Constipation is one of the many ailments that dot the joyful months of pregnancy. Its onset, as well as that of many other small annoyances, is linked to hormonal changes induced by gestation. Despite being widely represented in the entire adult population, constipation is a typical phenomenon of pregnancy, so widespread that it affects almost 50% of pregnant women.
The main cause of pregnancy constipation is progesterone, an essential hormone to avoid inappropriate contractions of the uterus in the first 7-8 months of pregnancy. Its muscle relaxant action is not limited to the genital area but extended a little to all the muscles of the body, including the gastroesophageal junction (reflux, heartburn, stomach acid), the intestinal muscles (constipation) and the involuntary muscle that lines the vessel walls (varicose veins, water retention, hemorrhoids).
By decreasing the intensity of peristaltic contractions, progesterone is responsible for the emission of hard, dehydrated and compact stools, in short, of constipation or constipation.
In the first weeks of gestation, high levels of progesterone can be joined by the spontaneous reduction in the intake of fruit and vegetables, caused by nausea. This can remove additional fluids from the intestine, aggravating the risk of constipation.
With the continuation of gestation, starting from the third-fourth month, the increase in the volume of the uterus constitutes a further obstacle to the passage of feces.
In the last trimester of pregnancy, the increase in circulating levels of aldosterone represents a new and precious ally of constipation. This hormone increases the absorption of liquids and electrolytes, further slowing down intestinal transit. For all these reasons, constipation generally does not arise abruptly during pregnancy, but tends to worsen with the onset of childbirth.
Constipation during pregnancy can finally be linked to strictly pharmacological causes, linked, for example, to the intake of iron-based preparations, antacids or some analgesics.
The consumption of foods rich in fiber such as whole grains, legumes, fresh fruit and vegetables, constitutes a good starting point for dietary therapy; first of all because it supplies all the trace elements and microelements necessary for the health of the fetus, secondly because it helps to cover the water needs of the pregnant woman. Let's not forget, just to cite a few examples, that lettuce is made up of 94% water, cucumbers for almost 97%, courgettes for 88% and tomatoes for 94%.
Secondly, other recommendations may prove useful, first of all, the practice of regular physical activity. The act of walking, in particular, stimulates intestinal motility and promotes the return of venous blood to the heart, limiting, among other things, the risk of other unpleasant ailments such as varicose veins, swelling and hemorrhoids.
It is also recommended to take the right quantities of vegetables rich in cellulose (radicchio and lettuce in the first place), fruit (plums, kiwi, figs and other fruit with seeds), without exaggerating calories and without forgetting the "importance of a" adequate protein intake (see: nutrition during pregnancy).
On the other hand, it is inadvisable to resort to purgatives too sufficiently; first of all because no laxative can solve the problem of constipation in a definitive way but simply tends to postpone it with inevitable piscophysical addiction; secondly because the choice of a wrong medicine could have bad repercussions on the normal continuation of pregnancy. Consultation with your gynecologist is therefore a must, especially when constipation is not resolved with simple dietary and behavioral therapy.
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