Risk of Bleeding Ulcer while Pregnant

Although several digestive problems may occur in a woman while she is pregnant, peptic ulcers of the duodenum and stomach are typically rare. However, the risk of bleeding ulcer while pregnant raises several important issues. While diagnosed with bleeding ulcer while pregnant, the doctors usually focus about collecting quite a few important data such as whether the investigation has been confirmed with endoscopy or not, whether the woman is suffering from frequent symptoms, whether the complications including bleeding, stomach obstruction or perforation occurring exclusively due to ulcers, and the existing medication plan.

Presence of Helicobacter pylori

When a woman is diagnosed with bleeding ulcer while pregnant, doctors also investigate the underlying causes of the ulcer, whether it is developed due to the infection the bacterium called Helicobacter pylori. In fact, the presence of Helicobacter pylori is believed to be the most significant underlying cause for developing peptic ulcer. The infection caused by Helicobacter pylori is treated by using lines of antibiotics and other medications. These types of medications are known to function by restricting the acid production with the stomach.

Pregnancy and Medication

If you suffer from bleeding ulcer while you are pregnant, it is important for the doctor to know the status of your pregnancy prior suggesting the treatment line to you. It is mainly because the medications used for treating bleeding ulcer while pregnant may have different adverse effects on the fetal development at different phases of pregnancy.

Most commonly, the fetus does not have to suffer from any adverse effects directly as a result of ulcer occurring in the pregnant mother, if she does not have any apparent critical symptoms. If a woman is suffering from bleeding ulcer while pregnant, however, not having intractable symptoms such as pain, nausea or vomiting, she may not need to undergo any specific therapies.

Treatment

The most common treatment line used for treating ulcer is the medications that limit the acid production within stomach, such as cimetidine (Tagamet) or ranitidine (Zantac). However, these drugs are categorized under 'B' group in pregnancy, implying that these are typically safe for animal studies. Persistent administration of these drugs can help heal ulcers, however, often keep them from chronic as acid is essential for ulcer formation.

Eradication of Helicobacter pylori may avert degenerations of ulcerous condition, even when the acid-blocking therapy is particularly not present. Although there are combinations of drugs to fight off ulcers, they are categorized under 'C' group, implying that their safety measures are typically uncertain during pregnancy. These medications may involve clarithromycin (Biaxin) and omeprazole (Prilosec). Hence, the risk of using these medications as the first line treatment during pregnancy is certainly high, especially during first trimester. However, if you are experiencing severe bleeding which require hospitalization, the issue of treating H. pylori earlier may come first.