Constipation During Pregnancy: Understanding the Causes and Finding Relief

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One of the many possible side effects in pregnancy is irregular digestion and hard stool. As unpleasant as it is, you are not alone! About every second woman suffers from constipation during pregnancy. If you pay attention to small things in everyday life, however, you can prevent it well.

What helps with constipation during pregnancy? With constipation during pregnancy, you can find relief with plenty of exercise and a high-fiber diet. In addition, you should drink plenty, eat slowly, and avoid constipating, gas-forming, as well as hard-to-digest foods.

In this article, we explain how constipation develops and which preventive measures you can take. You will also receive tips for quick help with constipation.

Constipation – What exactly is it?

Obstipation is the medical term for constipation and means that bowel emptying is impaired. The stool is usually hard, which is why going to the toilet can sometimes be very painful and associated with strong straining. The following cases are officially referred to as obstipation, i.e., constipation:

• When bowel movements are absent for four days
• When strong straining is required to empty the bowels
• When there is a persistent sensation of incomplete evacuation

If these signs now occur regularly for longer than three months, it is referred to as chronic constipation.

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Constipation in pregnancy: causes, consequences, and support

Above all, diet and changes in hormone levels play a major role when it comes to constipation in pregnancy:

• Hormones:

In addition to the physical changes, your hormone balance also shifts during pregnancy. Your body produces more progesterone, which relaxes the uterine muscles, suppresses contractions, and thus prevents premature labor. It also has a calming and mood-lifting effect. However, it also causes the intestinal muscles to relax, which slows digestion. This allows the body to absorb nutrients better, but it often leads to constipation and bloating.

• Diet:

Things that are good for your body anyway are all the more important during pregnancy. In addition to a high-fiber diet, your body especially needs plenty of fluids and exercise. This boosts your metabolism and helps prevent digestive complaints. Because exercise becomes increasingly difficult as your belly grows, the bowel tends to become sluggish as pregnancy progresses. Changes in eating habits due to pregnancy-related morning sickness are a particularly common trigger for constipation.

• The growing baby:

Digestive issues often occur in the third trimester of pregnancy. Your baby gets heavier and puts increasing pressure on the bowel, which in turn slows digestion.

• Iron:

Prenatal vitamins often contain higher amounts of iron. While this is important for oxygen transport in the bloodstream, it can slow digestion.

• Psychological factors:

Stress, anxiety, and depression can also negatively affect digestion and thus contribute to constipation.

 

What are the consequences of constipation?

Constipation during pregnancy is not uncommon. Up to 44 percent of pregnant women worldwide are affected. If you notice signs of constipation, it is advisable to speak with your gynecologist. For them, this topic is part of their daily routine and they will be able to help you quickly.

The most common consequences of constipation during pregnancy are bloating and hemorrhoids. The latter are unpleasant and often painful, but they usually regress after pregnancy. To relieve the pain, you can have ointments prescribed in consultation with your doctor.

Note: Constipation should be closely monitored and treated, as in the worst case it can lead to an intestinal obstruction. If you have symptoms such as a bloated abdomen, severe abdominal pain, absence of bowel movements, as well as nausea and vomiting, you should urgently go to a hospital.

Incorrect treatment can also lead to premature contractions and a preterm birth, which is why you should discuss all measures with your gynecologist.

What helps with constipation during pregnancy?

Even if it often cannot be completely avoided, you can prevent constipation during pregnancy and alleviate the symptoms. A healthy and balanced diet supports your gut. For example, dietary fiber travels undigested into the intestine, absorbs water there, and causes the stool to swell. This makes it softer and easier to pass.

If constipation is already present, the top priority is: stay calm. Constipation is unpleasant but usually harmless. Below you will find five helpful tips for existing constipation.

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5 tips for constipation during pregnancy

Exercise

Exercise is good not only for your bowels, but also for you and your child. You should therefore be active outdoors for at least 30 minutes a day. In addition to relaxed walks, swimming and gentle yoga have proven especially beneficial for pregnant women.

Fluids

Suitable drinks include mineral water, fruit juice spritzers, and unsweetened teas. During pregnancy, you should consume at least two liters of fluids per day to optimally support your body.

Diet

Focus primarily on fiber-rich foods. In addition to fruit, vegetables, whole-grain bread, and other whole-grain products are suitable.

No-gos

During pregnancy, you should largely avoid digestion-slowing and constipating foods such as bananas, chocolate, and white-flour products. Heavy-to-digest and gas-producing foods such as legumes, cruciferous vegetables, and onions should also be avoided.

Eat slowly

Make sure to take your time when eating. Slow and thorough chewing supports digestion, as it already begins in the mouth.

In particularly stubborn cases, soaked prunes in the morning can provide quick relief from constipation. A glass of lukewarm water on an empty stomach also stimulates digestion. As additional support, you can and should take one to two tablespoons of milk sugar (lactose) daily, as it softens the stool. You can stir milk sugar into juice or yogurt.

If you are taking additional prenatal vitamins or supplements, you should discuss their composition with your doctor if constipation occurs.

Laxatives and medications for constipation during pregnancy

Laxatives and medications for constipation during pregnancy should always be the last resort and used only in consultation with your doctor. Not all laxatives are suitable for pregnant women, and they also have a strong dehydrating effect and can therefore lead to a serious lack of fluids. Additionally, they can disrupt your electrolyte balance.

Even though the market offers numerous laxatives, suppositories, and Glauber’s salts for constipation, you should not experiment on your own. In the worst case, these remedies can lead to diarrhea, abdominal cramps as well as premature labor and thus cause serious harm to you and your baby.

Relieving abdominal pain from constipation

A troublesome side effect of constipation is abdominal pain. At the beginning of pregnancy, gentle abdominal massages can help relieve the pain and get your digestion going. Heat, for example with a hot water bottle or a warm bath, can also ease the abdominal pain, as it has a relaxing and antispasmodic effect.

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Proper nutrition after pregnancy

To get your digestion going and keep your body fit, you should pay close attention to proper nutrition. In this article we go into the topic in detail. On our blog you will find many other interesting articles on the topics of birth and life with a baby.

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