How do you treat giardia naturally during pregnancy?
Giardia lamblia is a
parasite found in soil, food, human or animal waste, and untreated water.
There are several
ways to get Giardia:
- ingesting the parasite
- being exposed to someone with the parasite
- engaging in unsafe anal sex
In developed
countries, Giardia affects about 2% of adults and 6% to 8% of children.
However, in developing countries, the prevalence is much higher, with almost
33% of people being infected.
How to treat giardia naturally during pregnancy
- It is better to prevent Giardia infection in the first place. Be sure to boil or filter all untreated water, such as stream or well water, before drinking it.
- Those who work in childcare and health care facilities should practice good hygiene and wash their hands frequently and responsibly (for example, when moving from patient to patient).
- Practice safe sex, especially safe anal sex, and consider abstaining from oral sex for the rest of your pregnancy. Finally, you should wash all fruits or vegetables well before eating them.
- Some people notice that their symptoms disappear without any medical intervention. For those whose symptoms persist, there appears to be no natural cure for giardiasis.
- Your doctor will likely delay treatment until after the baby is born. Many drugs used to treat giardiasis are not safe to take during pregnancy.
- You should always inform your doctor about the consequences of your Giardia infection, especially if you are dehydrated, have blood in your stool, or have been suffering from diarrhea or any other debilitating complication for more than two weeks.
- Giardiasis itself usually does not affect pregnancy; However, be aware that in women with significant malabsorption and weight loss, this infection can adversely affect pregnancy outcome.
- - During pregnancy, your doctor may advise you to limit your treatment to symptoms associated with the infection.
How to treat giardia when it doesn't work naturally
If your giardiasis is
severe, your doctor may prescribe paromomycin. In addition, your doctor may
prescribe metronidazole.
This medicine can be
safely taken throughout pregnancy. Once the illness becomes mild, your doctor
may delay treatment until the baby is born or, if you are taking metronidazole,
after the first trimester.