Green stool in a pregnant woman. Causes of black stool in pregnant women

During pregnancy, it is necessary to strictly monitor your health, since the development of the fetus directly depends on it. It is important to observe the condition of all biological material, take all tests in a timely manner and, in case of deviation, take immediate action.

You also need to know which parameters “indicate” which pathologies and disorders in the body’s functioning in order to begin treatment in a timely manner and avoid complications. Now let’s look at what to do if a woman has light-colored stool during pregnancy, in what cases this could happen and what to do.

There are many reasons for stool to change its permanent color. They can be the simplest and most harmless, or the most serious. That is, diseases that affect the body from the inside.

The most common reasons:

a diet in which the expectant mother has a lot of plant-based foods in her diet
medical preparations. Taking certain medications or vitamins may make your stool light or too dark
infectious diseases and (hepatitis A, B, C)
problems with the gall - stones, possible neoplasms that interfere with the full functionality of the bladder

Following from the reasons described above, it is difficult to determine exactly why a pregnant woman’s stool has become lighter, therefore, it is better to go to the clinic and get tested.

If the expectant mother ate a lot of greens and fiber, but her health did not change in any way, and light-colored feces were observed once or twice, then there is no reason to worry.

Possible diseases

If the cause of light-colored stool is a disease, treatment must be started urgently so as not to harm the baby.

In addition to the fact that the feces become light in color, other symptoms appear that may indicate the development of a particular disease:

loss of appetite, sudden weight loss, which is not typical during pregnancy
the whites of the eyes may take on a yellowish tint
the skin becomes pale or has a green-yellow tint
urine darkens and turns brown
there is a stabbing or aching pain in the abdomen
general weakness, sleepy state all the time
fatigue, fatigue after sleep
nausea, vomiting (not to be confused with toxicosis)
a small rash may occur on the skin

Useful video - Stool color and possible diseases:

Symptoms such as light-colored stool are usually characteristic of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver or bile ducts. The most common of them:

Black stools during pregnancy are not uncommon. Most women during this period show increased concern for their own health and for the condition of the unborn child. And the occurrence of black feces can cause them anxiety.

1 Essence of the problem

Why might a pregnant woman have black stool? There are several reasons for this. Some of them are quite harmless, others require immediate medical attention.

Normal stool is colored brown by bile pigments. But depending on changes in the body and the composition of food, the color of the stool can change from white to black. Dark stool may occur after eating intensely colored foods. But severe pathologies in the body can also manifest themselves this way. Discoloration is important for diagnosis, since in many cases it is associated with developing diseases or pathologies.

2 Non-hazardous reasons

The most common cause of black stool during pregnancy is taking iron supplements.

Iron deficiency anemia has recently been diagnosed in almost 80% of young mothers. The desire to be slim, the lack of a daily routine and proper nutrition lead to the fact that many girls develop this condition even before pregnancy. During pregnancy, it progresses because the developing fetus consumes a certain amount of iron from the mother's body.

Anemia is a very serious pathology that can bring a lot of trouble to the body of a pregnant woman, and especially to the unborn baby. Therefore, when diagnosing this disease, treatment must be prescribed. Iron is not synthesized in the human body; it enters the body only from the outside.

Since this trace element from synthetic preparations is not completely absorbed by the intestines (up to a maximum of 50%), the remainder will be excreted in the feces. It is iron-containing preparations that give stool a black color and a specific odor. In some cases, a change in consistency is observed. Most often, the discrepancy between the color, smell and consistency of normal stool was noted by pregnant women who consumed Sorbifer, Ferrum-Lek, Tardiferon.

Sometimes the body of a woman carrying a fetus, for some reason, does not absorb iron in the required amount. Then preparations with microelements are prescribed together with ascorbic and folic acids. In this case, the appearance of black feces is also characteristic.

Very often, pregnant women are prescribed complex preparations containing vitamins and microelements, such as Elevit or Vitrum. Most of them contain iron. Thus, taking multivitamins can also be the cause of black stool. In this case there is no cause for concern. The color will be restored within 2-3 days after stopping taking iron-containing medications. The same thing happens if a pregnant woman takes activated carbon or drugs containing bismuth (De-nol, Vikalin, Vikair).

Bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract can be caused by long-term use of certain medications, such as Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, Indomethacin, Nimesulide, Loxidol, Nise, etc.

3 The influence of food on the color of stool

The color of stool is greatly influenced by the composition of the foods consumed. Black color can be given by:

all varieties of black grapes, sultanas;
black berries (blueberries, blackberries, black currants);
dark-colored fruits (prunes, chokeberries);
dishes containing liver;
dishes containing animal blood (rare steak, blood sausage).

Many foods can darken stool. This:

leafy greens in large quantities;
beet;
tomatoes;
pomegranate, kiwi;
strong coffee.

The dark color of stool comes from artificial colors found in processed foods and liquids (such as powdered drinks). When eating certain fruits (for example, bananas), black inclusions in the form of strings or small pieces may be present in the stool.

Natural reasons for stool turning black during pregnancy include indigestion under the influence of so-called pregnancy hormones. They are “to blame” for the increased excitability, suspiciousness, and nervousness of the expectant mother.

4 Danger signs

In general, black stool during pregnancy in itself is not dangerous if its occurrence is not accompanied by a deterioration in well-being. Sometimes the appearance of an unpleasant condition is accompanied by symptoms such as:

chills;
increased body temperature;
hypotension, weakness;
dizziness, loss of consciousness;
increased sweating;
pale skin.

In this case, you should immediately call an ambulance, as these may be symptoms of internal bleeding. It can be a consequence of exacerbation of pre-existing diseases or diseases acquired during pregnancy. In this case, the black color of stool comes from blood oxidized by digestive enzymes, the source of which is located in the upper parts of the gastrointestinal tract. During internal bleeding, when biological fluid enters the digestive system, the feces not only change color, but also become liquid.

This may be bleeding from an aggravated stomach or duodenal ulcer. In the first case, dark stool is accompanied by acute pain, which intensifies when eating. The greatest danger is profuse bleeding when erosion destroys the wall of the gastric or intestinal artery. In this case, the woman loses a significant amount of blood within a short time. As a result, multiple organ failure syndrome may develop, in which all vital functions of the body are disrupted. This is a very serious condition that requires immediate hospitalization.

Digestive bleeding is often accompanied by cherry-colored vomit. They can be symptoms of damaged esophageal polyps and other neoplasms in the gastrointestinal tract. The source of blood in the intestines can be varicose veins, characteristic of severe liver damage and cirrhosis. If the source of blood is located closer to the rectum, then the stool will contain impurities of fresh scarlet blood.

The appearance of bloody stool accompanied by general malaise may indicate the development of serious diseases such as Crohn's disease, gastritis, ulcerative colitis, hookworm disease, acute lymphoblastic leukemia or histoplasmosis. Therefore, if black stool is not associated with the use of multivitamin complexes or iron-containing preparations, you should immediately consult a doctor. If it is not possible to find out the reason for the appearance of dark feces by collecting an anamnesis, then an examination of the gastrointestinal tract is prescribed using CT, MRI, endoscopy, and radiography. Biochemical blood tests are also prescribed. These methods will help determine what pathological processes are occurring in the body and identify internal bleeding.

Dark green can practically be a symptom of dysbiosis. In this case, the stool has a sharp putrid odor. Dysbacteriosis during pregnancy poses a danger not only for the pregnant woman, but also for her unborn child. Severe consequences of untreated dysbacteriosis can be: infection of the fetus by pathogenic microorganisms, disturbances in its development, premature birth. Treatment of dysbiosis should be prescribed by a gastroenterologist after consultation with an obstetrician-gynecologist.

In any case, if stool of a suspicious color or consistency appears, the pregnant woman should report this to the specialist observing her. He will be able to objectively determine why this happened and prescribe effective treatment. Self-therapy during pregnancy is strictly prohibited. After all, a woman may simply not know that the drugs that previously brought her relief can have a detrimental effect on the health of the developing fetus.

Pregnancy is not only a joyful event for a married couple, but also significant stress for the body. During this period, mommy desperately needs a large number of useful components and vitamins that are responsible for the normal functioning of all internal systems. During gestation, there should be twice as much of such substances, since now the woman needs to think for two.

In order to avoid a deficiency of various components, experts prescribe the expectant mother to take special multivitamin and iron-containing preparations. It is during this period that a woman begins to notice problems associated with the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Multivitamins for pregnant women	"+"	"-"	price, rub.
ALPHABET Mom's health	The peculiarities of the interaction of various vitamins are taken into account, so this vitamin complex for pregnant women is available in tablets of three different colors. Thanks to the same feature of the release of this complex of vitamins, you can refuse to take one or another tablet if the pregnant woman is allergic to any component. Alphabet multivitamins for pregnant women contain the highest dose of iodine; no additional medications are prescribed	insufficient amount, so up to 12 weeks you should take additional folic acid	311
VITRUM PRENATAL	a large amount of iron, sufficient not only for prevention, but also for the treatment of the initial stages of anemia in pregnant women. These multivitamins also contain adequate amounts of folic acid.	does not contain iodine	498 / 997
COMPLIVIT MAMA	-	the dose of vitamins A and D is lower than in other complexes; in winter, this dose of vitamin B is not enough. Insufficient iodine content	170
Centrum Materna	sufficient amount of iodine and folic acid	a very large dose of vitamin A and B vitamins, which is why allergic reactions are often observed	774
PREGNAVIT	vitamin complex contains all the vitamins needed during pregnancy	except iodine and trace elements	-
Elevit	contain the largest amount of magnesium, which has a beneficial effect when there is a threat of miscarriage, and also improves blood circulation. This vitamin complex also contains sufficient amounts of folic acid	does not contain iodine	504 /1495

What scares women the most is black feces. It would seem that there is no reason to worry, because the dark color of the excrement is caused by a disorder of the digestive system. However, the answer is not always so clear-cut. There are several reasons, and some of them should make a woman wary.

First of all, it is necessary to consider the most common reason why a pregnant woman's stool turns dark. Complications result from an incorrectly formulated diet, which provokes diseases from which the expectant mother suffered before. Most often, digestive disorders are encountered during the first three months of gestation.

It is more dangerous if the disease develops in the last months of pregnancy. In such a situation, a woman’s nerves are on edge, but experts advise not to give up ahead of time.

It is very important to take care of yourself and make sure that a sufficient amount of vitamins enters the body with food. Before consuming any product, you must look at the date of manufacture and expiration date. It is best to create a menu of products from already proven brands.

Sometimes dark stool can be caused by eating:

If, before noticing dark stool, the expectant mother had one of the above ingredients on her menu, then there is nothing to worry about, since this is just a reaction of the body. Along with food, special pigments enter it and are excreted naturally.

Black feces and hormones

Dark-colored stool may also be associated with normal changes in the body that occur with every woman during pregnancy. Actively produced progesterone causes many normal processes to take on strange forms. Not only the color of excrement changes, but also the frequency of urination, reaction to surrounding objects and much more. In no case should you neglect the signals that the body gives, but you shouldn’t fall into despair either.

It is important to understand that during the process of bearing a fetus, a woman’s hormonal background changes greatly. This has a key impact on a woman's well-being. Sometimes, under the influence of hormones, relapses of old diseases occur. If the expectant mother feels that something has gone wrong, then she should contact a specialist. Self-medication during pregnancy can be fatal to the health of the baby.

Other causes of dark stool

The color of stool can also be affected by medications. There is a list of medications that are most often prescribed to a pregnant woman in order to increase the level of iron and vitamins in her body:

A similar reaction is caused by the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, among which are Nimesulide, Aspirin and Ibuprofen. A pregnant woman should know that all multivitamin products are high in iron, which is what gives excrement its dark color. In this case, this is quite normal. On the contrary, this is evidence that the drugs taken are of high quality and real.

The body absorbs as much iron as it needs and excretes the rest in feces. There is no need to stop taking vitamins under any circumstances. In order to check whether the dark color of the excrement is really due to taking the drugs, you should stop taking them for a short period of time and see what changes.

In some cases, the cause of dark stool coloration can be truly serious complications - bleeding. Most often it is a consequence of diseases such as:

varicose veins in the esophagus;
stomach ulcer;
neoplasms in the gastrointestinal tract.

If the expectant mother knows that she has one of these diseases, then the dark color of the excrement should make her contact a specialist urgently.

There are several signs by which you can recognize that dark stool is the result of bleeding. In this case, not only the color of the excrement should change, but also its structure: it becomes liquid. In addition, the woman will feel constant weakness, the skin will become noticeably pale, and cold sweat will often appear. Sometimes a woman may lose consciousness. In such a situation, the specialist prescribes appropriate treatment.

In order to understand whether there is cause for concern, you need to assess the general condition of the expectant mother and draw parallels with the diet and existing diseases. The first thing you need to understand is whether the woman’s well-being has worsened or whether the changes affected only the color of the excrement.

Signs of poor health such as:

heartburn;
nausea;
constipation;
vomit;
bloating;
anemia.

Since the reasons that cause changes in the color of stool can be very diverse, prevention of stool disorders can only be general. Most often, specialists prepare an appropriate diet for the expectant mother, which helps to avoid complications.

Video - Intestinal upset during pregnancy

It is a physiological condition in which significant changes in the color, shape and smell of feces do not occur. That is, the quality of the excrement of pregnant women is exactly the same as that of non-pregnant women. Therefore the appearance black stool during pregnancy may be due to physiological or pathological factors. In most cases, black feces in pregnant women are due to physiological reasons.

Thus, black feces in pregnant women can be a result of eating the following foods::

Black berries (currants, blackberries, chokeberries, blueberries);

Fruits (black grapes, pomegranate);

Dried fruits (prunes);

Vegetables (tomatoes and red beets);

Meat products (blood sausage and products containing blood);

By-products (liver);

Drinks (red wine with anhydride or natural coffee).

If on the eve of the appearance of black stool a pregnant woman ate any of the listed foods, then nothing terrible happened. In this case, black feces is a normal physiological condition in which fat-soluble coloring pigments that entered it along with food are excreted from the body along with excrement.

Another reason for the appearance of black stool in pregnant women is taking medications. Thus, the following medications cause blackening of stool:

Iron preparations (for example, Sorbifer, Tardiferon, Ferrum-Lek, etc.);

Multivitamins containing iron (Vitrum);

Preparations containing bismuth (for example, De-Nol);

Drugs from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), for example, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Nimesulide, Indomethacin, etc.

Since most pregnant women develop iron deficiency, they are forced to take medications to compensate for the deficiency of the microelement. Taking iron supplements is the main and most common cause of black stool in pregnant women. If a woman takes iron supplements and only has black stools without signs of deterioration in her health, then this is a physiological norm and should not be a cause for concern.

The appearance of black stool in pregnant women after taking bismuth or activated carbon preparations is also normal and does not pose a danger. And if black stool appears after taking NSAIDs, you should immediately consult a doctor, since drugs in this group can cause gastric bleeding, which is the real cause of black stool.

In addition, the cause of black stool during pregnancy may be bleeding from the upper organs of the digestive tract, such as the esophagus, stomach or duodenum. Bleeding can develop in the presence of diseases of these organs, for example, with varicose veins of the esophagus, gastric and duodenal ulcers, neoplasms of the esophagus and stomach. If before pregnancy a woman suffered from any of the listed diseases, then she should carefully monitor the color of her stool. If black stool appears, you should consult a doctor and report the existing disease.

If black feces appear in a pregnant woman after eating foods or taking medications that can color the excrement, then this phenomenon does not pose a danger. If black stool appears outside of food and medicine, it can be dangerous because it is a symptom of bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract.

However, even if you suspect bleeding from the stomach, esophagus or duodenum, you should not panic, since if you feel normal, this phenomenon is also not dangerous. If you suspect bleeding and feel normal, you should wait 2–3 days. If your health worsens, you should consult a doctor. If after 2–4 days the black stool disappears and your health does not worsen, then you should not immediately consult a doctor. However, at a scheduled appointment with a therapist or gastroenterologist, you should tell the doctor about the episode of black stool, and mention when it happened, how long it lasted and what discomfort it caused the person.

When a girl is in an “interesting position,” intestinal upset is a common condition, because the body is rebuilt and begins to function differently. Liquid green or black diarrhea during pregnancy has its own characteristics.

Why does the stool have a non-standard color, what should I do to restore intestinal functions and should I worry?

Green loose stool

The most common reasons:

Dietary food dominated by leafy vegetables, for example, spinach, parsley, lettuce. The pigment chlorophyll colors feces and causes green diarrhea during pregnancy.
Excessive intake of vitamins fortified with iron and calcium. These elements, when in excess, are not absorbed by the body.
When intestinal perforation occurs, bloody discharge mixes with stomach bile and produces green, liquid stool.
Abnormal movement of food through the intestines, in which it is retained in the intestine, the passage of food is reduced, which causes a certain color in the feces.
Exposure to bile as food moves quickly through the digestive system. In this case, the intestines simply do not have time to process bilirubin.
Taking antibiotics can cause green diarrhea in a pregnant woman. Usually, with the end of the course of treatment, the stool returns to normal.
Disruption of the pancreas, leading to insufficient fermentation and incorrect absorption of food. Moreover, in addition to the green tint, the pregnant woman’s stool contains pieces of undigested food.
Dysbacteriosis and disruption of intestinal microflora are common causes of abnormal stool color. Often the problem leads to the development of fermentation and rotting processes.
One of the most common symptoms of dysentery is green stool. In addition, diarrhea is accompanied by streaks of blood, mucus and an increase in body temperature.
Liver dysfunction, liver failure, and inflammatory processes lead to an abnormal color of feces.
Food allergies cause green diarrhea during pregnancy.

If the change in stool is not accompanied by nausea, vomiting, weakness, or increased body temperature, the woman has no reason to worry. If the greenish tint persists for several days and there is no improvement, you should visit a doctor.

Black loose stools during pregnancy

Many women experience black feces already in the early stages, most often this is due to the intake of special vitamin complexes enriched with iron. The instructions for the drug often indicate this side effect. In this case, feces acquire a specific smell and liquid consistency. By stopping taking vitamins, black diarrhea during pregnancy will disappear.

Deviation from the norm may occur for the following reasons:

Taking medications such as Activated carbon, Karbolen, Denol, Novobismol.
Food products can cause a similar black coloration of stool:

Beef, pork liver.
Krovyanka sausage.
Bitter chocolate.
Blueberries, currants.
Grapes (blue).
Coffee.
Pomegranate, dark rowan.

Often black diarrhea during pregnancy may be accompanied by the presence of particles of berries and undigested peel.

Eating bananas in the menu leads to the appearance of dark spots and veins. This occurs due to the fact that the fibers of the fruit are not completely digested and such a deviation in shade occurs.
Food poisoning with a dark-colored product can lead to black, loose stools during pregnancy.
The presence of blood in bowel movements indicates perforation of the intestine, duodenum and leads to the formation of dark-colored stool. This development of events occurs due to the formation of ulcers, varicose veins, and polyps in the intestine. In this case, black diarrhea during pregnancy looks like coffee grounds, which is called Melena or tarry stool.
Some anti-inflammatory drugs or non-steroidal drugs can cause stool to change color. These include Diclofenac, Nise, Nimesulide, Indomethacin. Black diarrhea during pregnancy is a condition that requires medical attention.
If a large amount of blood is swallowed due to injuries to the nasopharynx, a disturbance in the color of the stool may occur.

If this change in stool causes chills, excessive sweating, dizziness, lack of appetite, or increased body temperature, you should urgently visit a specialist.

When should you see a doctor?

In itself, this state of feces is not dangerous to the health of the expectant mother. But there are symptoms that accompany black loose stools during pregnancy; they should alert a woman:

High body temperature.
Hypotension.
Vomit.
Loss of consciousness.
Chills.
Paleness of the skin.

During this period, you should not risk your health and the life of your baby, so if black diarrhea appears during pregnancy, you should consult a doctor immediately!

When symptoms of this kind occur, this may indicate the presence of internal bleeding, as well as:

Incorrect use of medications, vitamins.
Crohn's disease.
Formation of gastritis, colitis.

Diagnostics

To determine the specific causes of black stool, the specialist will prescribe the following to the woman:

Examination of the gastrointestinal tract.
Magnetic resonance imaging.
X-ray.
Endoscopy.

A biochemical blood test and urine test are prescribed to determine why black or green diarrhea occurs during pregnancy.

Self-diagnosis is not worth doing.

Treatment of diarrhea

If, nevertheless, a change in the color of bowel movements indicates the development of pathologies, depending on the specific disease, the obstetrician-gynecologist or gastroenterologist prescribes individual treatment. In addition, if black loose stools develop during pregnancy, you need to:

Maintain water-salt balance, drink more water, tea, take restorative drugs “Regidron”, “Lactosol”.
Be sure to stick to the diet until the black, green diarrhea in the pregnant woman stops.
The safest medications for loose stools are sorbents: Smecta, Atoxil, Activated Carbon.

During this period, a woman needs to be especially attentive to health deviations and serious symptoms. Perhaps this is a temporary restructuring of the body or a consequence of poor nutrition, but green or dark stool can be a signal of serious pathologies.