Constipation is a pain in the backside for 40 per cent of pregnant women

June 28, 2011 Chopsy Baby

Constipation. It’s not a word or issue that makes its way into many print publications because it doesn’t fit the glamorous side of pregnancy.

But it does affect around 40 per cent of women during the first trimester.

“Constipation during pregnancy is common as the body produces more of the female hormone progesterone which acts as a muscle relaxant and makes it more difficult for the bowel muscles to contract and harder to move waste products along,” says Nikki Khan, a midwife from Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.

“However constipation can be a problem when breastfeeding too as often women forget to drink enough water. It is important mothers-to-be consider the causes of their constipation. If dietary and lifestyle changes such as increasing fibre and increasing your water intake to approximately two litres each day or doing gentle exercise do not help to ease discomfort, pregnant women should talk to their GP, pharmacist or midwife. There are constipation treatments available that are not absorbed by the digestive system so the baby does not feel the effect and are therefore suitable for use in pregnancy or during breastfeeding.”

Though hormonal factors can cause pregnancy constipation, diet, lifestyle and iron tablets are also important factors to monitor.

Dulcobalance surveyed 3,000 mums-to-be about pregnancy issues, finding that as well as constipation being a pain in the backside, other common side effects including vomiting and nausea, exhaustion and heartburn were upsetting mothers-to-be during the first trimester.