Patient's question:
My friend has been pregnant for more than 8 months. Since she started showing signs of pregnancy at 6 months, she has been experiencing constipation. At first, she felt like she wasn't fully evacuating, then it became every other day, and later every 4 days. Now my friend is really feeling very uncomfortable, and she is too afraid to take medication.Hello, what are the reasons for constipation during pregnancy?
Doctor's answer:
Carrying a fetus in the late stage of pregnancy, the tension of the pelvic floor muscle group is reduced, and the enlarged uterus affects the control of defecation muscles, which can interfere with the normal metabolism of feces. For expectant mothers, the first preventive measure against constipation and abnormal bowel movements is to develop good dietary habits. In their daily diet, expectant mothers should consume more fresh vegetables and fruits rich in vitamins, paying particular attention to eating more foods high in dietary fiber, such as celery, chives, bitter gourd, radish, and small cabbage, etc. They should also eat more coarse grains, such as corn, sweet potato, and millet, etc. In addition to the rich nutrients they contain, these foods can also stimulate intestinal peristalsis to prevent feces from accumulating in the intestines.