Painful trapped wind in pregnancy

Trapped Wind in Pregnancy

Trapped wind and excessive bloating are, unfortunately, very common during pregnancy. Most women mention this problem as one of the most negative aspects of an otherwise beautiful period in their lives. This unpleasant and often embarrassing problem cannot be completely controlled, but there are things a woman can do to make pregnancy more comfortable.

Causes of Excessive Wind in Pregnancy

Swallowing air is the most common cause of bloating and gas normally, but in pregnancy, the main cause is the hormone progesterone. This hormone makes the smooth muscles relax to make room for the growing baby, but it also makes the intestines relax, which slows down the passage of food through the digestive system. This gives the bacteria more time to break down food and gas results as a by-product of this process.

Some foods cause gas more than others. Those foods include pulses, cabbage, and cauliflower, but also onions, peas and dairy products. Because fatty and sugary foods, as well as foods with lots of carbohydrates, take more time to digest, they tend to cause gas during pregnancy.

The symptoms get worse by the end of the third trimester when the baby pushes the most against the stomach.

Large numbers of patients with abdominal pain present to their general practitioners and emergency departments every year. Most require no specific medical intervention but some will require urgent hospital admission.

Abdominal pain has numerous causes but it is not necessary to reach a specific diagnosis. The aim is to decide on a management plan, to know when to monitor a patient at home, and to rule out the more serious pathology. Most patients can be adequately assessed by the simple techniques described and an accurate plan formed for the patients further management.
One unusual cause of shock-like syndrome in pregnancy is supine hypotension. If a pregnant woman is laid on her back for a prolonged period the uterus obstructs the inferior vena cava resulting in a decrease in venous return, cardiac output, and hypotension. If the uterus is palpable above the umbilicus, lie the patient in the left lateral position.
If the primary survey shows no requirement for resuscitation then a secondary survey can be undertaken using the SOAPC system. History and examination has been shown to be very effective in distinguishing organic and non-organic causes of pain.
In an ideal setting, examination of the abdomen would entail ensuring that the patient is exposed from “nipple to knee”, and PR or PV examinations performed. However, it is very likely that these will be difficult and often impossible in the community setting. If carrying out a PR/PV examination, explain all stages to the patient and have a chaperone present at all times. Exceptions to this rule would be where the patient is very unwell and there is an obvious clinical need, for example heavy PV bleeding or imminent childbirth.
Cystitis is very common with classic symptoms of frequency and dysuria. Systemic symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and fever are not usual in simple cystis. The abdominal pain is less of a feature than the urinary symptoms and the abdomen is rarely tender. Urine analysis gives a typical picture with protein and white cells and often some blood. One important pitfall is that other causes of pelvic inflammation can also cause frequency and dysuria. For example, a pelvic appendicitis will cause abdominal pain, dysuria, frequency and even protein, blood and white cells on urine analysis.

✓ Fact confirmed: Abdominal pain, abdominal pain in women, complications of pregnancy and labour J. Gray, J. Wardrope, D. J. Fothergill; August 25, 2004.

How to Minimize Gas and Bloating

Start of the day is the most important. Having a cup of hot water with some lemon or peppermint will help push yesterday’s food into the intestines, and the same drink after each meal will reduce bloating.

Wheat bran for breakfast is also a good idea. It will stimulate the bowel movement without causing wind.

Stomach will digest the food much better if it is divided into several smaller meals.

Fizzy drinks like soda contain a lot of sugars, which can aggravate bloating and wind, and there is also the obvious reason- carbonated drinks contain small bubbles of air, which can cause excessive gas in the intestines.

Sitting up when eating will make the food pass through the system more easily, and it will reduce gas, indigestion, and heartburn.

Pregnant women should give up gum, and for two reasons. One is that while chewing gum a person also swallows air, and the other is that sorbitol, found in most chewing gums, causes gas as a side effect.

Bloating is even more uncomfortable if a woman wears tight clothes that press and cut into the abdomen. Loose clothes are generally a better idea for pregnant women.

Pelvic floor muscles can be strengthened with adequate exercise, which can come in handy on occasions when it is really not appropriate to pass wind.

Exercise and a regular diet will also help reduce flatulence, bloating, and gas.