pregnancy

Symptoms, Causes and Treatment of Hypokalemia During Pregnancy

Even though pregnancy is a pleasant experience, you’re also at a very delicate phase in your life. And fatigue and normal muscular weakness may be pretty normal during this period, but you still have to be very careful when it comes to your health. Muscle weakness may be brought about by hypokalemia, which is a deficiency of potassium in your bloodstream. This condition can prompt unpleasant complications and jeopardize your pregnancy as well as the health of your unborn baby. So let’s take a look at the causes, symptoms, and treatments for hypokalemia during pregnancy.

What causes hypokalemia?

During pregnancy, your potassium levels can decrease because of vomiting as a result of morning sickness. Another cause of this condition is increased levels of aldosterone, a hormone secreted by your adrenal gland and important for maintaining the pH and electrolyte level of blood. If you take diuretics that make you urinate more than usual, you may suffer from low potassium levels since potassium is filtered through your kidneys. Diarrhea can also lead to this condition, and antibiotics such as carbenicillin and gentamicin can cause hypokalemia.

What are the symptoms of hypokalemia?

It may be difficult to pinpoint the symptoms associated with hypokalemia in pregnant women because these are symptoms common during pregnancy. However, fatigue, muscle weakness, muscle pain, twitches, constipation, nausea, abdominal cramping, and irregular heart rhythms are some of the symptoms to look out for. Muscle pain and fatigue may be usual during pregnancy, but you should consult a physician if you undergo such symptoms in order for hypokalemia to be ruled out.

Treatment of hypokalemia

1. Potassium Supplements

The most common treatment for mild hypokalemia is oral potassium supplements. You can get these supplements in various forms, including tablets, capsules, powder, and liquid. With the powder form, you can mix it with food or water. The liquid supplement is great if you gag or experience nausea when you try to swallow pills. Your doctor will prescribe the manner in which you should take the potassium supplements. If you’re taking any medications, you should inform your physician before you take these supplements because they can react with some medications.

2. Eat foods rich in potassium

Another treatment option is to eat potassium-rich foods, which include potatoes, tomato, yogurt and white beans. Natural, whole foods are the best sources of potassium, and you can also eat peas, lima beans, sweet potatoes, broccoli, avocado, bananas, and salmon. Grass-fed beef, raw milk, sardines, and grapefruit are other important sources of potassium.

3. Increase electrolyte intake

During pregnancy, it’s important to increase your intake of electrolytes to 2,000 mg per day in order to keep up your potassium levels as a result of raised blood volume while you are expecting a child. As a pregnant woman, you need potassium for your body to function properly. This mineral helps to maintain fluid and electrolyte balance. Also, it plays a major role in how your body transmits nerve impulses, contracts muscles and releases energy from fat, protein, and carbohydrates. It’s very common for pregnant women to crave pickles, which are rich in electrolytes. You can also take vitamin water, apple juice, and coconut water.

4. Medication

Medication may also be prescribed to treat hypokalemia. If your condition was caused by a thiazide or loop diuretic, and you have a proper renal function, your doctor can prescribe angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. However, ACE inhibitors can have some side effects, which can include a dry cough during pregnancy. If this happens, you should see your doctor in order to discontinue the treatment. Your cough will then be resolved within a few days. You can also be prescribed potassium-sparing diuretics. Your doctor can also prescribe oral potassium chloride, which is excellent for replenishing your potassium levels.

5. Surgical care

When you suffer from hypokalemia, it’s a medical condition and surgical intervention isn’t required. However, you may have to undergo surgery in case of certain etiologies. For instance, if you have renal artery stenosis, which is a narrowing of your arteries, surgery is required. Adrenal adenoma, villous adenoma and intestinal obstruction that produce massive vomiting are other conditions in which surgery is required.

Prevention of Hypokalemia

Prevention is better than cure and if you’re pregnant, you should eat a diet rich in potassium. If you’re using diuretics, you should have your serum potassium routinely monitored to catch hypokalemia during its early stages.

Pregnancy is that beautiful phase in your life when regardless of whom you know or don’t, everyone throws pearls of wisdom your way. Your mother becomes your doctor on call, your best friend becomes your personal mommy-stylist and the supermarket attendant, a dietary expert. Everyone will tell you what the journey to motherhood is going to be like – the do’s and don’ts as well as the good and the bad. Let me be honest here. No matter what anyone tells you, you can never truly be prepared for pregnancy with a known set of expectations. You need to experience it to know what it really feels like. Nobody can describe in words the magical moment of your baby’s first kick, or the irritation that morning sickness can cause. Well, here is a list of 5 life lessons that pregnancy (and not my well wishers) taught me:

The Importance Of Personal Relationships – Pregnancy will make you realize why you need to keep your loved ones close. When your husband rushes to get you your favorite flavor of ice cream in the middle of the night and your mom leaves her poker party only to be next to you when you make countless trips to the loo, you’ll see how blessed and loved you are! And hey, it’s not just your immediate family and friends who’re going to be nice to you! Everyone around you will go beyond their comfort zone to ensure you’re doing great. It’s the best feeling in the world and sure restores your faith in humanity.

The Art Of Patience – If you thought patience was a virtue you’d never master, wait till you get pregnant! I for one have seen my personality undergo this life transformational change after pregnancy. Right from your first pregnancy test results to the time you finally go into labor, you’ll await each milestone with equal amount of anticipation and enthusiasm. It’s probably God’s own way of preparing you for your impending motherhood, where patience is more of a necessity than an advantage.

The Power Of Being A Woman – One of my biggest realizations during pregnancy was that women are not the weaker sex! Women are much stronger, mentally, physically and emotionally than men can ever be. Can you imagine your husband going through 12 excruciating hours of labor? Would he manage holding a smile despite experiencing the worst case of morning sickness? Would he be able to carry off the pregnancy weight as gracefully as you? Probably not! Your husband is going to be your biggest pillar of support during pregnancy, but he surely wouldn’t be able to handle the phase with your level of strength and composure if he had to!

The Significance Of Good Health – If you grew up listening to your parent’s glorified lectures on the importance of good health but never paid any heed, pregnancy will teach you the hard way. Your journey to motherhood sure has many wonderful moments, but you can also fall prey to health complications if you don’t take care of yourself and the little one inside. Eat healthy foods like that are rich sources of protein, iron, calcium, and folic acid. Stay far away from smoking, alcohol and substance abuse. Exercise and stay active, but don’t over exert. Always remember, you’re looking after two people when you’re pregnant, so you ought to be extra cautious.

Loving Beyond Conditions – As arbitrary as the thought of loving someone you’ve never even seen may seem, being pregnant will make you believe in the possibility. My husband and I vowed that we’d never love anyone more than we love each other, but our little one came in our lives and changed that. Only being a parent can make you realize the love you are capable of giving. It’s the only kind of love that knows no bounds and expects nothing in return but a contented smile.

References:

http://women.smokefree.gov/emotions-relationships-dealing-with-the-tough-stuff/how-to-strengthen-your-relationships.aspx

http://www.momjunction.com/articles/pregnancy-complications-which-you-need-to-be-aware_0093000/

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2013/12/23/why-womens-immune-systems-are-more-sensitive-than-mens/#.VLzB6C5RLYM

Author Bio:

Aradhana is an expert writer on parenting, wellness, health and lifestyle. As a regular contributor for sites like natural news, elephant journal, naturally savvy, curejoy, thehealthsite and MomJunction, she aims to motivate people towards healthy habits and a problem free life.