Agonizing constipation symptoms burden about one third of all pregnant women, especially in the last trimester of pregnancy, and turn this actually beautiful, expectant time into an unpleasant and painful experience. Constipation is one of the most common complaints in the gastrointestinal tract during pregnancy. Its origin has not been clearly scientifically proven to date, but presumably several factors in combination account for the painful digestive problems.
Hormones inhibit movement of internal muscles
One focus is certainly on the shift in hormone balance in a pregnant woman. The increased female sex hormones produced inhibit the movement of all the internal musculature to protect the fetus in the uterus (which is also a muscle) from excessive shock. This, of course, also affects the intestinal wall, whose contractions are necessary for regular digestion.
Furthermore, there is a presumption that altered eating and drinking habits, lack of exercise during the last trimester of pregnancy and the constriction of the intestine due to the greatly enlarged uterus are causative factors for impaired digestive work.
Treatment of pregnancy constipation
Certain laxatives are absolutely taboo during an existing pregnancy, because some of the ingredients can trigger premature contractions of the uterus and thus carry a particularly high risk potential for the unborn child. It is therefore better to first take the natural route in the case of constipation symptoms and explicitly try to adapt the diet to the changed metabolic situation.
A wholesome and varied diet, rich in vegetables and fruit, contains many dietary fibers that stimulate and maintain intestinal activity. In addition, they also keep blood sugar levels at a constant level, which prevents the “cravings” that are well known to many pregnant women.
Get enough exercise and drink plenty of fluids
An adequate fluid intake of circa two to three liters a day supports the work of dietary fibers in the intestines, as they swell up due to the fluid and thus stimulate intestinal activity. If you don’t want to drink only water, there are many well-tolerated gastrointestinal teas that support your digestive tract in its work.
Furthermore, adequate exercise also has a positive effect on bowel activity – and fresh air is good for your immune system.
Constipation during pregnancy: help from the pharmacy.
In addition, preparations from Plantago ovata seed husks can be a solution: The powder from Indian psyllium is dissolved in water and, like the other dietary fibers, provides improved intestinal motility. Also well effective are guar and lactose, which have a stool-regulating effect. For persistent constipation, ask your pharmacist for advice on which remedy to recommend – other, chemical laxatives are not recommended during pregnancy or are even taboo for the reasons mentioned above.
