Constipation is one of the many disorders that dot the joyful months of pregnancy. Its onset, as well as that of many other small annoyances, is linked to the hormonal changes induced by gestation. Although 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 responsible for gravidic 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 extends a bit to all the muscles of the body, including the gastroesophageal junction (reflux, burning, stomach acid), the intestinal musculature (constipation) and the involuntary musculature that covers the walls of vessels (varicose veins, water retention, hemorrhoids).
By decreasing the intensity of peristaltic contractions, progesterone is responsible for the emission of hard, dehydrated and compact feces, in short, of constipation or constipation.
In the first weeks of gestation at high levels of progesterone can be added the spontaneous reduction of fruit and vegetable intake 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 uterine volume 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. In fact, this hormone increases the absorption of liquids and electrolytes, further slowing intestinal transit. For all these reasons, constipation generally does not arise abruptly during pregnancy, but tends to get worse with the onset of childbirth.
Lastly, gravidic constipation can be linked to strictly pharmacological causes, linked, for example, to the intake of iron-based preparations, antacids or some analgesics.
The consumption of fiber-rich foods such as whole grains, legumes, fresh fruits and vegetables is a good starting point for diet therapy; first of all because it supplies all the oligo and the microelements necessary for the health of the fetus, secondly because it helps to cover the pregnant woman's water needs. Let us not forget, just to mention a few examples, that lettuce is made up of 94% water, almost 97% cucumbers, 88% courgettes and 94% tomatoes.
Secondly, other recommendations may be 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 disorders such as varicose veins, swellings and hemorrhoids.
It is also recommended to take the right amounts of vegetables rich in cellulose (radicchio and lettuce in the first place), fruit (plums, kiwi, figs and other fruit with seeds), without exaggerating with calories and without forgetting the importance of a adequate protein intake (see: nutrition during pregnancy).
On the other hand, it is inadvisable to resort too much to purgatives; first of all because no laxative manages to solve the problem of constipation in a definitive way but tends simply to postpone it with inevitable pysophysical addiction; secondly because the choice of the wrong medicine could have bad repercussions on the normal continuation of the pregnancy. The consultation with your gynecologist is therefore a must, especially when constipation is not resolved with simple dietary and behavioral therapy.
