HOMEOPATHY IN DIFFERENT STAGES OF PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH - 1
Pregnancy is a very important milestone in a woman’s life where she undergoes various physiological and
psychological changes. Since pregnancy can be stressful to a woman’s body, the health of the woman significantly
affects the health of the fetus. Homeopathic medicines will help improve the health of the mother as well as the
fetus thereby assuring a more positive pregnancy experience. Homeopathic medicines are gentle, safe, non-toxic,
FDA approved and effective in treating various common problems of pregnancy and childbirth. This being a very
comprehensive topic I will segregate it between the July and August articles. In this article I will talk about some
common ailments during the pregnancy trimesters and their response to Homeopathic medicine.
Conventional medicine generally suppresses symptoms rather than treating the underlying cause, and when taken
during pregnancy does have a chance of various side effects on the fetus. Since Homeopathy works with the
body's natural defense system, Homeopathic medicines increase the probability of a healthy child. Homeopathy
balances the whole system thus allowing the body to heal itself. Each individual case can be assessed and
individualized to treat specific symptoms and weaknesses. Some of the common ailments during pregnancy and
labor that can be treated by using Homeopathic remedies are given below. These remedies are just a few of the
commonly used Homeopathic remedies and are mentioned only to create awareness about the effectiveness of
Homeopathic medicines in Pregnancy. It is not advisable to resort to self-medication for any health condition.
Fatigue: During pregnancy the body has lots of adjustments to make, metabolism steps up in order to support the
developing baby as well as your own body, causing fatigue and feeling a need to sleep more than usual. During
initial weeks after conception, your body begins to produce more blood to carry nutrients to the fetus. Your heart
increases its work to accommodate this increased blood flow. The hormone progesterone which is required in high
levels during pregnancy has a sedating effect. Also any pains, anemia, depression, anxiety or insomnia may cause
fatigue. The combination of these changes contributes to the fatigue you may feel.
Tips:

Take adequate rest.
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Eat a balanced diet. The fatigue in early pregnancy can be worse if you're not getting enough iron or protein.

Increase your level of exercise by walking and swimming regularly.

Massage on a regular basis can also help in stimulating your energy flow.
Homeopathic remedies: Take Ferrum Phos 12X three times daily till you need it.
Morning Sickness: The most common illness is morning sickness which is caused by an increase in hormone
levels during the early months of pregnancy. It can range from mild nausea to constant vomiting requiring
hospitalization. This may be caused due to low blood sugar esp. when you have not eaten for some time, low blood
pressure, hormonal changes, emotional stress, Vitamin B6 and iron deficiency, an excess of refined, spicy, or
greasy foods, and pressure on the stomach from the growing uterus in the last few weeks of pregnancy. It can be
more severe in a first pregnancy, in women carrying multiple fetuses or in women with other medical conditions.
Tips:

Eating carbohydrate-rich snacks between meals can help.

A protein-rich snack eaten half an hour before bedtime will ensure that your blood sugar level doesn't fall too
low during the night.
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Increase iron-rich foods in your diet, such as beef, eggs, fruits and green leafy vegetables.

Drink lots of fluids, and eat smaller meals more frequently.

Avoid smells which trigger nausea.

Consider possible emotional causes and discuss your feelings with someone understanding.
Homeopathic remedies: Ipecac 30C three times daily for five days, stopping earlier if symptoms start to improve.
Mood Swings: Hormonal changes and mixed feelings about your forthcoming parenthood can have a depressant
effect on your nervous system, causing mood changes, unexplained crying and anxiety. These symptoms can last
throughout the pregnancy.
Tips: Relaxing exercises and minimizing stress.
Homeopathic remedies: Pulsatilla 12C for emotional women who are weepy for no reason, indecisive, with
frequent changes in mood. Sepia 12C for feelings of dissatisfaction or indifferent behavior towards own family.
Nasal Stuffiness / Colds: This is due to the hormonal effects on the nasal passages, stress and fatigue. It results
from an increase in fluid in the mucous membrane linings, which causes swelling and a blockage of the sinuses. If
the blocked sinuses become infected, sinusitis may develop causing headaches, pain at the base of the nose and
around the eyes, which worsens if the head is lowered.
Tips:

Drink plenty of fluids.

Add two drops of eucalyptus, lavender, lemon and tea tree oils to a bowl of boiling water. Inhale for 10 minutes
3 times a day.
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Apply warm compresses to the front and sides of the face and around your eyes, nose and temples.

Relaxation exercises, minimizing stress, eating well and getting enough rest are important.
Homeopathic remedies: Take Silica 12C or Kali Bichromicum 12C three times daily for up to a week, stopping
when symptoms start to improve.
Dizziness / Faintness: Dizziness during pregnancy can result from circulatory changes, stress, fatigue and
hunger. During pregnancy the uterus has a great demand for blood supply which reduces the blood supply to other
parts of the body. Warm weather, a warm bath, sudden change of position, standing for too long or too quickly can
cause blood pooling in the legs or feet which leads to lack of blood supply to the brain that becomes temporarily
short of oxygen leading to dizziness and fainting. A more serious but rare cause may be an ectopic pregnancy,
especially if dizziness is severe and occurs with abdominal pain or vaginal bleeding.
Tips:

Don’t stand for too long, while standing practice contracting and relaxing your leg and buttock muscles to help
the blood return to your head.
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While resting, lie on your sides rather than your back.
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Try to keep cool during hot weather and avoid getting up suddenly.
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If you experience dizziness, sit with your head between your knees or lie down with your feet elevated and
head lower than your body.

Maintain your blood sugar level by munching occasionally on snacks.
Homeopathic remedies: Ferrum Phos 30C when you feel dizzy, and repeat when needed.
Heartburn: Progesterone relaxes the valve between the oesophagus and the stomach, making it easier for
stomach acid to flow into the oesophagus, irritating the oesophagus and causing a burning sensation in the chest.
Pressure on the stomach from the growing uterus may also cause stomach acid to flow upwards. Heartburn will be
worse after meals, when lying down, straining or coughing.
Tips:

Keep your meals small and frequent. Finish your evening meal at least two hours before going to bed.

Eat slowly, chewing your food well.
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Avoid lying down immediately after eating.
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Avoid spicy, greasy, sugary, acidic or other foods that disagree with you and try not to drink with your meals as
this dilutes the digestive juices.
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Eating fennel seeds after meals will aid digestion.

Avoid stimulants such as tea and coffee.

Try alkaline foods like yoghurt or milk to ease burning, or mildly acidic foods like orange, pineapple or tomato
juice.
Homeopathic remedies: Arsenicum Album 12C or Carbo Veg 12C three times daily or whenever needed.
Constipation: Constipation is common during and after pregnancy, when progesterone relaxes the muscles in the
intestines causing food to move slowly through your digestive tract. As a result, more water than usual is absorbed
making your stool hard and dry. Insufficient dietary fiber, synthetic iron supplements, commonly prescribed in
pregnancy, can also cause constipation.
Tips:

Drink plenty of water, and eat plenty of fiber, fruits and vegetables.

When you feel the urge to go to the toilet, respond immediately.

Breathe deeply, relax and avoid straining when emptying your bowels.

Prune juice, dried prunes or figs soaked in water overnight can help move bowels easily.

Exercise regularly.
Homeopathic remedy: Take Nux vomica 6X three times daily for up to a week.
Cramping: Low levels of calcium, circulatory changes and the growing foetus pushing against the walls of your
uterus, causes the uterus to continuously contract. This causes cramps which are most common in the third
trimester of pregnancy and are usually experienced as sharp aching pains in the thighs, calves or feet. Pressure
from your uterus on the veins returning blood from your legs may cause leg cramps, especially at night. A pulling or
stabbing pain in your groin or a sharp cramp down your side, especially after suddenly moving or reaching for
something, may occur when you stretch your long ligament, one of several ligaments supporting the uterus.
Tips:

Massage the area firmly and stretch the muscle by extending your heel and bringing your toes toward you.

Sleep with feet slightly elevated by placing a pillow under the feet.

Exercise regularly and make sure your diet contains adequate calcium and magnesium.
Homeopathic remedy: Dissolve four tablets of Magnesia Phosphorica 6X in a tsp. of warm water and take it
whenever you experience cramps.
Breathlessness: Breathlessness is a result of extra oxygen demands for the increased metabolic rate. It also
occurs because the growing uterus changes the shape of the thorax and makes breathing harder. Breathlessness
is more likely to occur in women who are expecting large babies or twins, are overweight, unfit, anemic or have a
deficient diet.
Tips:

Eat a healthy balanced diet.

Try taking deep breaths and maintain a good posture so your lungs have room to expand.

Keep your head elevated while sleeping.

Sleeping on your left side will relieve pressure on major blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients to the
fetus.

Swimming is an excellent exercise that builds up your stamina.
Homeopathic remedies: Antimonium Tart 12C single dose as and when needed.
Backache: Low back pain extending down the legs is a common complaint during pregnancy especially in the last
trimester, since this is the area of the body most stressed by the additional weight that you are carrying. During
pregnancy the high levels of progesterone result in the stretching and softening of ligaments in the pelvic area and
the spine in preparation for birth which puts extra strain on the back and hips causing backache.
Tips:

Massage with strengthening exercises for your back can help relieve your ache.

Avoid wearing high heels, sleeping on an overly soft mattress and lifting heavy weights.

Try to maintain a good posture taking care not to arch your back, walk and stand with your feet parallel.
Homeopathic remedies: Arnica 30C or Rhus Tox 12C three times a day, or when needed.
Hence, with the changes that your body and mind will go through over the several pregnancy months, Homeopathy
is a gentle and effective means of supporting a healthy pregnancy. In the August article I will discuss more
pregnancy ailments that respond well to Homeopathy and also the use of Homeopathic medicines iin childbirth.
Hence stay tuned and look for the continuation of this article in the next month.
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About the author:
Neepa Sevak is an experienced, registered Homeopath with the Arizona Homeopathic Board of Medical
Examiners. She is currently practicing Classical Homeopathy at the Desert Institute of Classical
Homeopathy. Her mission is to “Promote Health through Homeopathy with a Holistic, Totalistic, and
Individualistic approach”.
Phone: (480) 363 0758
Email: homeopathiccure@cox.net
Website: www.homeopathic-cure.com