Pregnancy is a happy and painful experience for women. The happiness comes from the joy of becoming a mother, while the pain comes from the inconveniences and discomforts that come with carrying a baby for nine months. The feet swell, making it impossible to wear shoes, the belly gradually grows bigger, making it difficult to sleep at night, and then there's the bloating and constipation. Why do women experience constipation during pregnancy? Let's take a look together.
There are many reasons that can cause constipation in pregnant women. One possible reason is the weakened normal tension of the smooth muscles in the intestines and reduced intestinal motility, as well as the decreased contraction function of the abdominal wall muscles, coupled with dietary imbalance.
1. Uterine pressure on the colon
After becoming pregnant, women tend to be less active, which makes it difficult for the intestinal muscles to push the feces out. The enlarged uterus compresses the rectum, making it difficult for the feces to be eliminated. In addition, the abdominal muscles of pregnant women become weak, and there is not enough abdominal pressure to facilitate bowel movements. Therefore, even if pregnant women feel the urge to have a bowel movement, they may contract their abdominal muscles, but the feces accumulated in the rectum are still difficult to eliminate.
2. Changes in hormonal levels
After women become pregnant, under the influence of hormonal changes, the placenta secretes a large amount of pregnancy hormones, which leads to a decrease in gastric acid secretion, a decrease in the muscle tone of the gastrointestinal tract, and a weakening of muscle peristalsis. As a result, the food consumed stays in the stomach and intestines for a longer period of time, making it difficult to be eliminated as it would be before pregnancy.
3. Lack of dietary fiber
Pregnant women often have an improved dietary structure, with a decrease in coarse grains and a lack of dietary fiber. Combined with the prolonged time that food stays in the intestines, the water in the food residues is reabsorbed by the intestinal wall cells, resulting in a decrease in fecal volume and a lack of stimulation to the intestinal wall, making the feces dry and hard, and difficult to eliminate.
4. Reduced physical activity during pregnancy
Pregnant women tend to have lower physical activity levels during pregnancy, which can affect intestinal peristalsis.
5. Side effects of medication
Some pregnant women, due to various reasons from within or outside, may take medication to relieve discomfort during pregnancy. However, these medications often have side effects that can cause constipation in pregnant women.
6. Inadequate water intake
If a pregnant woman does not drink enough water, it can also lead to constipation. Insufficient water intake can cause the feces in the intestines to become dry and hard, making it difficult to eliminate.
In conclusion, there are multiple factors that can cause constipation in pregnant women. In order to alleviate the symptoms of constipation, it is necessary to address the underlying causes and make gradual changes to improve the situation. Let's not allow constipation to become a burden in our lives.
