Not
all contractions can cause cervical change and therefore lead to
having your baby early, but we often do not know which are the
ones that are worrisome and which are just bothersome.
I
tell my patients that "the solution to pollution is dilution!"
That's right, "drinking plenty of fluids, water being the best,
helps to calm your uterus and decrease the frequency and
severity of the contractions."
One
of the first things we do if you go to the hospital and are
having pre-term labor, is stick an IV in you and give you
fluids.
Nothing magical about those fluids, just that they are fluids,
so why don't you try this for yourself at home, first?
Drinking that is, not the IV part!
It
seems that there are two natural hormones that "look" similar to
the body. One is Oxytocin (some will know this hospital version
as Pitocin) and the other is ADH (Anti-Diuretic Hormone). They
are made in the same region of the brain and can cross react.
When you are dehydrated, your body secretes ADH and if you are
pregnant it can cross react and cause contractions.
When
you give the body water, then this decreases the amount of ADH
and therefore it can cause your contractions to subside!
I
recommend that my patients carry a water bottle around with
them, wherever they carry a purse; no excuses! Prenatal
Care is all about prevention!
And
don't forget that the solution to pollution is dilution!!!
Dr. Ian Taras,
an ob/gyn specialist in the Los Angeles, West Valley, will be
featured periodically under "Dr. Talk" here at
LAPregnancy.com.
Contact Dr.
Taras directly at his website: www.DrTaras.com
MEDICAL
DISCLAIMER
Have
a question for the doctor? Please contact us and Dr. Taras
will feature your selected concerns in his column.
