Can appendicitis be operated on during pregnancy

Release time : 01/18/2025 18:13:27

Pregnant women are a group of individuals who require attention during pregnancy. However, many people experience various diseases during this time.

Some pregnant women may experience appendicitis during pregnancy.

During critical periods, when appendicitis occurs, treatment should not only consider the pregnant woman's condition but also the baby's. So, can surgery be performed during pregnancy for appendicitis? What are the precautions to be taken during pregnancy with appendicitis? Whether or not to perform surgery on appendicitis during pregnancy depends on the stage of pregnancy. Once acute appendicitis is diagnosed and surgical treatment is needed, the appendix must be removed.

Early detection and early treatment of diseases generally do not leave any sequelae.

As the weeks of pregnancy increase, the pain will gradually increase and cause other parts of the body such as pelvic or uterine infection, high fever in pregnant women.

There are more adverse effects for pregnant women and babies.

If you have acute appendicitis during pregnancy, the symptoms are intense abdominal pain.

If it is a miscarriage or premature birth, it will cause pain in the whole uterus.

In such cases, it is important to pay attention to the location of attachments.

The appendix is located in the lower right part of the human body.

This position causes pain, and as the pregnancy progresses, the pain intensifies. In cases of acute appendicitis, fever is also present.

What are the symptoms of appendicitis during pregnancy? Any disease has certain symptomatic manifestations. Before the onset of appendicitis in pregnant women, there are also some physical symptoms that should be noted. These are primarily reflected in the following aspects: 1. Right lower abdominal pain. Pregnancy appendicitis may present with "transmitted lower abdominal pain."

It begins with pain in the upper abdomen.

Hours later, due to the location of the appendix, it began to show signs of pain in the lower right abdomen, especially during early pregnancy.

The uterus has not been pushed up yet, which is typical of nausea and vomiting. It has ended in the first three months. There must be a possibility of an appendix abscess.

Severe fever, sweating and thirst symptoms can also occur.

2. Pressure points in appendicitis are affected by the increasing size of the uterus during pregnancy, causing the position of the appendix to shift upwards.

When appendicitis increases with pregnancy, the tenderness of appendicitis is not fixed.

3. Abdominal tenderness is not pronounced, and during early and late pregnancy combined with appendicitis, abdominal tenderness is similar to that of non-pregnancy appendicitis.

In the late stages of pregnancy, when appendicitis is present, there is no significant tenderness in the anterior abdominal wall, but significant tenderness in the lumbar region.

The cause of appendicitis in pregnant women is also somewhat predictable. Therefore, it is important for everyone to pay attention to the occurrence of diseases and seek timely treatment when they arise.

What are the causes of appendicitis in pregnant women? As the uterus enlarges, the appendix shifts upward and outward until approximately eight months into pregnancy, where the cecum and appendix are gradually covered by the uterus.

An enlarged uterus can impinge on the sigmoid colon and the appendix, causing reduced peristalsis which leads to fecal accumulation in the sigmoid.

At the same time, the position of the retina is also changing.

When the growing uterus pushes the omentum and small intestine away from the appendix, the omentum is less encapsulated and the appendix is more susceptible to infection.

Before pregnancy, most pregnant women have chronic appendicitis; as a result of pregnancy, their condition gradually shifts from chronic to acute.

After pregnancy, the number of cases of acute appendicitis is relatively low.

Acute appendicitis must be given due attention during pregnancy, as it can transform into peritonitis, ectopic pregnancy and enlargement of the cecum. The expulsion of purulent material from the uterus can cause peritonitis, which will lead to a high fever, accelerate the contraction of the uterus and result in fetal death at birth.

It is also prone to miscarriage and premature birth, which may affect the pain during labor. This can potentially weaken the contractions, thus prolonging the duration of childbirth.

What should be done for appendicitis during pregnancy? Pregnant women with appendicitis must receive treatment, but there are certain differences in the treatment approach compared to that of healthy individuals. After all, pregnant women must also consider the health of their child. So, how should appendicitis be treated in pregnant women? 1. In early pregnancy (1-12 weeks), if accompanied by acute appendicitis, regardless of the mother's condition, surgery must be performed promptly.

If the surgery is performed during this period, it will not affect the uterus and will not impact the entire pregnancy.

If recurrence occurs during the intermediate to late stages of a second surgery, the difficulty of the operation will significantly increase, and it is also detrimental to the fetus.

2. During the mid-pregnancy stage (13-24 weeks), if you have acute appendicitis and feel that the symptoms are mild and do not wish to undergo surgery, you can use non-surgical treatment with high dose intravenous medication.

If the situation worsens, the operation still needs to be performed.

During this period, the embryo has already been fixed and the surgery will have minimal impact on the uterus.

Abortion is not easy, but you can continue to conceive.

Generally speaking, the optimal time for surgical removal of the appendix is between 4 and 6 months post-conception.

3. In the late stages of pregnancy (28-36 weeks), appendicitis should be treated surgically in cases of acute appendicitis.

Even if the baby is born prematurely because of surgery, most babies still survive.

If the mother feels abnormal and uncomfortable during pregnancy, she should seek medical attention immediately.

If confirmed to be appendicitis, the surgery should be done as soon as possible.

After all, only when the mother is healthy can the baby in her womb grow up healthily.

How to Prevent Appendicitis in Pregnant Women: In daily life, especially during pregnancy, certain measures can be taken to prevent the occurrence of appendicitis.

However, it is important for everyone to gain a better understanding of the knowledge related to the prevention of appendicitis in pregnant women.

Acute appendicitis is not a serious disease, but it can be life-threatening if left untreated.

Patients with chronic cholecystitis are often afraid of surgery and will continue to delay until they are unable to bear the pain any longer.

If you're pregnant and your baby has appendicitis, it's heartbreaking.

In fact, attempting to prevent appendicitis during pregnancy is not difficult.

During pregnancy, one should not stay at home due to pregnancy.

You should do appropriate activity, moderate intensity.

Stimulating activities are beneficial for the physical and mental health of pregnant women.

You can usually go for a walk in the park, and breathe with your family.

Fresh air.

During pregnancy, special attention should be paid to avoiding overeating and binge drinking. Pregnant women should avoid consuming unclean food as it can trigger an attack of acute gastroenteritis, leading to a series of symptoms associated with the condition and possibly causing inflammation of the appendix, resulting in acute appendicitis. Additionally, it is advisable not to consume too much food that can cause gastrointestinal stones.

Oranges and other foods should be eaten less, and if you have had chronic appendicitis in the past and it was not removed, you should consider having your appendix removed before pregnancy.

Chronic appendicitis may become acute during pregnancy.

The medical information provided in this text is for reference only.

In case of discomfort, it is recommended to seek medical attention immediately. The diagnosis and treatment should be based on the medical examination conducted in person.

Related Reading