Every second pregnant woman faces such a delicate problem as constipation. The bowel movement is considered normal from 2-3 times a day to 1 time in 2 days. If you can’t go to the toilet for more than three days, then we are talking about constipation, and measures need to be taken. If constipation tormented a woman before pregnancy, it would be nice to take care of such a problem and recover well at the planning stage. Because during pregnancy, many effective remedies will be contraindicated.
But even if before that a woman had never encountered such troubles, constipation and subsequently hemorrhoids can appear completely unexpectedly. Gastrointestinal problems are familiar to almost every pregnant woman, especially in the early stages. Hard stools can be caused by physiological, anatomical and hormonal changes and is not a disease. If you know what to do with constipation during pregnancy, you can easily keep the situation under control.
What causes constipation during pregnancy
In cases where the bowel movement is absent for more than three days, we can talk about constipation. To eliminate the problem, it is necessary to find out the main cause of constipation during pregnancy, the therapy used will depend on this. Sometimes it’s enough to adjust the lifestyle, and the problem disappears on its own.
Factors that can cause a similar problem in the early stages:
Exposure to progesterone. In the first weeks of pregnancy, the concentration of this hormone is very high. It has a relaxing effect on the walls of the intestine so that a miscarriage does not occur, thereby contributing to the retention of feces. This kind of anatomical constipation is easily treatable.
Vitamins used by pregnant women can provoke an excess of iron and potassium. These elements reduce muscle contractility, thereby obstructing bowel movements. Review your diet, perhaps you already get enough vitamins with vegetables and fruits, and additional ones only complicate the situation.
Sedentary lifestyle. Modern life forces us in most cases to do all the work in a sitting position. Constant sitting in the office, at home on the couch or even a bed rest prescribed by a doctor - all this complicates the passage of feces. Try to move as much as possible, of course, if there are no contraindications.
A number of causes of constipation during pregnancy in the second and third trimester:
With the growth of the fetus, the uterus and the fetus itself press on the intestines, internal organs are displaced, and all this affects the digestive tract. Therefore, the correct regular stool may be absent.
When a woman has severe swelling, the doctor may advise you to limit fluid intake. And this, in turn, contributes to the solidification of feces. An excellent solution is rosehip tea.
Improper nutrition, craving for flour, sweet and fatty foods are the main cause of constipation during pregnancy. In addition, pregnant women tend to overeat or, conversely, for a long time to refrain from eating because of toxicosis. All this negatively affects the daily stool. Try to lean more on healthy foods.
Hemorrhoids, anal fissures are themselves quite painful diseases and can go into chronic constipation. During bowel movements, a person instinctively shrinks due to pain, which further aggravates the situation.
The psychological state of a pregnant woman can also affect the digestive tract. Try not to be nervous and avoid stressful situations whenever possible.
Although the causes of constipation during pregnancy in early pregnancy are somewhat different from later factors, treatment should in any case be gentle and taking into account the position of the woman.
Symptomatology
When feces do not go out for a long time, intestinal walls can absorb toxins, which subsequently enter the bloodstream. Intoxication of the body is dangerous for the development of the fetus. The outflow of blood from the vessels of the pelvis, observed with constipation, can provoke hemorrhoids, and solid feces can injure the mucous membrane and thereby lead to anal fissures.
In addition, unpleasant symptoms appear that can seriously affect the quality of life of a pregnant woman. So, severe constipation during pregnancy is accompanied by:
Remember that during pregnancy you can not push, this can lead to uterine tone. In the early stages, the tone is dangerous for miscarriage, and in the later - premature birth. Therefore, it is extremely important to get rid of constipation and restore bowel function as soon as possible.
What is constipation dangerous?
We already wrote above that strong attempts during constipation can provoke a tone of the uterus, which, in turn, is very dangerous. Constipation during pregnancy in the early stages must be treated, because over time, the problem will only worsen. So, what can constipation turn into during pregnancy:
hemorrhoids, cracks;
inflammatory processes in the rectum;
disruption of the biliary tract;
deterioration of the skin;
feeling sick, nervousness;
infection of the body with toxins;
threat of miscarriage and premature birth.
In addition to the above, constipation is also dangerous because the improper microflora in the intestines of a pregnant woman (especially in the early stages) leads to congenital abnormalities in the fetal digestive organs.
How to get rid of constipation during pregnancy
If at another time, any sufferer can simply go to the pharmacy and buy a laxative for constipation and any rectal suppositories for hemorrhoids, then during pregnancy things are somewhat more complicated. Any drugs, even the most, at first glance, harmless, should be agreed with the doctor.
Before you deal with constipation during pregnancy with medications, try changing your lifestyle and changing your diet. Often this is enough to alleviate the condition. But if all else fails, you can resort to other methods.
Laxatives: which can, which cannot?
In this article we will discuss only those medicines that can be used for constipation during pregnancy. What does modern medicine offer in the fight against constipation?
Preparations with osmotic properties, such as Dufalac, Lactuwilt.
Means irritating the intestinal walls are Guttalax and Sena-De.
Microclysters.
Rectal suppositories based on glycerin and sea buckthorn.
The safest means are drugs based on lactulose (Dufalac), but they have a very mild laxative effect. The result of taking the drug can be felt only after 2-3 days. As for glycerin suppositories, although they are considered safe, it is still better to notify your doctor about the use of these suppositories.
Folk remedies
Judging by numerous reviews, constipation during pregnancy is effectively treated with the help of traditional medicine. Here is an example of some recipes that will help you go to the toilet:
Take a prune infusion of 100 ml before meals. To prepare it, it is enough to pour 150-200 grams of prunes with a glass of boiling water and let it brew in a thermos.
Herbal teas from mint, chamomile, dill seeds or caraway seeds will help get rid of flatulence. But not more than 1 cup per day.
Twist dried fruits in a meat grinder, namely dried apricots, raisins, prunes. Add 2 teaspoons of natural honey. Eat 2 teaspoons at night with water.
Bake 200 grams of pumpkin in the oven, then grind with honey. Such a dessert gives an excellent result, provided that there are no contraindications to bee products.
Mix a tablespoon of flaxseed and a glass of warm water and leave for 3-4 hours. You should drink before bedtime. But it is advisable to ask a doctor before use.
- Cook a few unpeeled apple slices for 10-15 minutes. Drink as tea no more than 3 times a day.
To lighten the stool, it is enough to drink a spoonful of honey with a glass of warm water.
Include dried fruit compotes, fruit drinks in your diet.
Milk drunk on an empty stomach helps a lot.
An important point: do not forget that drinking with constipation during pregnancy, various decoctions of herbs can be dangerous to the health of both mother and the unborn baby. Some herbs can release natural hormones, and their effects on the body can be unpredictable. Therefore, in no case do not self-medicate.
Proper nutrition
As you know, we consist of what we eat. If you wondered how to get rid of constipation during pregnancy, before taking any serious measures, review your diet. Eliminate from it everything that contributes to the formation of a hard stool. Make a habit of consuming as much fiber as possible and drinking plenty of water. It would be nice for a pregnant woman to completely eliminate or at least significantly reduce the following products:
flour, pastry, pastries;
rice
eggs in any form;
canned food, marinades;
animal fats;
strong tea;
mayonnaise;
onion garlic.
Products that help with constipation during pregnancy:
Sometimes a pregnant woman is not able to consume enough fiber, in which case you can buy a finished fiber preparation in a dry form at a pharmacy and add it to yoghurts.
Is it possible to do an enema?
Immediately before giving birth, a pregnant woman will definitely have an enema. This is necessary to cleanse the intestines and prevent accidental emptying during childbirth. Mechanical exposure with cold water helps to instantly lighten the stool and get rid of the problem. But is it possible to do an enema during pregnancy?
The use of an enema is generally acceptable, but there are a number of contraindications. The procedure is prohibited in the following cases:
There is a risk of miscarriage or premature birth.
A history of aborted pregnancies.
Low placentation or uterine hypertonicity.
You can do an enema during pregnancy, but only in the most emergency situations and strictly after the permission of the doctor. Better yet, take advantage of microclysters, they act just as efficiently, but are less traumatic.
The consequence of constipation is hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids are one of the most unpleasant diseases. According to statistics, every second Russian is somehow familiar with this ailment. Hemorrhoids are considered a delicate problem, and it is not customary to talk about it. That is why many postpone going to the doctor until the last, although if measures are taken in time, it is quite possible to do without surgical intervention.
In simple terms, hemorrhoids are varicose veins that occur due to stagnation of blood. The symptomatology of the disease is similar to the symptoms of constipation: itching, burning, a feeling of fullness, painful bowel movements, blood.
Often, a pregnant woman learns about the presence of hemorrhoidal nodes from her doctor at the next examination. Do not forget that even if during the period of pregnancy these nodes do not manifest themselves and do not bother, childbirth (especially prolonged) can contribute to the exacerbation of this disease. Subsequently, this can lead to surgery.
Childbirth in acute hemorrhoids
In cases where hemorrhoids appear immediately before childbirth, a pregnant woman may begin to panic and fear. It is clear that the birth process itself is quite painful, and in combination with hemorrhoids, a woman will have a hard time at all. Nevertheless, the presence of hemorrhoidal nodes is not a reason to resort to cesarean section. A woman will be banned from giving birth naturally only in the fourth stage of hemorrhoids, that is, in the presence of thrombosis and bleeding.
Nevertheless, even natural birth will be somewhat stressful. Midwives will have to constantly monitor the condition of the woman in labor in order to provide immediate assistance in case of emergency. The fact is that the child, passing through the birth canal, will strongly press and pinch the vessels, and constant attempts exert an additional load on the sphincter.
There are times when nodes fall out during attempts. In the best case, they will independently return to their places during contractions, at worst - obstetricians will contribute to this.
What to do to prevent hemorrhoids from getting out during childbirth? If during pregnancy the therapy has not yielded results, and the birth has already begun, there is only one thing left - to obey the doctors and not to panic.
Prevention methods
The best thing you can do to combat constipation is to prevent it from occurring. Preventive measures must be considered before delicate problems begin. A woman should understand that over time, at a later date, the condition will only worsen. Therefore, as soon as the first symptoms appear, urgent measures must be taken without delay. Otherwise, then you will have to use medicines, which in any case does not affect the fetus very well. And in the worst case, waiting for surgical intervention after childbirth. How to deal with constipation during pregnancy, what to do?
Watch your diet very carefully. It is advisable to draw up a detailed diet and strictly adhere to it. So you can get enough vitamins, minerals and fiber without harming the digestive tract.
Drink more fluids. Ideal - dried fruit compotes, infusions and herbal teas. If you drink a glass of clean water every morning before breakfast, after some time the urge to empty the bowel will begin.
Move more. If there is no direct purpose to observe bed rest, you can try to do yoga for pregnant women, swimming in the pool, hiking.
Do not worry. Keeping calm when hormones are raging in the body is very difficult, but try to avoid stressful situations nonetheless. Nervous overstrain can cause attacks of constipation.
It is very important to monitor your condition. If the slightest alarming calls do not wait, begin to take appropriate measures and be sure to consult your doctor.