Effects of osteoporosis in pregnant women

Bones of pregnant and lactating women are affected by many factors that reduce bone quality, reduce bone mass and can cause osteoporosis, more seriously fracture complications.

Manifestations of osteoporosis in pregnant women in the early stages:
Broken nails, brittle nails, loose and yellow teeth, hair loss (especially after washing). Back pain: The most characteristic sign of osteoporosis in pregnant women, back pain can be transient or persistent depending on the amount of calcium that the pregnant woman is deficient in; Cramps, muscle pain in thighs, calves, feet, numbness in limbs, pain especially occurs at night. Manifestations of osteoporosis in pregnant women are more severe: Convulsions of muscles in the face or extremities, hands and fingers and toes of pregnant women are constricted due to excessive hypocalcemia.

A woman's body during pregnancy has a better ability to protect its own bones than usual, the ability to absorb calcium from food and from supplements is higher than that of non-pregnant women. in the second half of pregnancy.
Causes of osteoporosis in pregnant women are quite diverse, even frequent urination can lead to a greater amount of calcium being eliminated from the body. The larger the fetus, the more the fetal skeletal system develops and from there, the higher the need for calcium. Towards the end of pregnancy, due to the increased calcium requirements of the fetus, the umbilical cord will secrete a large amount of estrogen.
The production of more estrogen - a hormone that plays a role in bone protection will help restore bone mass lost during pregnancy within a few months of giving birth (or after the mother stop breastfeeding). Many studies also show that pregnancy and childbirth are generally good for a woman's bone health if the pregnancy lasts at least 28 weeks.
Fracture due to osteoporosis in pregnant women is a rare condition, recognizable signs are: Fracture after only a mild trauma, fracture site is usually in the vertebrae or in the femoral neck, occurs in the period giving birth, causing pain and disability. Osteoporosis fractures in pregnant women can heal like other fractures, and the body will return to normal a few months after giving birth or after stopping breastfeeding.

Pregnant women with calcium deficiency often have fatigue, muscle aches, cramps, numbness in hands and feet, more severe convulsions when calcium levels in the blood drop low - this is a very dangerous condition for both the mother and the mother. and baby during pregnancy. During pregnancy, the pregnant woman's body has to bear the weight of the fetus, which increases the risk of fractures in women with osteoporosis problems during pregnancy.
If a pregnant woman has a calcium deficiency, although the body can break down calcium from the bones and release it into the blood to temporarily meet this need, this response of the mother's body is only limited, up to a At some time, the fetus cannot avoid bad effects when the mother is calcium deficient during pregnancy: growth retardation, congenital rickets, congenital wheezing, bone deformities,...
To determine To know if pregnant women lack calcium or have osteoporosis, pregnant women can go to a specialist hospital to do the necessary tests.
Many people think that we only need to apply measures to prevent osteoporosis in pregnant women, but in fact, osteoporosis problems are also common in women who are breastfeeding. During lactation, the amount of calcium the mother will provide to the baby through the milk, the amount of calcium loss of the mother will depend on the amount of milk of the mother, the number of times the baby suckles during the day and the time of each feeding. Breastfeeding works to reduce the mother's body's production of estrogen, which is one of the common causes of osteoporosis in women. Fortunately, however, this osteoporosis in women during childbirth recovers quickly in mothers about 6 months after stopping breastfeeding.

Calcium plays an extremely important role in the formation of bones and teeth of the fetus in the womb, therefore, during pregnancy, the mother's calcium needs increase as follows:
During the first 3 months, The daily calcium requirement for pregnant women is 800mg. In the second trimester, the daily calcium requirement for pregnant women is 1,000mg. In the last 3 months and when breastfeeding, the daily calcium requirement is 1,500mg. First of all, pregnant women need to supplement calcium through a diet supplementing with calcium-rich foods such as: Crab, field shrimp, milk, soy milk powder, carrots, sesame,...
Besides In addition, pregnant and lactating women need to supplement calcium through drugs, it is best to use brand-name drugs containing calcium and vitamin D3 as directed by the doctor, because of excess calcium or excess vitamin. D are harmful to the body of mother and baby. To make the most of calcium absorption during pregnancy, pregnant women should pay attention not to eat vegetables at the same time as taking calcium supplements, because the cellulose in vegetables will have the risk of retaining all calcium, preventing absorption. into the blood.
Another point to note is that for healthy pregnant women, any type of calcium-containing brand name drug can be used, however, in some special cases pregnant women need to be considered such as: Pregnant women with diabetes Sugar should not use calcium products that are too sweet, pregnant women should not use calcium gluconate-containing products, pregnant women who are asked to abstain from salt should not use calcium-containing products containing a lot of sodium.
In addition to osteoporosis during pregnancy, pregnant women can go to reputable medical facilities for more detailed advice on common problems during pregnancy. Vinmec International General Hospital offers a Package Maternity Care Program for pregnant women right from the first months of pregnancy with a full range of antenatal check-ups, 3D, 4D, and 5D ultrasounds. along with routine tests to ensure that the mother is healthy and the fetus is developing comprehensively.
In addition to regular check-ups, pregnant women will also be advised on nutrition and exercise so that the mother can gain weight reasonably while the fetus still absorbs nutrients well.

Reference articles: Thaythuocvietnam.vn, tudu.com.vn