Pregnancy is perhaps the most beautiful time in every woman’s life. Waiting for your baby should take place in peace and harmony. This is important not only for the moms and for successful delivery, but for the future health of the child. However, unfortunately, sometimes it does not happen quite the way we would have liked. Recently, pathology of pregnancy is a rule rather than an exception. A doctor, a friend of mine, who worked in the nursing home for more than 40 years, once said that even 10 years ago, the Department of Pathology was usually empty, but now there is simply no room. And the most common diagnosis is the high tone of the uterus.
This material was not created to scare mothers, but only in order to prevent and once again remind us that taking care of your health during pregnancy should be a priority, and moreover to inform women about why the tone of the uterus is dangerous.
One of the consequences of poor lifestyle choices, constant stress or fatigue may be the tone of the uterus during pregnancy. This is a problem faced by many women. Nevertheless, we should remember that the tone during pregnancy does not mean a possible miscarriage. What is the tone of the uterus and how to determine and treat it; you will learn from our article.
So, first of all, I would like to reassure future mothers. Sometimes doctors intentionally or unknowingly aggravate the picture of the situation, which has a detrimental effect on the health of the woman and her baby. After hearing a frightening diagnosis and even more depressing comments from your doctor, a pregnant woman is frightened and begins to actively surf the Internet in the search of everything that is related to “pregnancy tone of the uterus.” That is why we asked a doctor – a gynecologist – to talk in this article about the problem and how to prevent uterine tone.
Tone of the uterus does not necessarily mean the loss of a child. The tone of the uterus – is uncontrolled reduction in the uterus that can lead to miscarriage. However, other effects of uterine tone are possible. Let us see what the uterus itself is, and what the normal tone of the uterus is.
The uterus is a body composed of muscle tissue. The uterine wall has three layers:
- The first layer covers the outside of the uterus, like a thin membrane.
- Midway between the outer and inner layers is a muscular layer, referred to as “myometrium”. It consists of fibers of the connective and muscular tissue.
- Inside the uterus there is endometrium.
Increased tone of the uterus during pregnancy is created by the muscle fibers, which tend to contract. In the normal course of pregnancy the uterine muscles should be in a calm and relaxed state, called normal tone. With stress or overexertion, muscle fibers contract, increasing their tone and the pressure of the uterus. That is called the increased tone or the hypertone of the uterus.
The tone of the uterus may occur throughout the pregnancy. The high tone of the uterus in the second trimester usually appears because of the overload at work or poor lifestyle choices. In the third trimester, the size of the uterus greatly increases. The tone of the uterus in the third trimester may lead to premature birth. In this case, the child may survive, but it takes a lot of time and effort to save it.
Preparing for Childbirth
During pregnancy not only the expectant mother is preparing for the childbirth, but also her body. The uterus grows and gradually increases in size due to the growth of muscle fibers. Also the number of enzymes, calcium, glycogen, and various trace elements, which are needed for the contraction of the uterus during childbirth increase significantly. This way the uterus prepares itself for the upcoming birth.
What Causes Normal Tone?
As we have said before, for successful childbirth the tone of the uterus should be normal. Hypertonicity occurs when there is violation of any of the processes that cause normal tone. What are these processes?
The Brain
All human bodies are literally crammed with nerve endings and receptors. The uterus is no exception. Nerve endings of uterine send signals to the CNS and ANS, ie central and autonomic nervous systems. At the very beginning of pregnancy the impulses that inform the brain about the occurrence of pregnancy are beginning to enter the central nervous system of the future mother, which, in turn, leads to the appearance of the pregnancy dominant in the brain. The brain itself inhibits many neural processes by which pregnancy becomes a staple in a woman’s life, pushing all other tasks away. If a woman is overloaded at work experience or has strong nervous shock or fear, points of excitation may form. They have a negative impact on the pregnancy dominant and lead to the increased uterine tone.
Throughout the 39 weeks of pregnancy the uterus receptors and spinal cord have a reduced excitability. This, in turn, provides normal pregnancy during the whole time. At that point, when the time to give birth comes, the excitability of the brain increases several times.
Progesterone and FPS
Hormones are also responsible for the normal course of pregnancy. For up to ten weeks, one of the most important roles is played by progesterone – a hormone in women, directly produced in the ovary by so-called “yellow body.” VT occurs in the place where the egg comes and goes into the tube of the uterus. In pregnancy, the corpus luteum of the ovary is transformed into the corpus luteum of pregnancy and actively contributes to the development of estrogen and progesterone for up to ten weeks. After this period, VT decreases with the synthesis of progesterone.
Progesterone is the essential element of a normal pregnancy and a normal tone of the uterus. It reduces the ability of the uterus to contract, and reduces the tone of the intestine. Because of this, many pregnant women suffer from constipation. Progesterone acts on the central nervous system, due to which many pregnant women are often tired and sleepy.
FPS is fetoplacental system, which consists of the liver, adrenal cortex and placenta of the women and the child. FPS promotes the production of estriol – a hormone that helps regulate blood flow in the uterus and placenta. With the disturbed development of estriol and malfunction of FPS anomalies arise in the development of the child.
The Causes of High Uterine Tone
According to specialists, a growing number of women face such a problem, as the tone of the uterus during pregnancy. The causes of this complication lay in various problems.
The tone of the uterus in early pregnancy can occur due to irregular hormone production. The main hormone responsible for maintaining normal tone in the uterus is progesterone. The quality of its production can be affected by numerous states. If the body has too little progesterone miscarriage can occur.
Conditions, in which there is a shortage of progesterone, are:
- Genital infantilism – incomplete development and growth of the reproductive system. In this case, not fully developed uterus can be contracted due to too much pressure on it.
- Hyperandrogenism – an increased number of male hormones that can be produced by the adrenal glands. This problem manifests itself before pregnancy. Possible violations of menstrual cycle, excess hair, problem skin, the condition is getting worse before menstruation. Hyperandrogenism may not manifest itself externally. In this case, in order to identify it, you need to run blood tests.
- Hyperprolactinemia – increased blood levels of prolactin the woman. Prolactin is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland. With this condition infertility often develops. Before pregnancy, hyperprolactinemia manifests itself in the form of allocation of milk from the nipples and irregular cycle.
Before pregnancy issues with infertility, endometriosis and myoma say that the body has a problem with the production of hormones. In pregnancy, these abnormalities may increase the tone and lead to miscarriage.
In addition to problems with hormones and nerves, there are certain prerequisites to the high tone of the uterus, the reasons lie in the tissues of the uterine walls and fibers themselves:
- Endometriosis – growth of ashell within the uterus in atypical areas
- Fibroids (Myoma) – benign uterine tumors
- Inflammatory diseases of both the uterus and appendages, which could have happened before pregnancy
The tone of the uterus before birth can also occur due to polyhydramnios, multiple pregnancies, or a fetus that is too big. In the case of disruption of the central nervous system, the regulation process of muscle contractions in the uterus gets off, which also leads to an increase in tone. These failures can be caused by too heavy physical exertion, constant stress, infectious and inflammatory diseases, such as acute respiratory infections, flu, or pielonifrit.
Symptoms and Signs of Uterine Tone in Pregnancy
Doctors know exactly how to define the tone of the uterus. Call the doctor if you feel heaviness or pain in the abdomen. Although, back pain in early pregnancy often does not speak of emerging problems, but only that the body is reconstructed by the growing fetus inside of it, trying to take it as comfortable as possible and to coexist with it.
Still, if you feel a reduction or compression and unpleasant pain in the abdomen, it is best to pay attention to it. Such sensations, that can bring very significant discomfort as well as you can hardly feel them, could mean the tone of the uterus. In pregnancy, the symptoms of this disorder can manifest themselves very differently. So once again, we strongly recommend that you contact a qualified specialist.
Diagnosis of Uterine Tone During Pregnancy
When a pregnant woman goes to a doctor with suspected tone of the uterus during pregnancy, signs of which can manifest themselves at all stages of pregnancy, the doctor should first interview a patient. The main cause for concern may be back and abdomen pain. Abdomen and uterus feel like a “stone”, when there is a tone of the uterus. Symptoms may also manifest themselves in the form of minor bleeding.
For diagnostic they use:
- Palpation of the abdomen of a pregnant woman. Normally soft stomach and the uterus get hard as a rock at a high uterine tone. This is clearly felt at palpation of the abdomen of a pregnant woman when she lies on her back.
- The US can define a local or total thickening of the muscular layer of the uterus.
- Also apply a special device with a built-in sensor that helps pinpoint the tone of the uterus.
What to Do if You Have High Tone of the Uterus?
So, the doctor has determined a disappointing diagnosis – the high tone of the uterus. “What should I do?” – The first question that may arise in women. Firstly, do not be afraid and do not panic. The more nervous you get, the less possible it becomes to reduce the tone of the uterus during pregnancy. And doing it is very real.
Treatment and Prevention
First of all, consult your doctor and find out how to reduce the tone of the uterus during pregnancy. Absolutely every pregnant woman with the tone of the uterus is prescribed bed rest, sedatives, agents that reduce cramping and general activity of the uterus.
Most often, the treatment of the diagnosis “tone of the uterus” is carried out only in the hospital. First sedativesare prescribed, because the stress associated with the possibility of termination of pregnancy increases the tone of the uterus further.
With any anomalies of the tone of the uterus during pregnancy, the treatment depends on its causes, and the tone is reduced by means of receiving special drugs. With a shortage of progesterone they prescribe Utrozhestan or Djufaston.
Effective enough in combating the tone of the uterus are various antispasmodics, such as No-Spa, or papaverine. In the treatment sugar, palpitations and pressurecontrolis are mandatory.
Magne B6
Another excellent tool is Magne B6 – a drug that fills up the shortage of Vitamin B6. It is prescribed for violations related to the tone of the uterus. Magne B6 during pregnancy is prescribed under the threat of miscarriage and hypertonicity of the uterus. The increased content of magnesium makes it possible to improve the metabolic processes in the body, enhance immunity, and maintain the nervous system.
Magne B6 supplements during pregnancy are necessary supplies of magnesium and vitamin B6 in the body, the need for which during childbearing increases significantly. The product contains a large amount of pyridoxine, namely vitamin B6. This vitamin is actively involved in metabolic processes, as well as it has a positive effect on the nervous system. It increases the level of absorption of magnesiumin the blood cells. A doctor prescribes Magne B6 during pregnancy, instructions to which should be read before taking. The average duration of taking the drug is approximately one month. After normalization of the level of magnesium in the blood Magne B6 is dropped. The dosage for adults is 3-4 capsules per day, for children – 10-30 mg / kg, i.e. about 1-4 ampoules.
Adults can take Magne B6 in pills in the amount of 6-8 pills, and children – 4-6 per day.
In conclusion, I would like to say that during pregnancy it is important to take care of yourself. This concerns not only the last few weeks, when the baby is about to be born. It is important to realize that a healthy lifestyle, good sleep, good nutrition, lack of stress, calming nerves, not lifting heavy loads, and avoiding harmful habits – those are not just postulates, repeated a hundred times, but the real key to your health and your baby’s future health. Good luck and less stress to you!
