If constipation in a pregnant woman what to do. Medications for internal use. constipation diet

Associated with stool retention. This affects not only pregnant women, but also those who have given birth to babies.

Constipation is difficult or incomplete bowel movements. The concept of this phenomenon is considered not only the absence of stool for 2 days, but also a small amount, dry and hard feces.

Constipation is often manifested by the duration and soreness of the process, gas formation, sometimes with an admixture of blood in the feces. It can be dangerous not only for a woman, but also for an unborn baby.

Causes of constipation during early pregnancy

Atonic constipation can be caused by an improper diet.

When pregnancy occurs, the woman's body is rebuilt and prepared for childbearing and childbirth. Hormonal changes occur, the amount of progesterone in the body increases.

The hormone reduces the tension of the pelvic organs so that the fertilized egg can attach to the uterine cavity. But at the same time, the tone decreases, the process slows down, and this leads to constipation.

Often during pregnancy, women experience swelling, and they limit themselves to fluid intake. A decrease in fluid adversely affects the peristalsis of the stomach. Pregnant women are prescribed drugs for the development of the fetus, which contain calcium and iron.

They, in turn, fix the stool, which leads to constipation. The activity of pregnant women decreases, which leads to digestive disorders. Constipation can be:

1. when the tone of the muscles of the intestine is reduced. The promotion of feces slows down, becomes sluggish. Causes: pregnancy, period after surgery, improper diet. With this type of constipation, there is a feeling that the intestines are full, in the lower abdomen - pulling and aching pains.
2. , nausea, lethargy, poor appetite. The feces are large, hard and formed, at the end of emptying - liquid, in the form of a slurry. There is blood in the feces, as the intestinal mucosa is torn and the anus is injured.
3. Spastic constipation - muscle tone is increased, but the existing spasms cause the stool to move slowly. The reasons may be psychological. This type of constipation is in the form of hard feces in small portions. He is round like a sheep. The urge is frequent, but emptying is difficult and in small quantities. Pain can be paroxysmal, arising from the left side and extending to the genital area. All this is accompanied by nervousness, fatigue,.

Causes of constipation during late pregnancy

Constipation may occur during pregnancy.

At the end of pregnancy, a woman is even more limited in her movements, which adversely affects emptying and causes stool retention. The fetus develops, increases and descends, preparing for the exit.

Its head strongly presses on the intestines, causing stagnation of feces. Before childbirth, women experience fear, excitement, lose their appetite, this is the cause of possible constipation.

Constant constipation leads to the accumulation of harmful substances in the intestines, the multiplication of bacteria and contribute to intoxication of the body. The consequences of constipation can be the following:

• changes in the intestinal microflora;
• possible inflammatory processes of the genitourinary system;
• intoxication, when toxins enter the blood;
• preterm labor may begin, as the woman strains during the process of defecation.

Remedies for constipation during pregnancy, ways to get rid of constipation

Bowel movement is different for every person. For some it happens several times a day, for others it happens every few days. Many people suffer from constipation for one reason or another, but pregnant women are the most common.

Fecal retention in the intestines, untimely emptying of it in any person, not only in pregnant women, can cause inflammation of the large intestine (proctosigmoiditis), inflammation of the tissue around the intestines (paroproctitis), anal fissures and hemorrhoids.

Ways to get rid of constipation

Walnuts can cause constipation.

Foods that contribute to constipation:

• foods eaten or dishes from them that cause excessive gas formation: sorrel, legumes;
• exclude viscous cereals and soups: from semolina and rice cereals, puree soup;
• reduce the amount of drinks consumed: coffee, strong tea;
• bread of the highest grades;
• blueberries, black currants; hawthorn;
• pomegranate, banana;
• legumes;
• hard cheese;
• sweets;
• smoked meats.

What foods should be included in your diet:

1. cereals from buckwheat, millet, pearl barley;
2. , muesli;
3. vegetable oil;
4. fresh, boiled, steamed vegetables;
5. black olives;
6. and compote from them;
7. dried plums;
8. fruits: yellow apricots, green apples, ripe melon and watermelon, green grapes;
9. red currant and juice from it;

It is good to perform physical exercises, which are best done several times a day. Drink liquids up to two liters, if there are no contraindications.

Folk remedies for constipation

Apple compote is a folk remedy for constipation.

In the first half of pregnancy, drugs should not be used: aloe, rhubarb, wormwood and nettle herbs, yarrow.

Constipation remedies can only be used with a mild laxative effect:

• Broth with prunes: pour two liters of water into a saucepan, add one hundred grams of pure, herculean flakes and beets, put on fire, and boil for an hour, filter and place in a cool place. Drink one glass at night.
• A mixture of dried fruits: dried apricots, raisins, prunes. Take 100 grams of all twisted ingredients and mix with 35 g of honey. Consume in the evening, before going to bed, two teaspoons with water.
• diluted with water in equal proportions. Drink a quarter cup before meals for half an hour several times a day.
• Prepare a decoction of fig boxes from two tablespoons of chopped raw materials and boiling water or milk in a volume of 200 g, let cool, drink 35 g 3 times a day.
• Honey drink. Dissolve 15 g of honey in a glass of warm milk, drink a third of a glass at night.
  Mix anise, cumin and fennel herbs in equal proportions. Boil 35 g of this mixture in a glass of boiling water, leave for 20 minutes, filter through gauze and consume one third of the glass after eating food after 30 minutes three times a day. All seeds must be ripe.
  Place one tablespoon of gooseberries in a glass of water, boil for ten minutes, filter and take a quarter cup at least four times, add sugar as desired.
  Drink in the morning on an empty stomach a glass of cool water, when brewing, add dried

Approximate reading time: 7 minutes

⅔ of women experience constipation during pregnancy. This is indeed a very common problem. But how to understand that we are talking about pathology?

What signals should you pay attention to in order to avoid constipation during pregnancy?

Doctors refer to the main symptoms of constipation during pregnancy:

By the way, straining during the toilet on the "large" is quite dangerous for the body of a woman in position, so doctors say not to do this. It is better to put an enema, although you should not abuse them either.

Causes

But why does constipation occur during pregnancy? Doctors even have several answers to this question:

Exacerbation of chronic diseases. Pregnancy is a strong stress for the body, often leading to the fact that many diseases are activated. So if the patient had chronic hemorrhoids, even treated, the situation may worsen.

Deficiency of certain substances. Very often constipation occurs during pregnancy from iron, or rather, from its lack. And from calcium. Especially in the first trimester, when the child's body is actively formed, and he needs these elements in large quantities.

Diet change. During toxicosis, women often simply eat what the body is able to perceive. But the intestines require fiber and dairy products to function normally. And a lot of liquid. If all this does not happen, going to the toilet risks becoming painful.

Lack of water. When severe edema occurs, its amount is severely limited, which leads to problems in the digestive system.

How to prevent?

It's no secret that prevention is the best medicine. So, how to prevent constipation during pregnancy, what should you do? A lot depends on when exactly you asked this question.

Already a pregnant woman can reconsider her approach to lifestyle and diet. More movement, more fluid, more relaxation. The least that causes active formation of gases.

It is best to switch to fractional meals. That is, eat relatively small meals several times a day. With this approach, constipation during pregnancy occurs very rarely and without serious consequences. In addition, you must follow these recommendations:

Remove from diet:

• coffee and strong black tea;
• pastries and white bread;
• bananas;
• mucous soups;
• semolina;
• wheat bran;
• polished rice;
• blueberries;
• quince;
• pears;
• pomegranate;
• hawthorn;
• bananas;
• blackcurrant;
• legumes;
• walnuts;
• hard cheeses;
• no fatty and fried, too salty and spicy;

• for dinner, eat kefir or other dairy products, as well as vegetables and fruits. Everything else is heavy food, which is best left for the first half of the day;
• drink as much liquid as possible. At least one and a half liters per day. In the morning, you can drink a glass of warm water with lemon juice, which prevents constipation during pregnancy;

Why is constipation generally dangerous during pregnancy?

Some people who regularly experience constipation in everyday life do not always understand the risk. So why is constipation dangerous during pregnancy and for whom: for the mother or for the child? In fact, they harm both. Therefore, they should not be taken lightly.

The fact is that feces, stagnating in the intestines, begin to be absorbed into the blood. As a result, poisoning of the body begins. Which, in turn, aggravates toxicosis, exacerbates the chronicity, reduces the immune status, which is not very high even when carrying a child.

In addition, the woman constantly experiences discomfort. She cannot sleep peacefully, she is tormented by pains in her stomach, she is not able to relax and even be distracted. Appetite disappears, irritability and general nervousness increase. Pain in the anus also spoils life.

And do not forget that the body of the mother and the unborn baby are connected to each other. What happens to the body of one necessarily affects the other.

What about the fetus?

So, how does constipation during pregnancy affect the child, are they dangerous for him? Undoubtedly. Firstly, the general deterioration in the condition of the mother cannot but lead to consequences for the baby. Secondly, some toxins, getting into the blood, can penetrate the fetus, even bypassing the placenta. Thirdly, attempts to go to the toilet risk causing premature birth or miscarriage.

Drug treatment - drugs for constipation during pregnancy

Let's say prevention did not help, the problem still happened. What to do, how to treat constipation during pregnancy in a way that is safe for the baby? First, no self-activity. It is very easy to make a mistake, which is fraught with serious consequences.

When carrying a child, for example, almost all laxatives are prohibited. They cause spasms, affect the muscles of the intestines and uterus, which can provoke a miscarriage. And some can also lead to bleeding, say, senna, which is often perceived as a fairly safe remedy due to its natural origin.

Of the ready-made laxatives, expectant mothers should not take: REGULAX, CHITOSAN-EVALAR, DOCTOR THEISS - SWEDISH BITTERNESS. In rare cases, under strict medical supervision, GUTTALAX or DULCOLAX (aka BISACODIL) is prescribed.

Pretty harmless are all compounds that normalize the intestinal microflora. These are Bifidumbacterin, Laktiale, Duphalac. Not bad helps the herbal composition "Fitomucil". For some, glycerin suppositories are a real salvation. In a word, there are enough options here. The intake of laxatives FORLAX and FORTRANS is not contraindicated, glycerin suppositories can be used.

Another thing is that you need to select everything strictly individually. Medicines for women suffering from chronic constipation are not prescribed as those who have such problems from time to time. And vice versa. There are other factors to take into account as well.

Preparations SENNALAKS, GLAXENNA, TRISASEN, made on the basis of senna (aka cassia holly, or alexandrian leaf), increase the tone of the muscular wall of the intestine. It should be used with caution, under medical supervision. Senna preparations should not be drunk for a long time: it is addictive, which requires an increase in the dose. In addition, senna can cause an allergic reaction and the deposition of melanin in the cells of the intestinal mucosa. Senna should not be taken in spastic forms of constipation, in which the bowel tone is already increased.

Traditional medicine in the fight against constipation

The same applies to many folk recipes. Women periodically drink slimming teas because they have a relaxing effect. But laxatives are often found in their composition. Which is dangerous for the above reasons. Therefore, it is not worth experimenting.

• A decoction of oatmeal, which is mixed with finely chopped beets and prunes;
• Raisins and dried apricots. 100 grams of each ingredient must be crushed and mixed with honey. Take two teaspoons at night;
• Herbal sedatives. They will help if constipation is accompanied by spasms.
• Warm water with honey. It softens the intestines, acts gently and delicately, but the effect should be expected only after a few hours.

It should be noted that honey, fresh carrots and their juice, melon, apricots, red apples, red currants have an increased allergenic potential, so they can be consumed no more than 1-2 times a week. Allergic women should exclude these foods from their diet.

We draw attention to the most effective folk methods that will help you go to the toilet with constipation during pregnancy

Recipe #1:

• rinse thoroughly with 100 gr. prunes;
• fill it with boiling water (1 l);
• put on a slow fire;
• the broth should boil for 1 hour;
• after that, remove it from the heat and let it cool under the lid;
• drink a decoction of 1 glass between meals, the last glass should be drunk before going to bed.

Recipe #2:

• boil 1 medium-sized beetroot;
• grind it with a grater;
• add vegetable or olive oil to the beets;
• eat the dish on an empty stomach;
• in addition, you can make a salad based on beets, unsweetened yogurt and pickles.

Recipe #3:

• mix in a dry container anise, wild rose, nettle leaves, chamomile, valerian roots (1 tablespoon of each ingredient);
• pour the mixture with boiling water (500 ml);
• place the container for 15 minutes in a water bath;
• after cooling the broth, strain it;
• drink 3 times a day for half a glass after meals.

In addition, go to the toilet if a pregnant woman has constipation, tasty and healthy salads will help.

Green salad

Cooking method:

• cut the cucumber;
• add chopped dill or parsley to it;
• dress the salad with sour cream.

If the products contain a lot of fiber, they can even be eaten fresh.

Salad based on sweet vegetables

Cooking method:

• chop bell peppers, tomatoes and carrots;
• drizzle them with olive oil.

Salad with apple and carrot

Cooking method:

• chop both of these medium-sized ingredients with a grater;
• mix them thoroughly;
• season the dish with sunflower oil;
• This salad will help you go to the toilet as quickly as possible.

Cabbage salad

Cooking method:

• take one quarter of a small head;
• cut it and knead it with your hands;
• finely chop the beets and carrots;
• add them to the cabbage;
• Drizzle ingredients with olive oil and stir.

Constipation during pregnancy helps to eliminate vegetable oil. This product softens stools, treats the inner walls of the intestines and improves the sliding of food debris, as a result of which a woman can go to the toilet faster. In addition, for the process of defecation, you do not have to strain your muscles much.

Oil will help you go to the toilet quickly

However, not every oil can be used if there is constipation during pregnancy. For example, castor oil should not be used because it causes rhythmic contractions of smooth muscle in muscles throughout the body. It is best to pay attention to the following types of oils:

• olive;
• sunflower;
• sea ​​buckthorn;
• pumpkin.

It does not matter which oil was chosen by the woman to solve the problem of constipation. Take it in the morning, 1 tablespoon. Breakfast is recommended 1 hour after consuming the oil. Usually this time is enough for this product to evenly lubricate the digestive tract and facilitate the ridding of the intestines from overcooked food.

constipation exercises

In combination with a diet, physical exercises will help to solve the problem of constipation, it is enough to devote 20-30 minutes to exercise every day, and it is better to exercise several times during the day. Consult your doctor about the choice of exercises, because some of them may be contraindicated for you personally, taking into account the characteristics of your health.

smooth squats. In the later stages, it is better to hold on to a chair to reduce the burden on the body;

exercises from a prone position - "bicycle" and "scissors";

tension and relaxation of the sphincter;

lifting the pelvis from a supine position.

Each exercise must be performed at least 10 times.

Constipation by trimester

How does the problem change as pregnancy progresses? This can be clearly seen in the table.

Thus, as you can see, constipation during late pregnancy becomes a very big problem. And it is at this time the most difficult to solve. That's why doctors urge you to be extremely careful with what you eat in the third trimester.

What to eat with constipation during pregnancy?

Very often people are interested in what they need to eat in order to avoid constipation. The best option is more fiber, beets in any form. Antonovka apples help a lot. Do not forget about kefir, enriched with beneficial bacteria, about natural yoghurts, it really becomes easier with them.

Some women are helped in the morning on an empty stomach by 2 raw eggs or 10 quail eggs. The latter are even preferable, because they are guaranteed to be safer, microorganisms are not transmitted through them to humans.

Useful rough bread, preferably black. Sprouted grains of wheat give a pretty good effect. Some people advise eating 1-2 kiwis in the morning, according to reviews, this helps to establish a normal stool.

But white bread, meat and flour in general should not prevail on the menu. Balance is extremely important. The diet can be developed with a nutritionist. It is worth giving up what causes gas formation, or minimizing such products.

The blood has gone

And what to do if constipation began during pregnancy with blood, pain, prolapse of part of the intestine? This is exactly what hemorrhoids do. A very unpleasant disease that can worsen during pregnancy due to a large number of provoking factors.

In this case, you need to try again to review your diet, and as meticulously as possible. It is advisable to study each product that got there on the subject of how exactly it affects the functioning of the intestines. In general, you need to consult a doctor, because amateur performance here can seriously harm.

I would like to know the answers to certain questions for girls who have constipation during pregnancy: “what to do?”, “how to get rid of it?”, “how to prevent a recurrence?”. According to statistics, 2/3 of pregnant women go to the doctor with this problem. Constipation can be a threat to your baby's health, so it's important to know how to deal with it.

What is intestinal obstruction?

The body of a pregnant woman should be cleansed at least once a day. If this does not happen for several days, and the stool becomes small, round and dry, then it is constipation.

When constipation occurs in a pregnant woman, it is accompanied by pain, periodic pains in the abdomen, a seething process and a feeling of heaviness. During pregnancy, pain in the left side is more often felt, which may be accompanied by a burning sensation. Some girls from time to time may experience belching, bitterness in the mouth, nausea, rumbling in the stomach and bloating. Due to intoxication after emptying, there may be a burning sensation in the rectum and severe itching in the anus.

Why is difficult emptying dangerous?

One of the most important decisions a woman makes is the decision to bear a child. But this period does not always bring only happy emotions, especially if the pregnancy proceeds with such a problem as constipation.

Due to problems with emptying, first of all, there is great discomfort in the expectant mother and makes her nervous and worried, which in some cases is contraindicated.

Diseases such as inflammation of the rectum and sigmoid colon, inflammation of the perirectal tissue, hemorrhoids, anal fissure and secondary colitis can manifest from intestinal stagnation. These are very dangerous diseases for the fetus, of course, you cannot start constipation, and you need to get rid of it urgently.

During pregnancy, attempts are undesirable, this can lead to premature birth, miscarriage or hemorrhoids.

Allergic and autoimmune processes can also cause constipation.

To get rid of obstruction, it is necessary to remove the cause

To treat constipation, it is necessary to find the cause due to which such a nuisance appeared.

• With the threat of a miscarriage, the girl observes bed rest, and this can cause constipation due to low mobility.
• They can happen during the second half of pregnancy as the uterus enlarges and presses on the intestines.
• There may be obstruction due to stretching of the muscles. The hormonal and emotional background of a pregnant woman is unstable, and stress has a bad effect on the state of the woman's digestive tract.
• Iron and calcium are very helpful during the trimester and are often prescribed by doctors, but they can lead to the negative effects of constipation.
• Often in pregnant women, constipation provokes an increase in the level of progesterone - it relaxes the muscles of the intestine, as a result of which peristalsis is disturbed and hypotension appears.
• Constipation can portend diseases of the anal passage and hemorrhoids.
• Disrupted water balance in a woman's body during pregnancy or malnutrition very easily lead to problems with intestinal patency.

How to safely eliminate intestinal obstruction?

If the feces are not excreted from the body, it begins to poison the body of the mother and child. Toxins disperse through the intestines, absorbed through the walls directly into the blood, and then you have to save the woman's health with the help of medicines, many of which are very harmful to pregnant women. The kidneys and liver of a child do not work in the womb, and all medicines are processed by the mother's body. This is a big burden for the woman's body, and, of course, the child also suffers from this.

Some constipation treatments, such as enemas, laxatives, or even certain types of herbs, are contraindicated in pregnancy. The intestines and uterus are interconnected, and the tonic effect of such treatment can lead to premature birth or threaten pregnancy. It's time to consider effective, and most importantly, safe ways to deal with constipation in pregnant women.

A little about medicines

First of all, expectant mothers should understand that you should not take any medication without consulting a doctor. Among the harmless drugs include glycerin suppositories without additives and suppositories with sea buckthorn, their young mother can buy at her own request, using them up to the fortieth week.

To overcome constipation, you can use the drug Tranzipeg. It is safe for the child, as it softens and removes toxins from the body without being absorbed into the blood through the intestinal walls. From time to time it can be used as prescribed by a doctor.

Herbal preparation Defenorm is also considered safe. It does not allow the feces to thicken, but its use requires a large amount of drinking water. The drug has contraindications, so you need to consult a doctor.

Doctors do not recommend taking a solution of magnesium sulfate (magnesia). This drug effectively relaxes the muscles of the uterus, and then there are big problems with labor.

First of all, expectant mothers should understand that you should not take any medication without consulting a doctor. Even harmless drugs that you think are completely harmless can cause great harm to your baby.

Diet

Pregnancy is a difficult test for the body, at such a time you need to strictly follow a diet if such problems arise.

Foods that should not be consumed

There are foods that are contraindicated for a girl with constipation during pregnancy. These include strong tea, cocoa, chocolate, black coffee, wheat bran, polished rice, slimy soups, semolina, flour, especially white bread and dry food.

There are restrictions on fruits and berries that contribute to the process of stagnation in the intestines, these are blueberries, quinces, pears, prunes, currants, strawberries, legumes and walnuts. Hard cheeses have a negative effect on the peristalsis of a pregnant woman. These products themselves are hard to digest, and during an interesting position they provoke constipation.

What foods help improve digestion?

If you have constipation in a pregnant woman, or there is a fear of such a problem, you should first take food rich in fiber. It swells, is not digested, normalizes the work of the digestive tract. Fiber can be taken from vegetables and fruits, but you need to eat them raw. Some foods can cause gas, so you need to pay attention to which foods are reacting and do not consume them in large quantities.

One of the best foods for pregnant women is bran (other than wheat bran). Four spoons in the morning can relieve a woman of constipation that has already appeared, and can also be used as a prophylaxis for constipation. They can be used with almost any product, depending on the desire of the pregnant woman, for example, mixed with fruit purees and juices, yogurt or kefir.

Dairy products help cleanse the intestines. It is worth adding kefir, live yoghurts, sourdough and fermented milk cheeses to the diet. They will not only help cleanse the body of toxins, but are also very useful for mother and baby.

Compotes from dried apricots and prunes are now popular. For 100 gr. prunes goes 500 gr. boiling water, after which it is left to infuse for 10-12 hours. The infusion should be consumed in half a glass 15 minutes before meals, and steamed plums can be eaten.

Constipation usually means incomplete emptying of the intestine from feces, or the absence of this phenomenon for at least a few days. In most girls in position, constipation is accompanied by pain in the abdomen on the left side, as well as a pulling feeling in the pelvic area. In some cases, the removed feces may be streaked with blood, and after the defecation process, the woman experiences a burning sensation in the rectal area and severe itching of the anal sphincter. In addition, the patient is often worried about non-toxic nausea, rumbling in the stomach, bloating and bitterness on the taste buds.

Causes

There can be several reasons for constipation in a pregnant woman:

• Enlarged uterus. The uterus, under the influence of fetal growth, stretches, increases in size and begins to put pressure on the intestines, which worsens the process of excretion of feces, provokes venous stasis, and ultimately can lead to hemorrhoids.
• Hormonal background. During pregnancy, women experience a serious hormonal shift that slows down the digestive processes in the body due to excess progesterone. Thus, peristalsis also deteriorates.
• Autoimmune and allergic processes. The aforementioned systemic processes in the body play their role in stool retention.
• Stress. Pregnancy is not only the joy of motherhood, but also the strongest stress, which can cause problems with bowel movements.

What to do? Treatment

Just to endure this condition is not only very difficult, but also harmful - it is urgently needed to be treated!

Remedies for constipation during pregnancy

It is advisable to give preference to natural remedies and only in case of emergency, use medications.

In no case do not use classic laxatives, especially those based on sena - they provoke the development of malformations in the fetus. Ordinary enemas only cleanse the intestines, but also activate the muscular activity of the uterus, bringing it into tone, which in turn can provoke a miscarriage. Also, folk remedies such as joster, buckthorn, rhubarb, commonly used to facilitate the process of defecation, can harm the mother and unborn child. So what to do?

There are several relatively safe remedies that can be used by the fair sex in an interesting position.

Microclysters

In this case, it would be appropriate to use a small syringe, while only ordinary clean water should be injected into the anal passage without the addition of other means. It is worth remembering that such a procedure can only be used once, since the enema washes away beneficial substances from the body and destroys the positive microflora, which leads to dysbacteriosis.

Laxatives

Laxatives Firelex, Mucofalk and others that gently increase peristalsis. Such drugs contain enzymes and fatty acids that have a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract of a pregnant woman. The effect of them does not come immediately, but after some time has passed - as a rule, it is 5-7 days.

Osmotic drugs

This type of drug softens the stool and facilitates the process of defecation without additional muscle stimulation. These types of medicines include Forlax, magnesium sulfate, Tranzipeg, Karlovy Vary salt. You can use them from the beginning of the third trimester of pregnancy.

Probiotics with laxative effect

Dufalac, a laxative with a probiotic effect, is considered quite effective and safe for a pregnant woman. It not only helps to quickly free the intestines from feces, but also reduces the development of pathogenic microflora in the intestines, replacing it with beneficial lacto- and bifidus-microorganisms.

Vaseline oil

The use of vaseline oil at the local level (in the anus and at its contours) will help get rid of severe constipation, although it is not recommended to use it for a long period of time, since the active component disrupts the absorption of vitamins and can accumulate in organs.

Candles for constipation

Candles are a convenient and functional anti-constipation remedy that works locally. However, in case of pregnancy, it is necessary to use these drugs with caution: many of them can activate not only peristalsis, but also uterine contractions, and this is already a threat of miscarriage. Of the relatively safe means for pregnant women, we can recommend classic glycerin suppositories without additives and papaverine - the first helps soften feces and remove them, and the second relaxes the intestinal walls, reducing the resistance to defecation.

Healthy foods

Do not use if pregnant with constipation rice, semolina, white bread, nuts in any form. In addition, it is undesirable to include strongly strong tea, hard cheese, bran, legumes, currants and strawberries in the diet.

The optimal foods to help relax the intestines and facilitate the process of bowel movements:

• Black bread and its derivatives;
• Vegetable oils;
• Muesli and buckwheat;
• Fruits, vegetables and herbs, fresh or boiled (for example,);
• Sour-milk products (except hard cheese);
• Barley and millet;
• Decoctions with gooseberries, fennel;
• Cellulose;
• Dried fruits (and so forth);
• Cold water on an empty stomach.

Prevention

It is better to prevent a problem than to deal with its manifestations later! Prevention of constipation in a pregnant woman is an important element in protecting the health of the future mother and baby.

Diet food

Proper nutrition during pregnancy will help solve a number of problems. Be sure to include vegetables in your diet, preferably steamed or boiled. Consume liquid meals daily in the form of simple soups and borscht. Do not forget about the liquid, though if you have problems with swelling (and they are present in a number of ladies in an interesting position), then you should rationally approach consumption by regulating the amount of water entering the body.

Do not get carried away with fatty broths, fried foods - it is better to replace them with sour-milk and vegetable foods rich in fiber. An excellent laxative is oatmeal with prunes, as well as other dried fruits.

Drink

Literally every pregnant woman faces a difficult dilemma - you consume a lot of fluid, and edema appears, and little - constipation begins. We recommend leaving the usual daily volume of water intake, but at the same time limiting the use of salt, if possible, completely eliminating it from the diet, because it is it that delays the withdrawal of water and predetermines the development of edema, especially in the last stages of pregnancy.

Active life

Move more and more often, do not stay on the couch for days, because movement is life! Walk in the fresh air, solve household chores, go to work, go shopping if possible, just don't overburden yourself with huge bags of groceries.

Alternative therapy

Alternative therapy is an excellent prophylactic against constipation in pregnant women! Drink teas with mallow and dandelion extracts, organize aromatherapy sessions, take bubble baths, go for acupuncture massages that are not contraindicated for women in position. Use safe homeopathy and consume approved vitamin and mineral supplements, if you have a tendency to anemia, take up special therapeutic yoga for pregnant women.

Useful video

Constipation is a difficult or systematically incomplete bowel movement (defecation) or the absence of it for one and a half days or more. During pregnancy?

Causes constipation during pregnancy different women and at different times are different. Among them, the most significant are the following:

• A change in the hormonal background, which reduces the tone of the muscles of the uterus, and at the same time - and all other muscle cells similar to them (in the intestinal walls and in the walls of large vessels).
• Change in the position of the intestine in the abdominal cavity, its gradual displacement by the enlarging uterus at a later date.
• Fear of straining. It is rather a psychological problem that is more common in women with increased uterine tone and threatened miscarriage.
• Irrational diet.
• Sedentary lifestyle.
• Psychological stress.
• Congenital features of the intestine, for example, its elongated sections.

According to the direct mechanism of development, two types can be distinguished constipation during pregnancy.

Atonic constipation(literally translated as "lack of tone") the variant is associated with a reduced tone of the muscular wall of the intestine. Peristalsis (intestinal movements that move its contents) from this becomes lethargic and unproductive. This muscle weakness, in turn, occurs due to hormonal changes, after operations, dietary errors. Another form is spastic constipation during pregnancy , in which the tone of the intestine, on the contrary, is increased, the peristalsis slows down, but due to the “squeezed” state of the intestine. For this type constipation during pregnancy more psychological reasons.

Constipation during pregnancy associated with the lengthening of the large intestine, it is necessary to highlight especially. First, their occurrence is not related to your position, although it can strengthen them. Secondly, although outwardly they appear as a spastic form, they are not associated with spasm, but with a longer passage of stool along a longer path. At the same time, more water is absorbed back into the body from the intestinal contents, the feces become solid.

Atonic constipation during pregnancy may be accompanied by a feeling of intestinal fullness, aching and pulling pains in the abdomen, flatulence (increased gas formation) and bloating, lack of appetite, nausea, lethargy, apathy, depressed mood. There is a lot of stool during defecation; their initial portion is formed, dense, its diameter is larger than normal, the final portion is liquidish, mushy. Defecation is painful, there may be tears of the mucous membrane of the rectum and anus, then streaks of blood and (or) mucus remain on the surface of the feces.

With the spastic form of pain, they differ: they are paroxysmal, even sometimes cramping, occur more often in the left side of the abdomen along the colon and give to the left inguinal region. This form constipation during pregnancy may be accompanied by flatulence, lack of appetite, inadequate and unexplained fatigue, nervousness, irritability, nausea. When emptying the intestines, the feces are very dense, they are separate small rounded fragments in the form of the so-called "sheep feces". The urge to defecate may even occur several times a day, but the emptying of the intestines is incomplete, difficult, in small portions.

How to get rid of constipation during pregnancy

To get rid of constipation it is necessary first of all to choose the right diet, taking into account weight control and possible allergic reactions, which are individual.

At constipation during pregnancy millet, buckwheat, pearl barley, oat bran, muesli, black bread, vegetable oils, fresh and cooked vegetables and fruits (carrots, beets, pumpkin, radishes, turnips, zucchini, cucumbers, young shoots of asparagus, Jerusalem artichoke, lettuce, broccoli and other varieties of cabbage) are useful. Olives, dried fruit compotes, raw, boiled or soaked prunes, honey, watermelon, melon, apples, apricots, grapes, red currants or its juice, cherries have slight laxative properties. It should be noted that honey, fresh carrots and their juice, melon, apricots, red apples, red currants have an increased allergenic potential, so they can be consumed no more than 1-2 times a week. Allergic women should exclude these foods from their diet. From boiled or fresh vegetables, salads with vegetable oil can be prepared as side dishes. Dairy products must be included in the daily diet of a pregnant woman.

With a tendency to constipation you can not use strong tea, mucous soups, semolina, white bread, wheat bran, polished rice, blueberries, quince, pears, pomegranates, hawthorn, bananas, black currants, legumes, walnuts. Hard cheeses can also slow down peristalsis.

In combination with a diet, physical exercises will help to solve the problem of constipation, it is enough to devote 20-30 minutes to exercise every day, and it is better to exercise several times during the day. Consult your doctor about the choice of exercises, because some of them may be contraindicated for you personally, taking into account the characteristics of your health.

With prolonged and active use of almost any laxatives (both medicinal and herbal), addiction may develop, requiring an increase in the dose of the laxative. The effect of the drug is weakened, and the problem itself constipation during pregnancy aggravated.

Of the ready-made laxatives, expectant mothers should not take: REGULAX, CHITOSAN-EVALAR, DOCTOR THEISS - SWEDISH BITTER . In rare cases, under strict medical supervision, GUTTALAX or DULCOLAX (aka BISACODIL) is prescribed. ). It is not contraindicated to take laxatives FORLAX and FORTRANS , you can use glycerin suppositories.

Preparations SENNALAKS, GLAXENNA, TRISASEN , made on the basis of senna (aka cassia holly, or alexandrian leaf), increase the tone of the muscular wall of the intestine. It should be used with caution, under medical supervision. Senna preparations should not be drunk for a long time: it is addictive, which requires an increase in the dose. In addition, senna can cause an allergic reaction and the deposition of melanin in the cells of the intestinal mucosa. Senna should not be taken in spastic forms of constipation, in which the bowel tone is already increased.

For to get rid of constipation Phytotherapy offers such recipes.

With spastic constipation in pregnant women:

• Freshly prepared potato juice, diluted with water 1:1, take a quarter cup half an hour before meals 2-3 times a day.
• Prepare a decoction of fig seedlings in milk or water at the rate of 2 tablespoons of raw materials per 1 cup of boiling water, let cool at room temperature, take 1 tablespoon 2-4 times a day.
• Dissolve 15 g of honey in a glass of warm milk, drink a third of a glass at night.
• Mix in equal parts the fruits of anise, stinging nettle herb, valerian rhizome officinalis, rose hips, wild strawberry leaves, chamomile flowers, five-lobed motherwort herb. Brew 1 tablespoon of the collection with a glass of boiling water in a thermos and leave for 1.5 hours, strain. Take half a glass after meals in the morning and evening.

With atonic constipation in pregnant women:

• Mix in equal parts the fruits of anise, cumin and fennel. Brew 2 teaspoons of the mixture with 1 cup of boiling water, leave for 15-20 minutes, strain, drink a third of a cup 3 times a day for half an hour before meals. Please note that for this collection, the seeds must be ripe.
• Take in equal proportions the fruits of mountain ash, blackberry leaves, gray nettle grass and fennel fruits. Brew 1 tablespoon of the collection with a glass of boiling water, insist in a thermos for 1.5 hours, strain, take a third of a glass 3 times a day after meals.
• Pour 1 tablespoon of gooseberries with 1 glass of water and boil for 10 minutes, then strain. Take a quarter cup 4 times a day. Sugar can be added if desired.
• When brewing tea, add slices of dried apples or cherries.
• In the atonic form of constipation, the bowels are stimulated by a glass of cool water, drunk in the morning on an empty stomach.
• Cut 3-4 unpeeled fresh apples into medium-sized pieces, boil under the lid for 15 minutes in 1 liter of water, and leave for 4 hours, wrapped. Drink instead of tea 2-3 times a day.
• Pour 1 teaspoon of flaxseed with 1 cup of boiling water and leave for 4 hours. Without straining, drink the entire dose at bedtime.
• Freshly prepared carrot juice drink a quarter cup on an empty stomach in the morning.
• Mix freshly prepared whey and carrot juice in equal parts, take half a glass in the morning on an empty stomach. To prepare whey, you need to boil sour milk or fresh milk with a small piece of black bread, then strain it through cheesecloth; cottage cheese will remain in the gauze, and the liquid part is whey.
• Pour 1 tablespoon of wheat bran with half a glass of hot milk, insist in a warm place or a thermos for 30-40 minutes, strain, squeeze out the steamed bran. Drink half a glass in the morning on an empty stomach.
• Prepare juice from 1 kg of ripe red rowan fruits (collect them before frost), mix the juice with 600 g of granulated sugar. Take a quarter cup on an empty stomach in the morning and at night. Keep the juice in the refrigerator.

From the above recipes, choose for yourself a few of the most suitable juices and decoctions and take them, alternating every 2-3 weeks.