monitor the work and condition of her intestines. Also, doctors can pick up antibacterial agents that will not affect the fetus.

Video: how to recognize the first signs of appendicitis