Diarrhea in pregnancy in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimester? Green can be infectious
Although pregnancy is presented many times as one of the most beautiful periods of a person's life, they somehow forget about the individual, not exactly the most pleasant symptoms that women get in the pregnancy package. Diarrhea during pregnancy is one of the usual manifestations of hormonal changes occurring in the female body. However, other physiological or even psychological factors can also cause a change in the color, consistency and regularity of the stool.
Author:Emily Anderson
Updated: 04.12.2023
What does diarrhea in pregnancy mean, under what physiological circumstances does the color of loose stool change, what can be expected from this pregnancy symptom during the individual stages of pregnancy, we have summarized for you in the following paragraphs of our article.
Causes of diarrhea in pregnancy
During pregnancy, a woman goes through many changes caused by hormones, to which the body must gradually get used to. Large and frequent changes occur within the digestive tract, which can be manifested by diarrhea and vomiting. Every woman's body is different, which is why some pregnant women may experience these symptoms more than others. However, diarrhea in pregnancy can be caused not only by fluctuating hormone levels, but also by changes in women's tastes. Not everything that a pregnant woman is currently craving benefits peristalsis, or digestion.
Another reason that can cause diarrhea in pregnancy is stress. People experiencing excessive amounts of stress tend to have digestive problems, and pregnant women are no different. Excessive stress from uncertainty during pregnancy, most often in the phase of approaching childbirth, can very easily and quickly cause diarrhea.
A woman's body is excessively sensitive during pregnancy, which leads to physiological symptoms such as diarrhea. If you add an inappropriate combination of meals, a diet with an excessive amount of fiber or poisoning caused by various foods to the excessive load on the body during pregnancy, you will probably have rough moments spent in the company of the toilet.
Of course, diarrhea can also be caused by infectious and inflammatory diseases concentrated in the intestines, which are most often manifested by green diarrhea. In this case, it is advisable to visit a doctor, who will set the optimal treatment procedure for you depending on your stage of pregnancy and other factors affecting the treatment of intestinal diseases during pregnancy.
What does diarrhea mean in each trimester of pregnancy?
As we mentioned above, diarrhea is one of the common pregnancy symptoms that more than one woman has to deal with. Diarrhea in the 1st trimester of pregnancy is characterized by its mildness, while it is not accompanied by any extreme symptoms. It is often caused by initial changes in the tastes of a pregnant woman due to hormones and usually comes in combination with typical morning sickness.
In the case of diarrhea in the 2nd trimester of pregnancy, it is also a natural reaction of the body to physiological and mental changes in the life of a pregnant woman. However, it should be noted that diarrhea in pregnancy during the 3rd trimester can have various reasons. While in most cases, from the 34th week of pregnancy onwards, it is mild diarrhea that serves as a cleansing of the body before the impending birth, in exceptional situations, some women may also experience intense diarrhea that threatens the fetus itself.
Treatment of loose stools in pregnancy
The moment a person starts having diarrhea, he automatically tries to get rid of it as soon as possible, most often through medication. Medicines are a very sensitive matter during pregnancy, as many of them are not recommended for pregnant women due to the health of the fetus. However, there are medications that doctors recommend for literally everything during pregnancy.
Magnesium is one such medicine, which in Slovakia is one of the most commonly used panaceas for pregnant women. However, it should be remembered that diarrhea in pregnancy can also be caused by magnesium. Since it is a nutritional supplement, pregnant women use it in higher doses, which can lead to side effects in the form of diarrhea.
The basic form of treatment for diarrhea in pregnancy is to stop eating foods rich in fat and fiber. Fasting is definitely not recommended. On the one hand, it will not solve problems with loose stools, and on the other hand, it can cause more serious complications, which you certainly do not need in pregnancy. As for the food that you should leave out of your diet for some time, it is mainly fried and fatty foods, but also spicy, smoked and spicy foods.
It is ideal if you can identify the specific food that is causing your diarrhea. In the case of pregnant women, these are most often dairy products, sweets or snacks based on sugar and carbohydrates. During diarrheal conditions, it is more worthwhile to include foods in combination with boiled rice or potatoes, but also crackers, sponge cakes, bananas, or chicken and vegetable broths.
In terms of liquids, you should not irritate your sensitive digestive tract with caffeine-based coffee and teas during diarrhea. It is very important that you provide your body with a sufficient supply of fluids, which you lose during pregnancy diarrhea. By liquids, of course, we mean water or mineral waters with sodium and potassium content, which, unlike sweetened and bubbly drinks, do not dehydrate the body. If diarrhea is caused by stress, it is necessary to include some kind of relaxing activities in your daily schedule, such as pregnancy yoga, breathing exercises to eliminate stress or walks in nature.
Prevention of overeating in pregnancy
If you are one of those people who can't handle diarrhea mentally, you can introduce certain measures into your life as a preventive measure, thanks to which you can avoid diarrhea by a long shot. Limiting harmful foods works as the best prevention. You should especially eliminate fatty and fried foods from your diet, but also spicy, smoked and pungent types of food. In summer, it is advisable for pregnant women to avoid dairy products and ice cream.
You can also strengthen your immunity as a preventive measure, through probiotics present in nutritional supplements or special dairy products. If you have an onset of diarrhea due to stressful situations, we recommend eliminating the factors causing excessive stress and nervousness as much as possible.
When to see a doctor in case of pregnancy diarrhea?
When a person hears the word diarrhea, he usually waves his hand, but the longer the diarrhea persists, the more dehydrated the body becomes. During problems with loose stools, excessive excretion of water from the body occurs, which can lead to risky situations requiring medical attention.
Dehydration of the body is a serious complication even for an ordinary person, not to mention pregnant women. It is therefore very important, in addition to the color and consistency of the stool, to monitor other accompanying symptoms that could indicate the seriousness of the situation. These include temperatures up to fever, abdominal pain, prolonged use of the toy, but also cold sweat or vomiting. Therefore, if you notice such symptoms, visit your general practitioner, who will recommend an appropriate treatment for diarrhea during pregnancy.
In extremely serious situations, when differently colored or green or yellow diarrhea in pregnancy is accompanied by symptoms such as intense abdominal cramps, malaise, vaginal discharge or traces of mucus or bloody discharge, hospitalization and the introduction of infusions are often necessary. Any symptoms mentioned above, which may indicate that it is an infectious diarrhea of a long-term nature, should be reported to the doctor immediately. Such a condition can lead to a miscarriage.
Diarrhea in pregnancy - experience
The Modrý konik portal did not disappoint even in the matter of problems with diarrhea in pregnancy. Discussing mothers in the discussion forums mainly shared "grandmother's" tips and proven home methods for treating diarrhea, while advice related to diets or medications suitable for pregnant women appeared most often. According to the discussion forum, the most common form of treatment for diarrhea in pregnancy is a combination of unsweetened black tea and biscuits, or biscuits, but also bananas and dark chocolate.
These are mostly typical foods that are used to treat diarrhea by ordinary, and thus non-pregnant, women. Smecta and animal charcoal were mentioned the most among over-the-counter medicines. However, if you suffer from infectious diarrhea of a long-term nature with accompanying symptoms, mothers recommend that you seek a doctor who will advise you on the most suitable form of treatment.
The most frequent questions - FAQ
Are you interested in other information regarding diarrhea in pregnancy and its causes? Can you think of other questions that were not answered in the text of the article or in the question and answer section ? Feel free to put them in the comments below the article.
What medicines can I take for diarrhea in pregnancy?
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Is there any risk to the fetus during diarrhea in pregnancy?
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