Constipation is indeed a common problem when you are pregnant, and it is even more common when you are in your third trimester. As a result of the increased hormonal activity, constipation can occur at any point of time during the entire pregnancy. Since medications are best avoided during pregnancy, it is better to be prepared and take necessary steps to keep the problem at bay.
Know the Reasons. Before knowing how to cure or prevent a condition during pregnancy, it is important to know how and why it occurs. This will help you in preparing yourself to prevent it at the first step itself.
When you are pregnant, your body retains a lot of fluids, so much so that your body absorbs water from your intestines as well. As a result, there is little or no water left in your intestines to soften the waste. This, in turn, leads to hard feces and constipation.
Another reason why you may become constipated during pregnancy is that while you are pregnant, due to morning sickness and nausea, you may lose your appetite. As a result, your body is deprived of foods that are rich in fiber and that help in easing bowel movements. Besides this, during pregnancy, especially in your third trimester, due to the growing size of your uterus there may be a lot of gas formation. The gas formation blocks the waste from being excreted from your body, resulting in constipation. During pregnancy, the digestion process also slows down. Indigestion also plays its part in causing this problem.
However, the main culprit is the intake of iron supplements during pregnancy. Constipation is a main side-effect that these pills. If your doctor has prescribed strong iron supplements, then constipation is likely to result. Make sure you inform the doctor if you find that you are getting constipated because of them.
Never Ignore Constipation. Never ignore constipation during pregnancy. If you do so, it will result in fissures. Fissures occur when the skin around the anus tears and becomes infected because it has to stretch more than normal to pass stool. This, in turn, can result in severe pain while sitting. Constipation, if ignored, also leads to piles. Piles are a condition in which the varicose veins in the rectum enlarge, causing blood spotting when you pass the stool. Piles also cause severe discomfort and pain. While piles and fissures can both be treated by medication, during pregnancy you may not be able to take any medication. Hence, it is best to avoid such conditions by drinking plenty of fluids, including vegetables and fresh fruits in your diet, and increasing the intake of fiber rich food.
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