NATURE'S CURE

Pregnancy and Homeopathy

PREGNANCY is a time when most women avoid taking any form of medications because they are concerned about the possible side-effects of orthodox medicines on their unborn child. This makes perfect sense considering that in the past, conventional medicines like tha-lidomide, chloramphenicol, and strepto-mycin, just to name a few, have given rise to foetal defects. Homeopathic medicines, however, are infinitesimally small bioen-ergetic preparations that boost the immune system and stimulate the restorative processes of the body so that it heals itself naturally without any side-effects. Research studies have shown that pregnant women on Homeopathy have had shortened labour time and less painful deliveries. Even the chances of complications before, during, or after childbirth reduced drastically. Given below are the common complaints that women have during pregnancy or after childbirth and the homeopathic medicines that would be useful in treating the conditions safely, without the fear of any adverse reactions in the mother or the child.

 FIRST TRIMESTER BLUES: (1 - 12 WEEKS)

 Almost 80 per cent of pregnant women experience nausea and/or vomiting during the first trimester of pregnancy. These symptoms are often the worst in the mornings but can occur at any time of the day. Morning sickness is usually at its worst between weeks 6 and 12, though nausea and vomiting can be a problem at any stage of pregnancy. They are usually caused by hormonal changes, in particular, increased levels of progesterone. Women may feel worse when their stomach is empty, so it is a good idea to eat several small meals throughout the day. Many women also feel extremely tired during the early weeks. Frequent urination is common, and there may be a creamy white discharge from the vagina. Some women crave certain foods, and an extreme sensitivity to smell may worsen the nausea.

HOMEOPATHY FOR THE FIRST TRIMESTER:

 Syrnphoricarpus Racemo-sa mother tincture, 8.10 drops twice daily, is highly recommended for persistent vomiting of pregnancy. Fer-rum Phos 6X, 2 tablets twice daily is useful for iron defi-ciency anaemia. Natrum Phos 6X acts as an acid neu-tralizer and pH balancer. It helps to ease digestive prob-lems like reflux or heartburn and reduces nausea.

SECOND TRIMESTER BLUES: (13 - 28 WEEKS)

A woman's appetite may increase at this time. By the 22nd week, most women will have felt their baby move. During the second trimester, nausea and vomiting often fade away, and the pregnant woman often feels much better and more energetic. The heart rate increases, as does the volume of blood in the body. The second trimester of pregnancy is generally less eventfUl compared to the first. This is the time to undergo various tests, such as the Rh factor, VDRL, urine routine, and blood pressure to rule out kidney problems and hypertension. Diseases in the mother, either inherent or contracted, can affect the foetus. For instance, jaundice can bring forth a stillbirth, chickenpox can cause foetal varicella defect syndrome, a venereal disease can lead to congenital syphilis, and diabetes can cause post maturity. All these diseases can be effectively tackled by using Homeopathy.

HOMEOPATHY FOR THE SECOND TRIMESTER:

 Nux Vom 30C can be given for jaundice during pregnancy. Syzygium Jambolinum mother tincture, 8.10 drops in half a cup of water can be given twice daily for preg-nancy induced diabetes mellitus.

THIRD TRIMESTER BLUES: (29 - 40 WEEKS)

By the third trimester (29.40 weeks), many women begin to experience a range of common symptoms. Many women feel hot, sweat easily and often find it hard to get comfortable. Kicks from an active baby may cause sharp pains, and lower backaches are common. At about the 36th week, the baby's head drops down low into the pelvis. This may relieve pressure on the upper abdomen and the lungs, allow-ing a woman to breathe more easily. How-ever, the new position places more pres-sure on the bladder and the rectum causing other complaints of pregnancy such as increased urinary frequency, constipa-tion, acidity and piles. The infant's position in the womb gradually begins to shift in preparation for its debut in the world and with this, the baby's weight pulls the lower part of the mothers body forward, causing the mother to compensate by in-creasing the pelvic tilt and curving the small of her back, which gives rise to backaches. The expanded uterus can also increase the possibility of varicose veins in the lower extremities by stagnation in the blood supply.

HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINES FOR THIRD TRIMESTER

Senna 6C taken twice daily can act as a safe and mild laxative for pregnant wom-en suffering from constipation. Aesculus 30C, taken twice daily is best for piles, especially when associated with a low backache. Rhus Tox 30C, 5 pills twice daily, is recommended for backache which is better by movement and worse by lying down. Cale Flour 6X together with Mag Phos 6X (2 tablets each) helps in relieving muscle spasms and restoring the elastic-ity of the blood vessels. Most doctors ad-vocate the administration of Art injec-tions (anti tetanus toxoid) in the 7th, 8th, and 9th months of pregnancy to avert the possibility of the tetanus. Instead, 2 doses of Ledum pal 200C taken every month in the last three months of pregnancy would minimize the risk too.

A study carried out in Switzerland re-vealed that in pregnant women using Homeopathy, the frequency of situa-tions requiring a Cesarean section was remarkably low (Hochstrass-er B. Mattmann P, 1999, Main-stream medicine versus comple-mentary medicine (homeopath-ic) intervention: a critical meth-odology study of care in preg-nancy, Switzerland).

HOMEOPATHIC REME-DIES DURING CHILDBIRTH:

 Arnica 30C is an indis-pensable remedy that can be given from time to time during labour to help the muscles function properly, to relieve the over-exertion of labour and reduce the bruised feeling after de-livery. Kali Phos 6X re-lieves exhaustion during labour, mental, emotional, and physical. Caulophyllum 30C is indicated for a difficult labour where the cervix is slow to dilate and the pains are strong but ineffective. Pulsatilla 30C is called for when contractions are irregular and weak, the cervix is slow to dilate, and the woman feels miserable, clingy, and tearful. She may actually want to give up and go home.

HOMEOPATHY DURING CHILD BIRTH:

 During childbirth, the cervix could be slow to dilate; there may be severe pain, excessive bleeding, retained placenta and other difficulties. Homeopathy can help the mother to deliver the baby more com-I fortably A double blind, placebo controlled trial showed that the length of labour in those on a homeopathic remedy was on an aver-age three hours 38 minutes shorter than in those on placebo. The numbers having dif-ficult births was also substantially lower 11 per cent with the remedy as against 4C per cent with the placebo (Cahiers (lc Biottaranie, April 1987.94: 77-811.

HEALING AFTER CHILDBIRTH:

After childbirth, homeopathic remedies can help to treat or prevent a number of distressing symptoms. Aconite 30C is indicated for shock following the fear of the intensity of birth, in the mother, the father or the baby. Arnica 30C helps to relieve soreness, bruising, and after-pains. It is also helpful to treat babies who are bruised (due to a long labour or a forceps delivery). Kali Phos 6X is an excellent remedy for mental exhaustion after delivery, with headache and tiredness but where the woman is too excited to sleep, especially in the first or second days after childbirth. Pulsatilla 30C is useful in treating post-natal blues, especially when the milk comes in. The mother feels utterly miserable and bursts into tears over trivial issues; however, she feels much better on being consoled and comforted.

HOMEOPATHY FOR BREAST CARE AND LACTATION:

 When the nipples are sore and cracked, Graphites may be applied locally as a cream. Fissuring of the nipples is another common condition during lactation that can be treated with a few doses of Ratanhia 30C. To increase the flow of milk in mothers producing little or no milk, Asafoetida 30C is recommended. In mothers producing excessive milk, Borax 30C, 5 pills twice daily, can help to normalize the flow. Lac Can 30C, 5 pills twice daily. is useful in drying up the milk in women who wish to stop breastfeeding the child.

 For more information, you can call: 040-6683 8888; Homeopathy Health line number: 1800-209.6767; SMS: DB to 09757070707 or log on to: www.drba-tras.com for health queries. You can also email us at drbatragdrbatras.com

 (Dr. Mukesh Bette, L.C.E.H (Mumbai), F.H.M.A (UK), F.S.R.H. (Med), M.D.H. (US), is CMD, Dr. Batras' Positive Health Clinic Pet Ltd.)