Diarrhea and diarrhea at 40 weeks of gestation

Diarrhea is an unpleasant condition for the human body, and even more so for a pregnant woman, associated with frequent urge to empty. Diarrhea in women in position is considered a common occurrence.

The reasons can be various circumstances, including an unbalanced diet.

Week 40 is the final time period for a woman before childbirth. During this period, the female body signals their imminent approach.

Unfortunately, some of these signals are unpleasant. These include diarrhea at 40 weeks of gestation.

Diarrhea at 40 weeks gestation

Experts, usually, do not consider diarrhea a disease, they tend to perceive it as a symptom of other diseases. The provoking factors of pathology during pregnancy can be various circumstances.

These include malfunctions in the functioning of the nervous system, an infection in the intestines, and the consumption of food of inadequate quality. In addition, diarrhea can be triggered by toxicosis.

In connection with the movement of the baby, the pressure on the urinary tract and digestive organs increases sharply. The woman all the time feels the urge to empty and urinate.

And, when everything is quite simple with the bladder - a pregnant woman goes to the toilet more often than during the previous weeks, then certain difficulties arise with emptying.

Often, the expectant mother can face such difficulty as diarrhea at 40 weeks of gestation.

Particular emphasis on the symptoms of loose stools should be given to women who have difficulties with the gastrointestinal tract - in such a situation, diarrhea at 40 weeks pregnancy is not a harbinger of childbirth, but only a reaction of the digestive organs to pressure (for example, aggravated ulcerative disease).

While the 40th week of pregnancy is in progress, diarrhea is a natural process that precedes childbirth, and there is nothing to worry about.

This means that the female body, preparing for the finish line, cleans up the accumulated pathogens, toxic substances and allergens.

When the expectant mother has a weakened immune system, then this process is all the more natural, and will only benefit both the mother and the fetus.

Causes of diarrhea at 40 weeks

From the 37th week of pregnancy, delivery is not considered premature. At this time, the fetus has already been finally formed.

When nausea, a gag reflex are not observed, there is no increase in temperature, then diarrhea at the 40th week indicates an imminent birth.

When such a reason is not confirmed, it is necessary to quickly take measures to eliminate the pathology. The provoking factors of diarrhea in the last stages of pregnancy include:

• Food products. During the last weeks of pregnancy, the general susceptibility of the body increases. The gastrointestinal tract reacts to regular food with rejection and allergies. Since during this period, the female body accumulates strength for childbirth, and too heavy or fatty products are not absorbed, provoking diarrhea.
• Weakened immunity. Reduced protective function of the body is a provoking factor in the appearance of loose stools.
• Intoxication. Poor quality products and stale food are more likely to bring pathogenic microflora with them. Diarrhea, gag reflex, fever - symptoms of poisoning, which can be food or caused by household chemicals and other allergens.
• Infectious and bacterial lesions of the digestive system. Improper storage of food products, dishes of unknown origin can provoke intestinal infection and harmful microorganisms: dysentery, salmonellosis, typhoid fever, cholera, enterovirus and rotavirus infections. The reasons for the formation of pathogenic microflora are a sudden change in climatic conditions, as well as the consumption of infected or low-quality water.
• Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Gastritis, peptic ulcer and bowel disease in the last stage of pregnancy can worsen or worsen. Often there are situations when the provoking factor of diarrhea is a lack of digestive enzymes as a result of disturbances in the functioning of the gallbladder. Due to the impossibility of digesting food masses, the intestine begins to flush them out of the body, creating an obstacle for feces to stagnate and putrefaction in the digestive system.
• Stressful situations. Experiences, psycho-emotional upheavals, expectation of childbirth and fear of painfulness of the process suggest that the excitement is seized by a large amount of food. Inactive lifestyles and sleep disturbances lead to impaired motor skills and proper bowel function.

This phenomenon is called irritable bowel syndrome and requires comprehensive and urgent therapy.

In rare cases, diarrhea in the last stage of pregnancy is the result of the body's reaction to medications or vitamins prescribed by a specialist.

In such a situation, it is necessary to find out the doctor's recommendations a second time and exclude the agents that provoked disruptions in digestion.

Despite the fact that diarrhea in the 40th week during pregnancy is not as dangerous as in the first trimester, it needs effective and timely therapy.

Consequences

The onset of diarrhea at 40 weeks of gestation can cause significant dehydration in the body and the loss of essential vitamins and microparticles needed by the mother and child.

Enhanced bowel motility can cause the uterus to contract. In such a situation, there is a risk of early miscarriage and premature birth, starting from the 3rd trimester.

Before taking action, you need to consult with your doctor in advance in order to establish the factors that provoked diarrhea in the last stage of pregnancy.

If diarrhea is replaced by constipation, we can say that there may be chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract inside the body.

Treatment methods

It is possible to dispense with the doctor's recommendations only in a situation where diarrhea proceeds without pronounced symptoms and stops as soon as the pregnant woman removes the component that provoked it from the menu.

To prevent loss of fluid, the expectant mother needs to drink the required amount of fluid, juices from vegetables or fruits.

Until the final cessation of diarrhea, you need to eliminate fermented milk products from the menu.

It must be remembered that in order to maintain intestinal motility, you need to move more and take walks every day, but rest is needed during loose stools.

It is forbidden to use antibiotics or other drugs without the appointment of a specialist.

Only a highly qualified doctor is able to choose the correct and effective therapy, since up to 30 weeks pregnant women are not shown to use various medications.

Diet food

Entering the 3rd trimester of a pregnant woman, you must be extremely careful in choosing a diet and drawing up an everyday menu.

It is recommended to exclude the following products that can provoke irritation of the intestinal mucosa:

• fried, smoked and spicy foods;
• salt, seasonings;
• coffee and strong tea;
• carbonated, tonic and caffeinated drinks.

It is necessary to formulate a diet in such a way as to fully exclude overeating or long intervals between meals. It is optimal to eat fractionally and at the same time.

It will be important to follow a diet, the 3rd trimester is the most difficult, therefore, food should be light, but rich in vitamins and minerals.

It is allowed to eat:

• porridge;
• lean meats;
• chicken broth soups;
• vegetables and fruits.

Jelly from berries and following a 3-day rice-banana diet help to bring the stool back to normal and hold it together.

To prevent diarrhea during the last weeks of pregnancy, a woman is advised to observe the following prescriptions:

• carry out constant monitoring of the course of chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• eat properly and in a timely manner;
• to live an active lifestyle;
• how to wash all food products, in particular fruits and vegetables.

All ailments and disorders in the functioning of the body, lasting more than a day, should be immediately reported to the treating person. to the doctor, since this is the only way to prevent adverse consequences and exclude the likelihood of the formation of fetal pathologies.

The expectant mother may experience discomfort when the 40th week of pregnancy is going on, which is associated with physiological characteristics during this period.

Despite the fact that diarrhea at 40 weeks during pregnancy is considered a frequent occurrence, you should still do an emphasis on keeping the body in good shape through dietary nutrition and safe medications.

Regardless of the condition, it is imperative to consult a specialist in order to establish the exact cause of this symptomatology.

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