Hydration is a critical issue for anyone with clotting problems. When fluid
levels decrease, the blood tends to be "stickier" simply because it is
harder for the body to move blood that is not carrying enough fluid.
This jibes very well with Anne Frye's description of contracted blood
volume being an indicator of preeclampsia, and the fact that women who have
FVL tend to get preeclampsia more often. Adequate fluids are a must for any
pregnant woman, but it is life-and-death for a woman with FVL to stay
hydrated. This means that women with FVL may need to be treated a bit more
aggressively during morning sickness if they are becoming even a little
dehydrated.
A personal note: In the first part of my pregnancy (I am FVL heterozygous)
I was very dehydrated and tended to clot very easily. Once I figured out
how to control my nausea with a rehydration drink and frequent small meals,
the clotting I'd been experienced subsided. This coincided with my
improving my nutrition and adding purple grape juice, garlic, and ginger to
my diet. After about the third month of my pregnancy I had no further
problems with clotting. It is impossible to say whether it was the
hydration, the herbs, prenatal vitamins or the foods that inhibited my
clotting, but any and all of them could have helped.
by Jennifer Rosenberg
Jennifer Rosenberg has been trained as a doula and childbirth educator. She currently works as a graphic designer, editor and author for Midwifery Today, Inc.
Reprinted from Midwifery Today E-News (Vol 2 Issue 19 May 12, 2000)
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