Will I be constipated during early pregnancy?

For those who are pregnant for the first time, they are definitely excited and nervous, and they all hope that the baby can develop smoothly during pregnancy. In the early stages, women are extremely sensitive to any abnormalities in the body, fearing that it will have negative effects. Some pregnant women are not very clear about the cause of constipation. So, will constipation occur in early pregnancy? Let’s take a closer look below.

Symptoms of early pregnancy vary from person to person. For example, constipation is a common problem encountered by pregnant women. In fact, many pregnant women will suffer from digestive system diseases in the early stages of pregnancy, the main manifestations of which are constipation or diarrhea. This is mainly due to the decrease in gastric acid secretion and the increase in progesterone after pregnancy. After pregnancy, gastric acid secretion decreases, the tension of gastrointestinal smooth muscles decreases, and peristalsis weakens. At the same time, due to the weakening of abdominal wall muscle tension, the large intestine's absorption of water increases, so pregnant women are more likely to suffer from constipation.

Causes of constipation in early pregnancy

1. Reduced physical activity

Nowadays, once a woman becomes pregnant, she becomes the "queen" of the family, and family members will devote all their energy to taking care of the expectant mother. To be on the safe side, expectant mothers rarely exercise, but many people suffer from constipation in early pregnancy because of this. With less exercise, it becomes difficult for the muscles in the intestines to push out feces. In addition, after pregnancy, a woman's uterus becomes much larger, directly compressing the rectum. At this time, the muscles of the abdominal wall are no longer as strong as before, and the abdominal pressure is insufficient. No matter how hard the expectant mother contracts her abdominal muscles, it is difficult to defecate smoothly.

2. Insufficient fiber and water intake

In recent years, my country's diet has gradually become more refined and delicate, with fiber intake decreasing significantly compared to the past. Pregnant women tend to consume a lot of protein- and fat-rich foods, while reducing their intake of fruits and vegetables, which leads to a lack of fiber. The reduced amount of fiber in the stomach and intestines makes it harder for feces and impurities to move down. In addition, sitting for long periods of time at work, not drinking enough water, or increased stress in life can weaken the peristaltic function of the intestines. If the intestinal motility is poor, food will be difficult to digest and absorb. If food residues stay in the intestines for too long, the water in them will be absorbed. After losing water, the residue eventually becomes dry, hard and difficult to pass feces.

3. Changes in endocrine hormones

When expectant mothers first become pregnant, the placenta in their body will secrete a lot of progesterone, which makes it difficult for the stomach to secrete normally, causing the gastrointestinal muscles to relax and the peristaltic ability to be much worse than before.