Constipation During Pregnancy: Can It Harm Your Baby?

Pregnancy hormones are notorious—and for good reason. From morning sickness to back pains, these hormones bring about a range of changes that can leave expecting mothers a bit under the weather. Constipation is one such common concern that’s largely caused due to hormonal fluctuations. In fact, studies show that up to 39% of pregnant women experience constipation during pregnancy.¹

In this blog, we’ll shed light on this common pregnancy condition, including its causes, symptoms and relief strategies. So stay with us and read through.

What Is Constipation?

Broadly speaking, constipation is the difficulty in having normal bowel movements. When you have constipation, your stool becomes hard and dry, making it difficult to pass out. This sometimes makes you strain hard while passing stool. And at other times, you might be left with the persistent urge to defecate even after you’ve already pooped (a feeling of fullness).¹

Constipation is an uncomfortable experience for many. And it's not uncommon for people to have difficulty with their bowel movements whether pregnant or not. But during pregnancy, constipation becomes much more common due to hormonal changes.¹

When Does Constipation In Pregnancy Start?

As soon as your hormones begin to surge during pregnancy, your bowel movements start getting affected. This can happen as early as your second month of pregnancy.¹ And it sometimes makes women wonder and even ask the question—is constipation a sign of pregnancy? The truth is—constipation is one of the early signs of pregnancy!²

How Common Is Constipation In Pregnancy?

As mentioned earlier, constipation during pregnancy is quite common. About 2 out of every 5 women complain about this issue during pregnancy.³ And it is most common in women who are in their third trimester when the baby is putting maximum pressure on their belly. That said, there is no specific time period for being constipated during pregnancy as it can affect women across any and all trimesters, and sometimes even after the delivery of the baby.¹

What Causes Constipation During Pregnancy?

There are several causes that contribute to constipation during pregnancy. These include:

1. Hormonal Changes

During pregnancy, your body produces more of the hormone progesterone. Progesterone works towards relaxing your intestines. This results in slower bowel movement, giving your intestines more time to absorb water and nutrients from the digested food, leaving it extremely dry. The dried poop becomes relatively hard and it becomes difficult to pass it out.¹

2. Growing Fetus

As your baby keeps getting bigger, the uterus starts to get heavier, putting a lot of pressure on the bowel. This slows down the bowel movement making it difficult to have smooth, regular motions.¹

3. Pregnancy Supplements

Prenatal supplements usually contain iron which is important for making blood. This blood helps you carry enough oxygen for yourself and the baby. But the excess iron in the form of supplements makes it difficult for the gut bacteria to break down the food, ultimately leading to difficulty in pooping. This problem is often exacerbated when you don’t drink enough water.¹

4. Unhealthy Lifestyle

During pregnancy, women often don’t exercise well, drink enough fluids or eat a fibre-rich diet. All these factors contribute towards worsening your bowel movements and leading to constipation.¹

What Are The Symptoms Of Constipation?

Constipation can make the entire experience of passing stool dissatisfying. And its major symptoms include:¹

• Irregular pooping or pooping only a few times a week.
• Feeling bloated or gassy.
• Having to strain to poop.
• Lumpy, dry stool.
• Painful defecation.

How Is Constipation During Pregnancy Diagnosed?

Your doctor will likely ask you a few questions to diagnose constipation. The questions might be something like:¹

• How often and how much do you poop?
• What does your stool look like?
• What are your dietary habits?
• How much water are you drinking each day?
• Are you exercising enough?
• What kind of supplements or medications are you taking?

Having learnt these, let’s answer the most important question—how to deal with constipation during pregnancy.

How To Prevent Constipation During Pregnancy?

There’s not much that you can do about your pregnancy hormones that make it difficult for you to poop. Nevertheless, you can try the following remedies for constipation during pregnancy:

Eat Fiber-Rich Foods

Aim for at least 25-30 grams of fibre-rich food each day. You can include items like fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans, peas and lentils.¹

Drink Enough Water

When you’re pregnant your body needs more water than usual. So aim for at least 8-12 glasses each day. For added taste, you can enjoy other fluids like low-fat milk, smoothies, tea and juices with no added sugar.¹

Stay Active

Being pregnant can make you want to exercise less. But if you’re constipated you better try to do some light exercise to keep your bowel moving. Talk to your doctor about the exercise which you can safely engage in at this time.¹

Switch Your Supplements

Again, discuss this with your doctor if you think that your vitamins might be causing you to be constipated. They might suggest an alternative that does the job without causing constipation.¹

What Medications Can I Take To Relieve Constipation When I’m Pregnant?

If the above-mentioned remedies don’t work for you, reach out to your doctor for a laxative or fibre supplement. But don’t self-medicate as your regular home remedies for constipation might not be safe during pregnancy.¹

What Are The Side Effects Of The Treatment?

Laxatives can sometimes cause dehydration or electrolyte imbalance which is not good for your health.¹ Sometimes they might even stimulate uterine contractions.⁴ That’s why consulting a doctor before taking one is highly crucial.

How Can I Reduce My Risk Of Becoming Constipated During Pregnancy?

As mentioned earlier, you can try to incorporate more fibre-rich foods into your diet, and do some light physical activity to reduce your constipation risk. And don’t forget to drink enough water and other fluids that keep you hydrated.¹

When Should I See My Healthcare Provider?

Generally, constipation during pregnancy is not a serious problem and doesn’t cause any harm to your developing baby. But in a few instances, it might be indicative of something more serious. So consult your doctor right away if your constipation is severe and accompanied by abdominal pain and diarrhoea, or you pass mucus or blood.^{1 4}

Summing Up

As an expecting mom, it's natural for you to wonder if constipation during pregnancy might harm your baby. But as it turns out, it generally won’t. Having said that, it’s important to take the right diet and follow a healthy lifestyle to ensure your and your baby’s good health.

But here is something else that you can do to ensure that your baby has a healthy start from the first day itself. And that is cord blood banking, banking their cord blood at birth with LifeCell. This will give not just your baby but the entire family a safety net to rely on. It will go on to protect them against the impact of over 80 deadly diseases in future.

Book a free consultation with a LifeCell expert today to understand this better. Call 18002665533.

FAQs

Can Constipation Hurt My Baby During Pregnancy?

No, constipation during pregnancy generally doesn’t harm your baby in any way.¹

When To Worry About Constipation In Pregnancy?

Consult your doctor right away if your constipation is severe and accompanied by abdominal pain and diarrhoea, or if you pass mucus or blood.⁴

Is It Okay To Take Laxatives For Constipation During Pregnancy?

No, some laxatives can cause dehydration, electrolyte imbalance or even stimulate uterine contractions during pregnancy.^{1 4}

What To Eat For Constipation In Pregnancy?

To relieve constipation during pregnancy, eat fibre-rich foods like fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans, peas and lentils.¹

When Does Constipation Start In Pregnancy?

Constipation can start as early as the 2nd month of pregnancy.¹