Change in bowel habits during pregnancy
Constipation
Constipation is a common problem during pregnancy. Delayed passage of bowel contents (slow transit) is the most common cause of constipation during pregnancy. There are many reasons why a woman who usually has regular, soft bowel movements may become constipated during pregnancy. These reasons include:
- Diet. A lack of fiber in the diet is a common cause of constipation during pregnancy.
- Medications, such as antacids and iron supplements.
- An inadequate intake of fluids. It is important to drink plenty of fluids, especially water and fruit juices, to prevent mild dehydration during pregnancy.
New constipation caused by one of these changes usually gets better or goes away when you make adjustments to your diet, fluid intake, or activity schedule.
Try a stool softener, such as Colace, if your stools are very hard. Talk with your health professional before taking any other nonprescription medications to treat your constipation. Some medications may not be safe to take during pregnancy.
Talk with your health professional if you are unable to find the cause of your constipation or if constipation does not go away after trying home treatment.
Blood in the stool
A small amount of bright red blood on the surface of the stool or found on the toilet paper is often caused by local irritation of the rectum from a small rectal tear (fissure) or hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids are common during pregnancy because:
- The enlarged uterus places extra pressure on the lower intestine.
- Constipation, a common problem during pregnancy, causes less frequent and strained bowel movements. The bowels commonly move more slowly during pregnancy, and iron in prenatal vitamins also can cause constipation.
Bleeding caused by hemorrhoids often causes pain with the bowel movement and does not make the toilet water bloody. It is not serious if there is only a small amount of blood and if the bleeding stops when the diarrhea or constipation stops. Home treatment may be all that is needed.
Bleeding can occur anywhere in the digestive tract. The blood is digested as it moves through the digestive tract. The longer it takes the blood to move through the digestive tract, the less it will look like blood. Often, blood from bleeding in the stomach looks black and tarry. Blood that has moved quickly through the digestive tract or that begins near the rectum may appear red or dark red.
Talk with your health professional if your stools are black, tarry, or mixed with bright or dark red blood. Bright red blood in the toilet bowl following a bowel movement also needs to be evaluated by a health professional. Your health professional can provide you with simple tests that check for even very small amounts of blood in your stool.
Note: Certain foods and medicines also can change the look of the stool. Taking medication containing bismuth subsalicylate, such as Pepto-Bismol, or iron tablets can make the stool black, and eating lots of beets may turn the stool red. Some food colorings also can change the color of your stool. Eating foods with black or dark blue food coloring can turn your stool black.
| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS | Last Updated: August 7, 2006 |
| Medical Review: | Renée M. Crichlow, MD - Family Medicine Liisa Honey, MD, FRCSC - Obstetrics and Gynecology | |
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