Stomach and digestive issues are common during pregnancy. Though morning sickness and constipation are common, but diarrhoea is another gastrointestinal issue that pregnant women can face.
Hormonal changes around the time of conception can cause stomach issues and even lead to diarrhoea. Diarrhoea during late pregnancy may be a sign that delivery is getting closer.
Some women report diarrhoea, heartburn, or nausea and vomiting right before they go into labor. Of course, women get diarrhoea for many reasons, and it can develop at any time during pregnancy, not just at the beginning or the end.
Pregnant women might experience diarrhoea due to:
1. Body changes: During pregnancy, you’ll experience changes in your hormones and your body. These can affect your stomach and digestive tract, leading to nausea and vomiting, constipation, or diarrhoea.
2. Diet: Pregnancy might inspire you to eat healthier. Sometimes a sudden change to more nutritious, fiber-rich foods can lead to a change in bowel movements, too. Give your body a little time to adjust if you go from burgers and fries to fruits and salads all at once.
3. Prenatal vitamins: There are many different brands of prenatal vitamins. Some are more likely to cause constipation, and some can lead to looser stools.
4. Any health issue not related to pregnancy: Diarrhoea can also develop from something that has nothing to do with pregnancy, such as illness from a virus or bacteria, food poisoning, taking medication such as antibiotics or due to a health issue such as Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, or hyperthyroidism.
5. Travel Symptoms Diarrhoea: is when you have bowel movements more often and looser in consistency than you would normally have.
Here’s what to look for:
1. Two or more watery or loose bowel movements in a day (24 hours).
2. The feeling of having to run to the bathroom
3. Cramps, Stomach pain or Bloating
Treatment of Diarrhoea during pregnancy:
1. Hydrate your body. It’s important to stay hydrated, especially when you’re pregnant. Diarrhoea removes water from your body, so drink lots of fluids, especially water. Since you also lose electrolytes through diarrhoea, other liquids, such as chicken or vegetable broth and electrolyte replacement solutions, are helpful.
2. Avoid dairy, sugary drinks, coffee, tea, and energy drinks, since they can make diarrhoea worse.
3. Watch your diet! Eat foods that are easy to digest and don’t irritate or stimulate the stomach and digestive tract. The BRAT diet (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast) plus the nutrients in other easy-to-digest foods (potatoes, chicken and vegetable soup, lean meats) can help until the diarrhoea has passed.
4. Stay away from fried, spicy, and high-fat foods.Give it time. Diarrhoea often clears up on its own. If you have mild diarrhea without any other symptoms (fever, pain, cramping), you can wait a few days to see if goes away. Diarrhoea that results from a stomach bug or food issue will often go away on its own.
5. Keep it clean: Loose stools can make it easier for the bacteria in the colon to travel to the urinary tract and cause an infection (UTI). Cleanliness can prevent the spread of germs to other parts of your body and other people. After using the bathroom, always wipe from front to back and change the paper before wiping again. You will also want to keep your undergarments clean and wash your hands frequently.
6. Avoid anti-diarrhoea medication. Stay away from over-the-counter (OTC) medications to treat diarrhoea. Not all OTC medications are safe for pregnant women. If it is necessary, your doctor will recommend or prescribe medication for you based on the severity of your symptoms.