Understanding Constipation During Pregnancy

Constipation during pregnancy is a fairly common problem. In fact, as many as half of all pregnant women have to deal with constipation at some point. You might be wondering why constipation in pregnancy is so common and how to stop it. For that matter, should you even try to stop it?

A Natural Response

First of all, constipation pregnancy problems are a natural response from your body during pregnancy. You see, during the pregnancy your hormones change and your entire body goes through a number of changes. It's only natural that those changes could cause certain issues to pop up, including pregnancy constipation.

For instance, the body is actually conditioned to slow down the processing of waste materials in a pregnant woman. The object is that both the mother and the fetus will have more time to get needed nutrients out of the food before the mother's body passes it out. Although that's normal, it can sometimes get a bit out of hand, creating constipation in pregnancy.

Hormones

Hormone imbalance is one key component that creates constipation in pregnant women. In fact, certain hormones are thought to slow down the contractions of the intestines. That makes it harder for the waste products to move out of the body.

Stress

Of course, pregnancy also brings a lot of stress with it. The pressure on an expectant mother, especially a first-time expectant mother, can sometimes seem overwhelming. Even someone who thinks they are prepared might have certain concerns in the back of their head that play a role in constipation problems.

Then, of course, there's the physical stress of being pregnant. Added weight and changes in eating habits can put a lot of stress on the body. So can the presence of the fetus itself. All of that added body stress can cause constipation to occur.

Physical Pressure

As the baby grows inside the mother, another problem is that the uterus expands and puts pressure on the intestines. That can be almost like putting a kink in a garden hose. Waste materials find it more difficult to pass through the intestines, which can cause problems with constipation, too.

The good news is that constipation during pregnancy doesn't have to be a given thing that you just accept. If you know how to recognize the signs, you can make certain changes to avoid it. That could mean anything from changing your diet to getting more exercise or asking your doctor for help. In any case, though, you don't have to endure 9 months of pregnancy constipation.

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