If pregnant women experience a deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1), mothers are at risk of experiencing beriberi. If not treated immediately, the safety of the mother and fetus could be threatened.
Beriberi is a health disorder caused by a deficiency of vitamin B1. There are two types of beriberi, namely wet beriberi which attacks the heart and circulatory system, and dry beriberi which causes nerve and muscle disorders.
Geriatric Disease in Pregnancy
Beriberi can be prevented by fulfilling the need for vitamin B1 or thiamine. This material is commonly found in the fiber layer of rice grains which is often discarded when processed into white rice ready for cooking. That is why, deficiency of vitamin B1 or thiamine generally occurs in developing countries whose citizens like to consume processed rice.
Vitamin B1 or thiamine is also very important for pregnant women and the fetus in the womb. In addition to allowing the body of the mother and fetus to convert carbohydrates into energy, thiamine is important in the development of the fetal brain, nervous system, muscles and heart.
Signs of thiamine deficiency in pregnant women are actually very common, such as fatigue, nausea, and headaches. However, vitamin B1 deficiency in very severe levels can cause beriberi. The characteristics are as follows:
- Difficulty talking and walking.
- Hands and feet are numb.
- The lower limbs are paralyzed because the muscles are not functioning.
- Confusion (mental confusion).
- Shortness of breath during activity.
- Increased heart rate.
- Tingling.
- Swelling in the legs.
- Memory failure.
- Eyelid drops.
- Eyes move abnormally.
Beriberi can also occur in babies who are breastfeeding, if the mother turns out to have thiamine deficiency. Meanwhile, babies who consume formula milk, can also experience beriberi if the content of milk does not contain enough vitamin B1.
Meeting Thiamine Needs
Pregnant women and nursing mothers generally need at least 1.4 milligrams of thiamine per day. This vitamin can be obtained by consuming the following foods:
- Whole grains (for example whole wheat, brown rice, and oatmeal) or products containing whole grains.
- Pasta.
- Trout and tuna.
- Egg
- Beef.
- Nuts.
- Vegetables and fruits.
To meet the needs of thiamine, the following are illustrations of some food ingredients along with the amount of thiamine content in them:
- About 200 grams of vitamin B fortified white rice contains 1.2 milligrams.
- About 90 grams of whole grain cereals contain 1.5 milligrams.
- Eggs or noodles made from eggs contain 0.5 milligrams.
- 3 thin slices of salmon contain 0.3 milligrams.
- About 75 grams of cooked peas contain 0.2 milligrams.
If you are worried about not being able to meet this need from food, a pregnancy supplement given by a doctor can help fulfill these needs.
Risk of Serious Complications
Another possibility of thiamine deficiency as a cause of beriberi can also occur in people who like to consume liquor. The alcohol content makes it difficult for the body to absorb thiamine. In some very rare cases, beriberi is also hereditary.
Patients with hyperthyroidism or overactive thyroid glands, diarrhea that does not go away, HIV / AIDS, and who undergo dialysis, are also at risk of suffering from beriberi. If not treated immediately, the disease is at risk of causing more severe complications, such as Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome, coma, psychosis, heart failure, and even death.
To detect thiamine deficiency, the doctor will do a physical examination plus a blood test and urine test to assess the levels of vitamin B1 in the body. If it is proven to be deficient in vitamin B1, one of the treatments is by giving thiamine supplement, both orally and injectively.
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