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What You Need To Know About Constipation & Pregnancy

January 8, 2017

The foods we eat and our overall nutrition play a role in how our bodies digest food. But the hormonal changes that women experience during pregnancy can also affect digestion and create digestive problems. It’s estimated that nearly half of all women who become pregnant will experience constipation before delivery.

Common Causes of Constipation During Pregnancy

There are many causes of constipation during pregnancy. But most often medications and supplements, hormonal changes and lifestyle choices are the culprits.

  • Poor Diet or Lack Exercise – An unbalanced diet, particularly one low in fiber, may cause issues with constipation. Dehydration or not drinking enough water is another cause. Plus, pregnant women with little or no physical activity are more likely to suffer from symptoms of constipation.
  • Pregnancy Hormones – During pregnancy, women produce progesterone. This hormone causes the uterine lining to thicken and supports the environment necessary for the developing baby. Progesterone levels increase throughout pregnancy. They peak around 40 weeks and taper off after delivery. While progesterone helps keep a pregnancy viable, it can also relax the intestinal muscles. In turn, this slows down digestion and may lead to constipation.
  • Iron Supplements – Because of the increased need for iron during pregnancy, doctors may recommend an iron supplement to help combat or prevent anemia. Many iron supplements are not well-tolerated in the gastrointestinal tract and may cause constipation.

Treatment & Prevention

Difficult or infrequent bowel movements can cause abdominal pain and discomfort. For women who are pregnant, the discomfort and irritation can be compounded by other pregnancy symptoms. Constipation may become more frequent or worsen as pregnancy progresses. Expecting mothers in the third trimester are battling ever-increasing progesterone levels. Plus weight gain from the growing baby may make exercise difficult as the delivery date nears.

Laxatives are commonly used to relieve constipation, but doctors do not typically recommend these for pregnant women. Laxatives can cause dehydration and uterine contractions. Instead, women who are pregnant should look to alternative treatments.

  • Drink Plenty of Water – Aim to drink 10 to 12 ounces a day while pregnant.
  • Eat a High-Fiber Diet – Incorporate breakfast cereal, vegetables, whole wheat and other foods that are high in fiber to consume 25 to 30 grams of fiber daily.
  • Exercise Regularly – Light to moderate exercise during pregnancy helps speed digestion. Aim to get 30 minutes of exercise three to five times a week. But first talk to your doctor about exercising and the frequency that is right for your needs.
  • Gentle Prenatal Vitamin with Iron – Prenate® Vitamin Family offers several prenatal vitamins that contain Sumalate®. This is a gentle, chelated form of iron. It is highly bioavailable. In fact, it is three times more absorbable than other forms of iron.1-3 The tolerability of Sumalate® in pregnancy is proven. Because it is less reactive with digestive tissues, the gastrointestinal (GI) side effects are minimal.3-6 The Prenate® dietary supplements that contain Sumalate® may be taken with or without food, including cereals, milk and coffee.

Prenatal Vitamins with Iron

Each of the following Prenate® products is taken once daily and contains Sumalate®, the GI gentle and highly absorbable form of chelated iron:

  • Prenate Pixie®
  • Prenate® Restore
  • Prenate Mini®
  • Prenate Star®
  • Prenate® Enhance

Designed for the needs of both moms and babies, Prenate® Vitamin Family helps fill nutritional gaps. Talk to your doctor to see which prenatal vitamin with iron is right for you.

 

Connect with Prenate®

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

WARNING: Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. Keep this product out of reach of children. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.

WARNING: Ingestion of more than 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids (such as DHA) per day has been shown to have potential antithrombotic effects, including an increased bleeding time and International Normalized Ratio (INR). Administration of omega-3 fatty acids should be avoided in patients taking anticoagulants and in those known to have an inherited or acquired predisposition to bleeding.

This site and its contents are an information resource only, and are neither intended to nor should be used in replacement of your doctor or other prescribing professional’s medical guidance, recommendations or advice. Neither this site nor its information should be used or relied upon for any diagnostic, medical, treatment, nutritional or other purpose. All aspects of pregnancy, including whether pregnancy is right for you, and the nourishment and care of your child, should be made with your doctor and other appropriate medical professional, and in consideration of your and your child’s particular medical history. Avion Pharmaceuticals, LLC (“Avion”) makes no representation, warranty or other undertaking that this site or its information are appropriate for you or your child’s specific needs or issues, and further expressly disclaims all damages, losses, injuries or liability whatsoever incurred or alleged to have been incurred in consequence of your reliance on the information on this site. Avion does not endorse any test, procedure, treatment, remedy, therapy, cure, nutritional regimen, method or other activity or undertaking that you and/or your doctor or other medical professional may elect or recommend. By visiting this site you agree to these terms and conditions and acknowledge that you have read and understand the same. These terms and conditions, together with any information on this site, may be amended, restated or otherwise changed from time to time and at any time by Avion within the sole, absolute and uncontrolled exercise of its discretion. You acknowledge and agree that Avion has no duty or obligation to keep you informed of any amendments to, restatements of or other changes to these terms and conditions or this site, and that you are solely and exclusively responsible for apprising yourself of the same.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

WARNING: Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. Keep this product out of reach of children. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.

WARNING: Ingestion of more than 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids (such as DHA) per day has been shown to have potential antithrombotic effects, including an increased bleeding time and International Normalized Ratio (INR). Administration of omega-3 fatty acids should be avoided in patients taking anticoagulants and in those known to have an inherited or acquired predisposition to bleeding.

This site and its contents are an information resource only, and are neither intended to nor should be used in replacement of your doctor or other prescribing professional’s medical guidance, recommendations or advice. Neither this site nor its information should be used or relied upon for any diagnostic, medical, treatment, nutritional or other purpose. All aspects of pregnancy, including whether pregnancy is right for you, and the nourishment and care of your child, should be made with your doctor and other appropriate medical professional, and in consideration of your and your child’s particular medical history. Avion Pharmaceuticals, LLC (“Avion”) makes no representation, warranty or other undertaking that this site or its information are appropriate for you or your child’s specific needs or issues, and further expressly disclaims all damages, losses, injuries or liability whatsoever incurred or alleged to have been incurred in consequence of your reliance on the information on this site. Avion does not endorse any test, procedure, treatment, remedy, therapy, cure, nutritional regimen, method or other activity or undertaking that you and/or your doctor or other medical professional may elect or recommend. By visiting this site you agree to these terms and conditions and acknowledge that you have read and understand the same. These terms and conditions, together with any information on this site, may be amended, restated or otherwise changed from time to time and at any time by Avion within the sole, absolute and uncontrolled exercise of its discretion. You acknowledge and agree that Avion has no duty or obligation to keep you informed of any amendments to, restatements of or other changes to these terms and conditions or this site, and that you are solely and exclusively responsible for apprising yourself of the same.

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