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Fibromyalgia And Pregnancy: A Physical Challenge
By Phillip Johnstone

Suffering from this uncomfortable and often debilitating syndrome is difficult enough. But when a woman faces both fibromyalgia and pregnancy, the physical challenge can be sometimes overwhelming.

Many women report that their symptoms of fibromyalgia intensify in their pre-menstrual phase and then ease when their menstrual period passes. This flare-up of symptoms is thought to be the result of fluctuating hormones. Many physicians believe that this phenomenon accounts for the nearly 50 to 1 ratio of fibromyalgia among men and women. Thus, fibromyalgia and pregnancy are not going to be easy companions for the next nine months of a woman's life.

Some obstetricians go as far as regarding fibromyalgia and pregnancy in the “high risk” category simply because the many symptoms of fibromyalgia will be aggravated during this state. When doing an initial screen with a new patient, many physicians ask about possible fibromyalgia symptoms along with pregnancy. If the expectant mother gives positive responses for trigger point pain, irritable bowel, depression, increased pain during stress, oral thrush or sleep disturbances, an obstetrician may diagnose both fibromyalgia and pregnancy.

Special Concerns With Fibromyalgia And Pregnancy

Experts in this auto-immune disorder who treat expectant mothers liken fibromyalgia and pregnancy to be a constant state of pre-menstrual syndrome. The normal conditions of pregnancy are often complicated by the presence of pre-existing fibromyalgia.

Obstetricians and rheumatologists monitor expectant mothers with a history of fibromyalgia to make certain that they are sleeping and eating well with an emphasis on taking a pre-natal magnesium supplement to ease the symptoms of fibromyalgia during pregnancy. The exact effects of fibromyalgia on pregnancy are still not clear; obstetricians are limited at this point to treating the symptoms without fully understanding them.

Special diets that are high in serotonin-producing levels are recommended throughout pregnancy since the anti-depressants often used as a treatment for fibromyalgia are not safe for use during pregnancy. Similarly, pregnant women are unable to take sleep medications and minor tranquilizers like Klonopin during their pregnancy.

The obstetrician makes specific recommendations for appropriate sleep hygiene and stress release for women facing both fibromyalgia and pregnancy. Since all of the medications commonly prescribed for fibromyalgia pass into breast milk, these medications are contraindicated for breast feeding mothers. For pregnant women, the physical challenges of both pregnancy and fibromyalgia are considerable obstacles.

With proper medical care by an obstetrician who understands this complex syndrome, expectant mothers can find relief from their symptoms and deliver a healthy child as well.

Author Details:
Phillip Johnstone has been a sufferer of chronic fatigue since 1983, unable to pursue a normal career he spends what time he can writing for web sites about the problem.

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