Causes of Constipation in Pregnancy

Some women may experience constipation during pregnancy due to the natural processes of the body that play out during the various stages of pregnancy. Constipation in pregnancy causes abdominal discomfort, hard to pass stools and infrequent bowel movement.

When this condition is chronic, it may even lead to hemorrhoids. Therefore, early intervention to resolve it is essential. The good news is that there are steps you can take to alleviate this condition with safe natural home remedies.

What Causes Constipation in Pregnancy?

For many people, it is caused by stress, anxiety, physical inactivity and lack of fiber. Pregnant women experience hard to pass stool because their intestinal muscles are relaxed due to hormone changes. What causes the hormone changes that relax the intestine muscles? Well, the primary contributor is spiked progesterone levels. This elevation occurs to make a woman’s muscles and ligaments more relaxed and flexible for labor. At the same time, the progesterone levels relax the intestines. The relaxed intestinal muscles move food and waste very slowly causing hard to pass stools.

Although the slowly moving food in the woman’s body creates this condition, there are some benefits to the mother and the developing fetus when the food moves slowly. The decelerated movement allows the mother and the baby to absorb nutrients, vitamins and minerals. A pregnant woman will also retain more water in her body because of the increased blood volume associated with pregnancy. Iron in prenatal vitamins also causes hard stools.

Eating a high fiber diet heavy in fruits, vegetables, whole grain breads, prunes and bran should help the problem. Some vegetables particularly beneficial in this area are beets, cauliflower, spinach and broccoli. Drink plenty water and other fluids throughout the day. Include apple, prune and pear juice and avoid carbonated drinks and caffeine.

Be physically active. Moderate exercises such as swimming and walking stimulates the bowels and helps the intestines work properly. Also, don’t take iron supplements that cause hard stool. Talk to your health care provider about the option of taking prenatal vitamins with iron that doesn’t contribute to this condition. You are less likely to become constipated if you take calcium and magnesium-minerals as part of your nutrients.

Take charge of your nutrition during your pregnancy with natural remedies mentioned in this article. And enjoy the pregnancy journey, it won’t last long.