Although it is not as common as constipation, diarrhea is one of the discomforts that pregnant women often suffer from . In general, these episodes can be occasional and are not usually serious, although it is important to take into account some factors to prevent it and to act appropriately if it occurs.
During the first months they could even be one of the most frequent symptoms that a woman is in a state , although as it progresses it may appear due to sensitivity in the digestive system or because we may be going through the care against constipation.
What are the causes? Hormones play a role
Although the causes for which a normal person suffers an episode of diarrhea are the same that affect a pregnant woman, hormones also play a fundamental role , since they directly affect the gastrointestinal system (that is why vomiting and constipation also appear) .
It must be taken into account that for this reason the digestive system is more sensitive than ever, not counting the physical ‘reorganization’ that we suffer internally, so we must take great care of what we eat, and even the hours at which we do it .
Other possible causes can be changes in the diet that we normally follow, lactose intolerance due to an excess in the consumption of dairy products or due to the intake of some medicine (for example, when we start taking prenatal vitamins).
How to avoid it
Obviously the best thing we can do to avoid it is to have a balanced diet, trying to avoid copious, very fatty meals and taking care of hygiene during its preparation . It is also important to drink plenty of water and not self-medicate, as there are medications that can cause episodes of diarrhea for no apparent reason.
It is also vital to ensure that the food we eat is fresh , since during pregnancy it is easy to develop gastroenteritis due to viruses or bacteria that can be found in them.
How to treat diarrhea during pregnancy
If despite taking into account all these precautions we get diarrhea, we must observe if it is a specific case (for example, a case of indigestion that lasts only one day) and evaluate if it is due to some food that we have taken. In this case, as a treatment, a soft diet, drinking plenty of fluids and resting is usually recommended.
There are foods that can help us to calm the bowel movement a bit such as apples, pears, rice, potatoes and yogurts with probiotics. It is advisable to take the roasted fruits and boiled starches to help stop it .
If, on the contrary, it becomes stronger and stronger and the general condition of the pregnant woman worsens, it is best to go to the emergency room so that it can be diagnosed by a doctor, since it may be another ailment, an infection by a virus or a bacterium that needs to be treated with medication.
Beware of dehydration
The most serious problem that diarrhea can cause is dehydration, since it directly affects the baby: when it occurs, the blood does not reach the placenta efficiently . That is why it is so important that in case a pregnant woman has severe diarrhea she goes to the doctor, since she may need to receive serum.
In Babies and more | The discomforts of pregnancy, trimester by trimester (and how you can relieve them)
