INTENTINAL WORMS

Many commonly caused abdominal pain in pregnancy are caused by intestinal worms and diarrhea. There is a high incidence of intestinal worms in anaemias during pregnancy. Careful stool examination reveals the diagnosis. Round worm (Ascaris lumbricoides) and hook worm (ankylostomiasis) are most commonly encountered in the country.

Alcopar (bephenium hydroxynaphthoate) 5 g. in powder is taken in water orally on an empty stomach at least an hour before food; this does not require any preliminary preparation or subsequent purging. The drug is found effective for both hook worm and ascariasis although for the latter piperazine salts are also reasonably effective. Piperazine salts are given in forms of elixir antepar 30 ml. before supper followed by a saline purgative next morning or helmacid with senna 10 g. at bed time. Single dose therapy can be sufficient but for heavy infection, these drugs can be repeated at the intervals of two weeks.