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Constipation During Pregnancy
The Causes of constipation during pregnancy include: Hormone Changes Progesterone is one of the steroid hormones produced during pregnancy. It is originally meant to relax the wall of the uterus and help protect and nurture the baby as it develops in the womb. It also causes the muscles on the wall of the bowel to relax. This leads to the slowing down of the movement of the remnant of digested food material down our bowel.
There would be more time for water to be absorbed from it and thus forming hard stool, difficult to pass. Exercise and the eating of fibre rich diet would help to overcome this
The Uterus
As the uterus or womb grows in size, it gets to a point where it literally presses on the large bowel, thus preventing faecal material pass down easily. Regular exercise would help here.
Medication
Are you taking iron tablets? This can cause constipation. If you must take the tablets, speak to your doctor on advice or prescription for additional medication that will help you counter the effect of the iron tablet.
Be careful not to use laxatives when pregnant, as they can cause premature contractions and births or even abortion. Such medication as movicol are fibre rich medication you can use in low doses. You can easily order these from the internet at good rates. Express Chemist delivers medications to most countries or you can try this link for most states in the USA.
Other medications that can cause constipation in pregnancy include pain killers, and others mentioned on our Constipation page
Diet
You need to select the type of food you eat during pregnancy. Make sure you eat food rich in high fibre, like fruits, vegetables, cereals and bread.
To eat loads of junk foods at this stage is to court trouble. You can read about the right food to eat in pregnancy from experts from the book, Nourishing Your Unborn Child
Piles Again pregnancy predisposes one to develop piles or haemorrhoids. The discomfort from this after opening the bowel can make someone feel reluctant to go to toilet. This will lead to constipation during pregnancy, and then worsen the piles.
If you have piles during pregnancy, see your doctor as soon as possible for remedies to relieve the discomfort.
Anal Fissure
Another problem commonly found in pregnancy is tear in the back of the anus. This causes severe pain on defaecation.
Expectant mothers who suffer from this problem fears defaecation. This worsens the problem, as the next bowel opening would be even more hard and difficult.
Anxiety, emotional upsets and worries of pregnancy is another cause of constipation during pregnancy.
Read About Symptoms of Constipation
Constipation during pregnancy with abdominal pain may have still other causes. See here
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