Gall stone surgery during pregnancy is a delicate topic. But you should know that pregnancy is one of the most common conditions associated with the development of gall stones. Almost 4-12% of patients are prone to develop gall stones during pregnancy.
Detection of gallstones during pregnancy and childbirth is an unfortunate complication for both mother and child. However, there are several things to keep in mind if you find yourself pregnant with gallstones.
About 70% of the patients managed conservatively. Asymtomatic gall stones must be left untreated till the delivery of the baby.
Dos and Don’ts During Pregnancy
If you find gall stones during pregnancy, you must avoid spicy foods and fatty, fried meals. It will help ease the pain of gallstones.
Drink plenty of water. It will provide relief from symptoms like nausea, vomiting, heartburn, and indigestion.
Finally, make sure that you get plenty of rest to ease your body’s workload.
Common Precautions to Prevent Gallbladder During Pregnancy:
Gain only a healthy amount of weight. This is because obesity is associated with a higher incidence in the development of gall stones.
Eat high fiber diet as it ensures healthy weight and is even good for the health of baby.
Saturated fats are associated with a higher incidence of gall stones. It is therefore essential to choose correct type of fats. Monosaturated fats and omega fatty acids decrease the formation of gall stones.
Avoid sugar and refined flour as products made of refined or white flour such bread, pasta, chips are more prone to develop gall stones.
Proper management of diabetes as diabetes is associated with increase chances of gall stone complications.
How to Deal With Symptomatic Gallstones During Pregnancy
You must consult a specialist, especially if you are experiencing ongoing pain in the right side of the upper abdomen, nausea and vomiting, fever or chills, jaundice, or any abdominal pain lasting for five hours.
There are a few things to consider when deciding if gall stone surgery during pregnancy is the right option for you. First, it’s essential to know that any surgery comes with risks. But for pregnant women, those risks can be even more significant. Surgery may increase the risk of premature delivery, miscarriage or bleeding during labour.
However, in patients who have recurrent attacks of gall stone disease or who fail to respond to conservative management, surgery can be safely performed during the second or third trimester.
Laparoscopic removal of gall stones, preferably during the second or third trimester, can be carried out in a specialised setup. Some patients may develop complications and might require ERCP to remove stones present in the common bile duct. However, one must take extreme care to prevent the fetus from exposing to radiation.
About Dr. Kapil Agrawal
Dr Kapil Agrawal, one of the best laparoscopic surgeons in Delhi, India for gall stone management, has vast experience handling complicated gall stones disease during pregnancy. He and his team have delivered excellent results in the management of gall stones. He and his team are affiliated with some of the finest and state of the art hospitals. With a vast experience of 20 years, he and his team are sure to deliver excellent results.
Get more Surgery Option: Best Hernia Surgeon in Delhi | Best Piles Surgeon in Delhi