Blood clotting during pregnancy is what is called. Pregnancy and "thick" blood. Diet for pregnant women

Each pregnant woman during the entire period of expectation of the baby repeatedly passes various tests. In some cases, certain deviations can be noticed in the results of these examinations, which can be either a variant of the norm for expectant mothers or a symptom of some serious diseases.

Including, quite often, after passing the next examination during pregnancy, women find out that they have very thick blood. About why this happens, whether it is dangerous, and what to do in such a situation, we will tell you in our article.

Why can blood be too thick during pregnancy?

In most cases, the following factors are the cause of such a violation:

  • various diseases of the liver and pancreas;
  • hyperfunction of the spleen;
  • deficiency of vitamins, enzymes and mineral salts, especially vitamin C and zinc;
  • excessive weight;
  • sedentary lifestyle, bed rest with the threat of abortion;
  • dehydration of the body;
  • long-term use of drugs aimed at the treatment or prevention of iron deficiency anemia;
  • abuse of food enriched with carbohydrates, especially flour and sweet dishes;
  • individual characteristics.

How does thick blood affect pregnancy, and how can it be dangerous?

If the expectant mother has too thick blood, she will not be able to easily and unhindered flow through the vessels and fully perform all the functions assigned to her, so absolutely any internal organs and tissues can suffer. In some cases, such a violation negatively affects the general well-being of the expectant mother and causes her symptoms such as:

  • general weakness, increased fatigue;
  • headache, absent-mindedness, memory impairment and concentration;
  • increased blood pressure;
  • dry mouth;
  • coldness and numbness of the extremities;
  • feeling of heaviness in the legs and varicose veins;
  • depression and mood swings.

However, most pregnant women do not feel this condition in any way and find out that they have deviations only after passing regular tests. At the same time, almost all expectant mothers begin to worry about the dangers of thick blood during pregnancy for them and the unborn baby.

In some cases, in the absence of proper treatment and control by medical professionals, the consequences of thick blood during pregnancy can be deplorable. So, the heart of the expectant mother begins to work many times more intensively, so she has an increased risk of blood clots and the occurrence of serious diseases such as stroke and heart attack.

In addition, with such a violation, the necessary nutrients and, in particular, oxygen, are supplied to the fetus in smaller quantities. The products of his vital activity, on the contrary, are retained in the placenta much longer than necessary, since too thick blood in pregnant women cannot remove them. All this often leads to a delay in the intrauterine development of the unborn baby, hypoxia or premature birth. In some cases, thick blood can also provoke a missed pregnancy.

What to do if the blood is too thick during pregnancy?

First of all, to thin too thick blood during pregnancy, it is necessary to organize a special diet, as well as ensure sufficient physical activity and regular walks in the fresh air. The diet for this violation involves the following recommendations:

Sometimes medication may be required to thin thick blood during pregnancy. In such cases, the expectant mother is usually prescribed a course, and in severe situations, when such a condition may threaten the life of the fetus, drugs such as Thrombo ACC, Cardiomagnyl, or Phlebodia.

During the period of bearing a child, a woman should regularly undergo a variety of studies, including blood tests. These are necessary measures, because according to the results of the tests, the doctor monitors the condition and health of the unborn child and his mother.

For example, if so-called thick blood is detected in time in a general analysis, then many unpleasant problems that arise in connection with this phenomenon can be avoided.

It is worth noting that thickening is not a disease, however, it is perceived as a kind of symptom. Why does thick blood during pregnancy alarm doctors? The fact is that it does not pass well through the vessels, especially small ones, and capillaries.

As a result, the blood supply to all organs is disturbed, congestion occurs, which, in turn, contribute to the formation of blood clots and varicose veins.

The most receptive organ of the body is the brain. Even the most minor disturbances in its blood supply lead to a feeling of lethargy, decreased performance and memory impairment. However, this is not the worst.

If a sedentary lifestyle is added to these signs, then there is a risk of developing quite dangerous and fatal diseases, for example, thrombophlebitis, atherosclerosis, heart attack and stroke.

Causes of thick blood during pregnancy

Anyone who has encountered such a problem, or wants to prevent it, should first of all familiarize themselves with the causes of the disease. Density depends on a number of factors.

The most common reasons are:

  • Increased levels of hemoglobin, platelets, red blood cells;
  • Increased blood clotting;
  • enzyme deficiency;
  • acidification of the body;
  • Hyperfunction of the spleen;
  • Irradiation;
  • Dehydration due to insufficient water intake or its poor absorption by the large intestine;
  • Lack of vitamins and minerals that are involved in the production of hormones and enzymes;
  • Excessive consumption of sugar and carbohydrates.

Usually only one cause prevails, which, moreover, may be temporary. For example, during the period of bearing a child, a woman's body goes through a series of metamorphoses and the load on it is doubly increased.

Sometimes he can't handle it completely. But in some cases, thickening is provoked by a number of factors. This most often happens with heavy blood loss, blood diseases and pain shock.

Often, thick blood detected when planning a child is a consequence of the antiphospholipid syndrome. This disease leads to increased blood clotting in absolutely all vessels, which often causes fetal death or premature birth.

Iron preparations, which are taken by many pregnant women with low hemoglobin, can slightly increase this parameter.

Symptoms of thick blood that appear during pregnancy

It is worth noting that signs of a violation often occur when the body does not receive the required amount of fluid. Due to the lack of water, the internal fluids of the body (blood, lymph), of course, become thicker.

Nodules on the veins, a feeling of heaviness in the legs, constant drowsiness - the appearance of these symptoms indicates a violation.

Treatment of thick blood found during pregnancy


Of course, you cannot fix the problem on your own. The doctor, after the results of the tests, will prescribe the necessary therapy. But a woman can make up for the lack of water herself. It is necessary to fill the bottle (0.5 l) with ordinary water without gas. It is better to take filtered or boiled.

It should always be carried with you and periodically drink a few sips. No need to drink everything at once, otherwise there will be little use. This simple habit will help the expectant mother avoid many unpleasant moments during pregnancy. But it is impossible to drink a lot of water for those who suffer from edema.

Many medications can quickly and effectively thin the blood, but they are contraindicated during pregnancy, so the doctor will most likely prescribe a special diet, which in most cases helps to eliminate the symptoms of the disorder.

Diet

It is imperative to monitor nutrition: exclude fried, fatty, canned food from the diet; include low-fat dairy products. It is not recommended to consume sugar, sweet foods, as well as buckwheat, potatoes, bananas, alcohol, soda, smoked meats and pickles.

It is worth eating more foods that can liquefy.

Diet treatment involves:

  • Any citrus fruits - grapefruit, orange, lemon, lime;
  • Berries - mulberries, raspberries, strawberries, black currants, cranberries, plums, sea buckthorn;
  • Dried fruits;
  • Pomegranate and its juice;
  • Pineapples;
  • Forest mushrooms;
  • Tomatoes, beets, onions and young garlic;
  • Birch juice. Decoctions of birch bark and buds will also be useful;
  • Almost all vegetable oils - olive, linseed, rapeseed, etc.;
  • Turmeric, curry, oregano, dry dill and cayenne pepper, paprika, ginger, thyme, cinnamon.

It is important that plant foods are in season. Do not forget that you cannot get carried away with raspberries, mushrooms and viburnum. In addition, any product in too large quantities can cause allergies, so you need to eat all of the above without being zealous.

Small physical activity will also be useful. Elementary exercises can improve blood circulation throughout the body.

Before taking any measures, you need to consult a supervising doctor who will take into account the characteristics of the body, as well as contraindications to certain products, because the consequences of improper therapy can be as severe as the lack of treatment itself.

Medical methods

By no means always the correction of nutrition or lifestyle gives the necessary results. If the thickening poses a threat to the fetus or mother, then more serious methods of modern medicine must be used.

Very often, a drug such as Curantyl is prescribed, but it may be necessary to use more potent drugs. In the form of injections, Cardiomagnyl, Frasiparin, Phleboid, Thrombo ACC, etc. are also prescribed. The doctor chooses the medicine, taking into account the coagulogram indicators and guided by the condition of the patient herself.

Any course of therapy is canceled at 36 weeks of gestation. In some cases - 14 days before the expected date of birth. This is done in order to avoid a number of problems directly during the birth process.

The consequences of thick blood for the fetus and mother during pregnancy

The main danger is blood clots. Very often, after the birth of a child, varicose veins develop, especially when, during the bearing of the baby, the test results showed excessive density.

One of the most likely risks is blockage of blood vessels. This pathology can negatively affect both the growing fetus, which will lack oxygen, and the mother. In this case, the possibility of miscarriage or premature birth, as well as heart attack and stroke, is significantly increased.

When thick blood is detected, a miscarriage often occurs. In such a situation, the endometrium, in which poor blood circulation, cannot supply the fetus with the necessary nutrients. In addition, the embryo will not be able to attach to it normally.

Pregnancy planning


Even when planning a child, you need to pass an appropriate analysis for hemostasis. This will avoid complications, eliminate the violation and endure the baby before the due date. The doctor should prescribe a hemostasiogram (coagulogram).

Blood is a liquid substance that must be in a certain consistency in order to pass well through the vessels. Viscosity is one of its most important parameters. In the case of blood clots, there is a risk of blood clots, blockage of blood vessels, the development of severe consequences in the form of heart attacks and strokes. They say about when the hematocrit rises, that is, the volume of plasma decreases relative to the volume of blood cells. This increases the level of red blood cells and hemoglobin.

Such a phenomenon as thick blood during pregnancy is observed quite often. It is believed that in most cases there is no danger, and the blood will return to normal after childbirth. Increased viscosity during pregnancy is a compensatory reaction of the body in order to prevent bleeding during childbirth.

However, such changes in consistency are not always harmless. Pathological conditions are not excluded, which means that there is a risk to the health of the woman and the unborn child. To determine the cause of viscosity, pregnant women are prescribed a coagulogram. This comprehensive analysis is the most informative. It helps to find out if there are violations in the blood coagulation system and if correction is required.

The most important coagulogram indicators during pregnancy

  1. Prothrombin. During gestation, it should normally be 78-142%. Excess indicates viscous blood.
  2. fibrinogen. In the expectant mother, it should be from 2 to 4 g / l at the beginning of the term, in the last months it can reach 6 g / l.
  3. thrombin time. During pregnancy, it exceeds the usual rate by almost twice.
  4. Lupus coagulant. Its absence is the norm. Its presence in the blood of the expectant mother indicates an autoimmune disease or late toxicosis.

The causes of thick blood during pregnancy are different. The increase in viscosity can be attributed to the following factors:

  • physiological characteristics of a woman;
  • lack of water in the diet;
  • deficiency of vitamins and minerals that go during this period to the development of the fetus;
  • enzyme deficiency;
  • taking iron supplements, which are often prescribed to women during the gestation period with low hemoglobin;
  • eating large amounts of carbohydrates and sugar;
  • hyperfunction of the spleen.

Blood clotting can be a sign of various pathologies, including:

  • blood diseases;
  • significant blood loss;
  • antiphospholipid syndrome (with this pathology, increased clotting is observed, which can lead to premature birth or fetal death);
  • renal pathologies, diseases of the liver, intestines.
  • pain shock.

With thick blood, a woman expecting a baby may complain of lethargy and constant drowsiness.

Viscous blood during the gestation period may be due to any one reason, which is temporary and is associated with the physiology of pregnancy. But often the thickening is caused immediately by a number of factors.

With thick blood, a woman's well-being worsens. She may experience drowsiness, weakness, heaviness and pain in the lower extremities.

Why is viscous blood dangerous during pregnancy?

The consequences of such a condition during pregnancy can be very dangerous for both the unborn child and the woman. Among them:

  • development of varicose veins of the lower extremities;
  • thrombus formation;
  • the risk of developing strokes and heart attacks;
  • fetal hypoxia in the womb (lack of oxygen);
  • disturbances in the development of the fetus;
  • fading pregnancy;
  • the likelihood of a miscarriage.

Blood thinning during pregnancy

During the period of gestation, a woman should not take almost any medication, so the main method of dealing with thick blood is nutritional correction. Doctors recommend during this period to adhere to the following rules:

  1. Drink more liquid. Its amount is calculated on an individual basis, but, as a rule, it is one and a half to two liters per day. You need to drink plain water, which should be clean, but not distilled or carbonated. It is not recommended to immediately drink a large volume, otherwise the liquid may linger in the body, forming edema. It is best to take one to two sips every half hour. You can buy bottled water and make sure that one two-liter container is drunk per day.
  2. It is recommended to reduce or eliminate salt from the diet, which retains water and leads to the formation of edema.
  3. Include in the diet more foods containing ascorbic acid, which helps thin the blood. These are berries, fruits, red-orange vegetables, freshly squeezed juices.
  4. From citrus fruits, grapefruits, oranges, lemons, limes are useful.
  5. Of the berries, it is recommended to use strawberries, viburnum, plums, raspberries, cranberries, black currants, sea buckthorn, mulberries and others.
  6. The diet should include spices such as dill, cinnamon, ginger, paprika, oregano, turmeric, thyme, cayenne pepper.
  7. With thick blood, the menu should include beets, tomatoes, dried apricots, pineapples, garlic, pomegranates, onions, birch sap. From vegetable oils, give preference to rapeseed, linseed, olive.
  8. You can not eat foods that make the blood more viscous. These are bananas, buckwheat, potatoes, carbonated drinks, alcohol, salty, fatty, spicy.

In addition to correcting nutrition, you need to change your lifestyle. During pregnancy, moderate physical activity is needed to improve blood circulation. Every day you need to perform a few simple exercises with the obligatory observance of the drinking regimen. Physical activity will improve well-being and mood, lethargy, apathy, drowsiness will disappear, swelling and pain in the legs will disappear. Before starting classes, be sure to consult a doctor in case of contraindications.

Medical treatment

Changes in lifestyle and nutrition may not always help a pregnant woman with thick blood. In the event that such a condition poses a threat to the health of the mother and the life of the unborn child, doctors may prescribe drugs in the form of tablets and injections in short courses. The following drugs are used for therapy:

  • Cardiomagnyl,
  • Thrombo ASS,
  • Phlebodia,
  • Curantyl,
  • Fraxiparine.

As a rule, from the 36th week of gestation, blood-thinning therapy is canceled. You should not self-medicate, the doctor should prescribe the drug and dosage.

Conclusion

Thick blood during pregnancy is not a disease. Most often, this condition does not cause alarm, and if the thickening is slight, this is a variant of the norm. However, increased viscosity can threaten the health of the child and mother. In this case, a correction is required to avoid negative consequences. The main thing is to monitor your well-being, take all the tests and follow the recommendations of doctors.

In the course of various laboratory examinations that a pregnant woman repeatedly undergoes over the entire period of bearing a child, she often hears from doctors that certain indicators of urine and blood are abnormal. But this does not always mean that things are bad: numerous changes are characteristic of the body of the expectant mother - there is nothing surprising in this. And yet, because it is so often necessary to take tests, these same changes can promptly warn the doctor about serious violations that pose a danger to the unborn child and mother. One of these may be thick blood during pregnancy.

Even if it turns out that you have thick blood, do not rush to worry! Obstetricians assure that this condition is typical for pregnant women and often does not pose any danger. However, in some cases, it will be necessary to undergo appropriate treatment in order to prevent possible risks.

Examination for thick blood during pregnancy

Very often, thick blood is determined "by eye": when taking tests, the laboratory assistant may notice that the pregnant woman has very thick blood - the needle hole is clogged or it is simply clear from the viscosity that it is too thick. However, it should be understood that thick blood during pregnancy is not a disease or a diagnosis. Rather, it is a manifestation of some disorder caused by or leading to a disease state.

The blood becomes thick due to the deviation of certain indicators of homeostasis (blood coagulation system). And the prognosis and treatment depend on which norm of which of them is violated. That is why, before drawing any conclusions, let alone taking any measures, it is necessary to send (or a hemostasiogram) - a comprehensive study of the blood coagulation system, which is carried out strictly on an empty stomach!

The reason for such an analysis may be the result of a general blood test, which showed an increased number of formed elements.

The following coagulogram indicators are of decisive importance for thick blood:

  • fibrinogen- normally, it should not go beyond 2.0-4.0 g / l, and fibrinogen B should not be in the blood at all. But during pregnancy, it naturally increases throughout the entire period and by its end can reach 6 g / l;
  • APTT- activated partial thromboplastin time or blood clotting time - normally is 24-35 s, but due to an increase in the level of fibrinogen in pregnant women, blood clotting naturally accelerates somewhat (by 17-20 s);
  • TV- thrombin time is normally 11-18 s; due to an increase in the level of fibrinogen during pregnancy, it also increases, but still does not go beyond the norm;
  • lupus anticoagulant- normally should be absent, its presence indicates the development of pathologies, autoimmune disorders and is accompanied by an increase in APTT;
  • prothrombin- normally is in the range of 78-142%; excess in pregnant women may indicate premature detachment of the placenta.

Why is this pathology dangerous?

Very often, doctors do not even attach importance to the fact that a pregnant woman has thick blood. This condition can be a physiological norm and pass on its own after childbirth. By the way, even iron preparations, which are often prescribed to pregnant women with, can increase blood density.

However, if a woman is found to have thick blood during pregnancy, then a few weeks before giving birth, she will need to pass an additional analysis to control the indicators (by the way, they tend to change constantly, throughout the entire period).

Therefore, dear women, do not panic if the doctor decided not to do anything based on the results of the coagulogram. However, be sure to listen to his recommendations when he prescribes you treatment for thick blood during pregnancy. The fact is that such a condition can also pose a great danger to the baby and his mother. This is mainly the risk of blood clots (after childbirth, varicose veins often “come out” if there was thick blood during pregnancy) and blockage of blood vessels, as a result of which both suffer: the fetus experiences oxygen deficiency, the risk of miscarriage, heart attack, stroke increases, and indeed a violation of normal blood circulation is fraught with multiple consequences.

But the good news in this case is that the situation can be corrected.

What to do if there is thick blood during pregnancy?

It should be said that thick blood is formed not only in pregnant women. But the piquancy of the situation lies in the fact that many blood-thinning drugs are prohibited for the expectant mother. Therefore, if the situation allows, the doctor will prescribe you a diet, or rather slightly adjust your diet.

First of all, you will be advised to drink more. It has long been proven that it is not water, but salt that contributes to fluid retention in the body, so you will have to limit the consumption of the latter (if you cannot completely eliminate it), and increase the intake of the former. You definitely need to drink enough, that is, at least one and a half liters a day, although the exact volume should be calculated for yourself individually. Drinking in this case is only water: certainly purified and without gas, but not distilled! Buy yourself an organic plastic bottle and keep it handy at all times, taking a few sips every 20-40 minutes. Please note that more than 70 ml of water drunk at one time is not absorbed by the body - the excess can just go into edema. Make sure that by the end of the day you drink the entire bottle (if it is 1.5-2 liters) or the appropriate amount.

Fatty, salty, spicy foods will have to be excluded from the diet, if you have not done this before. Instead, you will need to enter in the menu. Among these, mainly containing vitamin C and orange-red vegetables, fruits and berries and juices from them:

  • berries (mulberry, raspberry, black currant, strawberry, plum, cranberry, viburnum, sea buckthorn);
  • citrus fruits (grapefruit, orange, lemon, lime);
  • dried apricots;
  • pomegranate;
  • a pineapple;
  • tomatoes;
  • beet;
  • mushrooms;
  • garlic, onion;
  • cocoa, chocolate;
  • birch sap, birch bark and buds;
  • vegetable oils: olive, linseed, rapeseed;
  • spices: turmeric, oregano, curry, cayenne pepper, dill, paprika, thyme, ginger, cinnamon.

Plant foods should be consumed according to the season. Do not forget that pregnant women cannot eat a lot of raspberries and viburnum, and you also need to be careful with mushrooms. In addition, many products can cause allergies - nothing can be abused.

You should also reduce the consumption of foods that thicken the blood: potatoes, buckwheat, bananas, carbonated and alcoholic drinks (which goes without saying), etc.

In order for the blood to circulate better throughout the body, start exercising. Just a few simple exercises a day, along with the observance of the drinking regimen, can significantly improve your well-being. Soon you will notice that drowsiness and lethargy have disappeared, leg pain has decreased, and vigor and cheerfulness have appeared in their place. Sleep will become more complete, normal performance will return and mental activity will improve.

However, first consult your doctor if you have any contraindications to drinking large amounts of fluids and moderate physical activity.

Treatment of thick blood during pregnancy in a gentle way

But, unfortunately, it is not always possible to manage with the correction of nutrition and lifestyle. If the condition threatens the life of the child or poses serious risks, then you will have to seek help from medicine.

Doctors in such cases most often prescribe Curantil courses (for example, 2 weeks of admission after 2 weeks of a break), but depending on the coagulogram parameters and the condition of the woman, other drugs can be used, including in the form of injections: Fraxiparine, Cardiomagnyl, Phlebodia, Thrombo ASS and others.

Blood thinning treatment is canceled from the 36th week of pregnancy or at least 2 weeks before the expected date of delivery.

Finally, we would like to urge you to remain calm in any case. Many pregnant women face thick blood - the algorithm of therapeutic actions in such cases is well known to doctors.

Especially for Elena Kichak

With the onset of pregnancy, the functioning of the woman's body is tuned to meet the needs of the fetus, an additional placental circulation occurs. This requires significantly more blood. Initially, its volume increases due to plasma, it liquefies. But from the 10th week, the production of red blood cells increases, so symptoms of thick blood are possible. In certain cases, this is not dangerous, but sometimes it requires treatment.

Why Viscosity Changes

Normally, blood, which is a connective tissue, consists of 40% formed elements, and 60% of plasma, its liquid part. It is a suspension that moves through the vessels. The diameter of microvessels is sometimes less than the radius of the erythrocyte. It passes through them only due to the fact that it is able to change its shape and not stick together with other cellular elements.

If there is a change in viscosity, then microcirculation is at risk. Formed elements lose their ability to pass through a narrow lumen, their ability to stick together and form blood clots increases.

For pregnant women, these processes are an adaptive reaction that is necessary to quickly stop bleeding that has arisen or. But sometimes condensation occurs excessively, which can lead to unpleasant consequences.

The causes of thick blood during pregnancy can be physiological. The body prepares for childbirth, increases the amount of formed elements, hemoglobin. From the first months of pregnancy, the volume and number of leukocytes increases. Due to this, ESR is accelerated. Placental lactogen leads to an increase in the amount of erythropoietin, a substance that regulates the synthesis of red blood cells. The jump in their production starts from the 10th week of gestation, and a significant increase from the second trimester. By the end of pregnancy, the total number of red blood cells increases by 20-25%.

Thick blood can be caused by:

  • fluid deficiency with increased demand;
  • nutrition unbalanced in terms of mineral and vitamin composition;
  • lack of digestive enzymes;
  • excessive consumption of sugar and pastries;
  • side effects of iron preparations;
  • increased activity of the spleen.

Viscosity increases even more when exposed to the following pathological factors:

  • extensive injuries and burns;
  • massive blood loss;
  • hematological pathologies;
  • diseases of the kidneys and digestive tract;
  • coagulation disorder, including hereditary.

Signs of changes in blood density are found both in the early and late stages of pregnancy.

Signs by which you can suspect changes in viscosity

You can notice that the density of the blood has changed even during a visit to the laboratory for routine tests in the early stages of pregnancy. A drop from your finger will be very tight in the capillary. And the venous blood will have time to clot even during the recruitment into the syringe and clog its lumen. This condition should be reported to your doctor.

Other signs are non-specific, they cannot be correlated with certainty only with the following condition:

  • headache;
  • weakness;
  • increased fatigue;
  • memory problems;
  • decreased ability to concentrate;
  • depressive states;
  • dry mouth;
  • increase in blood pressure;
  • heaviness in the legs;
  • phlebeurysm;
  • cold extremities.

Rarely, only one of these signs is observed. More often the symptoms are combined. Their appearance is associated with impaired microcirculation and the development of hypoxia, from which the brain suffers to a greater extent.

Why is thick blood dangerous during pregnancy?

The severity of the consequences depends on the gestational age.

An increase in viscosity immediately after conception can lead to the formation of microthrombi, which will disrupt the nutrition of the implanted embryo. This condition ends with an undeveloped pregnancy or spontaneous miscarriage. These changes occur in women suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus or antiphospholipid syndrome.

At a later gestational age, thickening, if it exceeds the physiological norm, increases the risk of developing thrombosis. Blood clots form at the branching sites of blood vessels due to the characteristics of blood flow. As in water pipes, there are turbulences and partly the blood flow slows down. At high viscosity, these are optimal conditions for gluing cells. Blood clots form in large vessels, but they are dangerous for small ones. The detached blood clot is sent to the lungs, the brain, where it causes blockage of the arteries.

Blood clots can form in affected veins. Inflammation of the thrombus provokes inflammatory processes in the walls of the vein.

The consequences for the child are impaired blood flow in the placenta, chronic hypoxia and intrauterine growth retardation. The likelihood of having an immature baby with a low birth weight increases.

How thick blood affects the course of pregnancy cannot be characterized unambiguously. Thickening within the normal range is aimed at preventing massive blood loss, and viscosity significantly exceeding the physiological one is dangerous for mother and child.

Necessary diagnostics

The main study that reflects the state of viscosity is a coagulogram (hemostasiogram). The list of indicators that are taken into account in it allows us to draw conclusions about the ability of blood to clot:

  1. Fibrinogen is a protein, the normal amount is 2-4 g / l. In the third trimester, indicators up to 6 g / l are considered the norm. It is a component of the coagulation system. When interacting with other coagulation factors, it falls out in the form of threads that make up the framework of the future thrombus, which is necessary to stop bleeding.
  2. Prothrombin is a complex protein that is formed with the participation of vitamin K in the liver. It is a precursor of thrombin, a protein that stimulates the formation of a blood clot. The norm is 78-142%. A significant excess of the norm appears as a result, because. it contains in large quantities.
  3. Prothrombin time is the period during which blood clotting occurs. The norm is 11 seconds.
  4. Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) - the rate of clot formation under the influence of calcium chloride and other substances. The norm is 21.1-36.5 seconds, with thickening of the blood it decreases.
  5. Lupus anticoagulant, class G immunoglobulin, was first isolated from a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus, for which it received its name. Not present in healthy people. Its presence increases the tendency to thrombosis. It is one of the markers of the antiphospholipid syndrome, in which it occurs.

They also pay attention to the level of platelets, erythrocytes, hemoglobin, total protein, which can also be used to judge thickening. A D-dimer test can tell about a tendency to form blood clots.

Condition Correction

The state of the coagulation system is monitored throughout pregnancy. When registering, in the second and third trimester, a woman must pass a coagulogram. But you cannot try to take antiplatelet agents and anticoagulants on your own. This can lead to serious injury and bleeding.

How to thin thick blood during pregnancy, the doctor must decide. Liquefaction methods include dietary changes and the use of medications.

Nutrition

To reduce the density of blood caused by a lack of fluid, you can use the correct drinking regimen. It is necessary to drink at least 1.5 liters of water per day, no more than 100 ml at a time.

The diet involves the restriction or complete exclusion of:

  • fatty;
  • fried;
  • acute;
  • salty;
  • alcohol.

Limit potatoes, buckwheat, bananas, carbonated drinks, sweets in the menu. Plant foods help thin the blood. These are vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin C, usually colored red-orange. Among them:

  • citrus;
  • berries (raspberries, currants, cranberries, strawberries);
  • tomatoes;
  • a pineapple;
  • beet;
  • pomegranate;
  • dried apricots;
  • Birch juice;
  • chocolate, cocoa;
  • olive, rapeseed oil.

When choosing products, you need to remember that many red fruits and chocolate are strong allergens. Sometimes with a large proportion of such foods in the diet, food intolerance can occur. This is a reaction that resembles an allergy, but depends on the amount of food consumed.

It is possible to improve blood circulation and increase overall tone with the help of dosed physical activity. For pregnant women, special sets of exercises have been developed, swimming or yoga are useful.

Medications

Diets and lifestyle changes give a positive result with minor changes in the blood picture. In severe coagulation disorders, the use of special drugs that reduce clotting is required. Treatment during pregnancy is carried out up to 36 weeks. After this period, it is necessary to wait for the restoration of high density so that dangerous bleeding does not begin during childbirth. Two weeks is enough to remove the drugs, and childbirth from 38 weeks is considered to have occurred on time.

Drugs that reduce blood clotting

The following drugs are allowed for pregnant women:

  1. Curantyl. It inhibits platelet aggregation, thereby reducing clotting, dilates blood vessels and improves microcirculation. It is impossible to prescribe a drug for yourself, only a doctor can assess the risks and benefits. Tablets are taken on an empty stomach, starting with the minimum dose, and gradually increase it over several days.
  2. Aspirin. As an anticoagulant, minimum dosages of 75-100 mg are used. Sometimes it is used in the form of the drug Cardiomagnyl, which additionally includes magnesium. In pregnant women, Aspirin and any drugs based on it are used only in the 2nd trimester according to strict indications.
  3. Fraxiparine. This is a low molecular weight heparin, which is available as a solution for injection. In laboratory experiments, no teratogenic effect was found, but in the first trimester Fraxiparine is used for health reasons. It is prescribed to pregnant women for the prevention of venous thrombosis, the course of treatment is short. Injections are made subcutaneously in the lateral part of the abdomen, with each injection the right and left sides alternate. Intramuscular administration is prohibited. The dosage is determined individually.

Those who are thinking about what to do if there is thick blood during pregnancy should remember that only a doctor will determine the correct tactics in this situation. An increase in viscosity does not always require serious treatment, because. It is an adaptive response of the body. But with severe dehydration, after burns, injuries, blood clotting will be pathological and will require treatment. Women with a tendency to thrombosis, even at the stage of pregnancy planning, need to undergo appropriate treatment in order to reduce the risks in the future.