Yellow poop in pregnancy
All the Ways Your Bowel Movements May Change
Pregnancy takes your body through a lot of changes, so at times you won’t feel like yourself. But while some pregnancy issues are expected — a growing bump, morning sickness, and moodiness — changes in your bowel activity might come as a surprise.
Granted, pregnancy poop isn’t the most exciting topic to talk about. But knowing what to expect can remove the element of surprise and settle worries when the unexpected does occur.
First thing about pregnancy poop: There may be times when it doesn’t seem to be happening at all. Constipation is having fewer than three bowel movements a week. To be fair, irregularity can happen anytime, whether you’re pregnant or not. But it’s a complaint that affects a lot of pregnant people.
Different factors contribute to constipation, such as too little fiber, inactivity, or eating foods that don’t agree with you. When it occurs during pregnancy, though, it’s often due to an increase in the hormone progesterone.
This hormone slows muscle contractions in the intestines. And when muscle contractions slow down, your bowels don’t flow as freely or as easily.
Symptoms of constipation include hard, dry stools, bloating, and straining. You may also have gas or stomach pain, which is probably the last thing you want to deal with when pregnant.
The good news is that constipation can be an easy fix. Drink plenty of fluids, especially water, to help soften stools so that they’re easier to pass. In addition, add more fiber to your diet. This includes eating more vegetables and fruits.
A stool softener might help severe constipation, but be sure to talk with your doctor first.
Blood on the tissue after wiping can send you into a state of panic. But don’t think the worst.
Seeing some blood in your stool or on the toilet paper is another common pregnancy occurrence, especially if you’ve been dealing with constipation.
Constipation isn’t only physically uncomfortable, it can also lead to straining. This can cause small rectal tears (fissures) or swollen veins (hemorrhoids). Both can cause bleeding from the rectum — usually a small amount of blood that appears pink or bright red.
Hemorrhoids and anal fissures can heal on their own. But to prevent the occurrence of new ones, take steps to avoid constipation and don’t strain.
Even though fissures and hemorrhoids are common, you should always notify your doctor of bleeding during bowel movements. Bleeding is sometimes due to other issues in the digestive tract — more so when blood appears black or tarry.
Be mindful that eating certain foods can also change the color of your stools, making them appear red. This can happen after eating beets or foods that contain red or black food coloring.
Fluctuating hormones during pregnancy can also cause loose or watery stools. Diarrhea occurs as your body produces the hormone relaxin. This hormone is only released during pregnancy.
It prepares your body for labor and delivery by loosening your joints and ligaments. The problem, though, is that relaxin can also loosen the joints around your rectum, causing bouts of diarrhea.
For the most part, mild diarrhea isn’t serious, but it’s important to stay hydrated and drink plenty of fluids.
Contact your doctor if you have more than three loose stools a day, or if you have other symptoms such as:
- blood or mucus in your stools
- weight loss
- stomach pain
- fever
Speak with your doctor before taking any over-the-counter medications to treat loose stools.
Interestingly, the color of your stools can also change during pregnancy. Normal stools are usually light to dark brown, but during pregnancy, your poop could turn green.
Again, don’t be alarmed. A lot of times this is triggered by an increase in fiber intake, or more specifically, eating more vegetables and leafy greens. Good for you if you’ve increased your healthy food intake during pregnancy!
If you’re taking prenatal vitamins or an iron supplement, both have also been known to change the color of poop from brown to green. You may even have green bowel movements if you take a prescribed antibiotic while pregnant.
Your stools will return to a normal color after you stop taking certain vitamins and medications.
But although green poop is normal and doesn’t usually indicate a problem, talk with your doctor if you have any concerns. Sometimes, green poop is due to an infection, gallstones, food poisoning, and irritable bowel syndrome.
Very dark stools can also occur during pregnancy. Notify your doctor if you notice black or tarry poop. Again, although food dyes can turn stools dark, a dark color can also signal bleeding in your digestive tract.
When you tell friends and family that you’re expecting, some will see this as an invitation to share their own pregnancy story — the good, the bad, and the ugly.
And when it comes to actually having the baby, you may feel it doesn’t get any uglier than losing your bowels during delivery. In fact, this might be your greatest fear.
But the truth is that pooping during delivery is common, and it’s nothing to be ashamed or worried about. (It doesn’t happen to everyone, so you might be worrying about nothing.)
The muscles you use to bring life into the world are the same muscles you use during a bowel movement. So yes, it can happen. Just know that you wouldn’t be the first mother to poop during delivery, and you won’t be the last.
If it makes you feel any better, the hospital prepares for this possibility. A nurse will swiftly clean it up — as if it never happened.
But if you’re still concerned about this, you can try and relieve yourself before you’re ready to push. Ask your nurse or doctor if it’s safe to take a suppository. These often trigger a bowel movement within minutes.
After a vaginal delivery, it’s only normal to be a little anxious about the first bowel movement after giving birth.
You might worry about additional soreness down below or irritating stitches if you had some tearing. Of course, this is only if you’re able to go. Pain medication you receive during and after labor can make your muscles a bit sluggish, initially causing constipation.
When you’re ready to go, taking a stool softener and drinking plenty of water and juice can make your first poop after delivery easier.
It also helps to have a pain reliever on hand, and maybe witch hazel cleansing pads, to reduce burning and inflammation. The important thing to remember is don’t strain.
Let things flow naturally to avoid hemorrhoids and anal fissures, which can cause more pain and discomfort.
Pregnancy poop may not be something you want to talk about, but it’s something you need to think about.
Pregnancy can affect every part of your body, so expect your bowels to go through some changes, too. Keep in mind that every pregnancy is different. The key is knowing what to expect, so when changes do occur, you’re not caught completely off guard.
If you have any concerns, talk to your doctor. They’ll be able to help figure out the cause.
All the Ways Your Bowel Movements May Change
Pregnancy takes your body through a lot of changes, so at times you won’t feel like yourself. But while some pregnancy issues are expected — a growing bump, morning sickness, and moodiness — changes in your bowel activity might come as a surprise.
Granted, pregnancy poop isn’t the most exciting topic to talk about. But knowing what to expect can remove the element of surprise and settle worries when the unexpected does occur.
First thing about pregnancy poop: There may be times when it doesn’t seem to be happening at all. Constipation is having fewer than three bowel movements a week. To be fair, irregularity can happen anytime, whether you’re pregnant or not. But it’s a complaint that affects a lot of pregnant people.
Different factors contribute to constipation, such as too little fiber, inactivity, or eating foods that don’t agree with you. When it occurs during pregnancy, though, it’s often due to an increase in the hormone progesterone.
This hormone slows muscle contractions in the intestines. And when muscle contractions slow down, your bowels don’t flow as freely or as easily.
Symptoms of constipation include hard, dry stools, bloating, and straining. You may also have gas or stomach pain, which is probably the last thing you want to deal with when pregnant.
The good news is that constipation can be an easy fix. Drink plenty of fluids, especially water, to help soften stools so that they’re easier to pass. In addition, add more fiber to your diet. This includes eating more vegetables and fruits.
A stool softener might help severe constipation, but be sure to talk with your doctor first.
Blood on the tissue after wiping can send you into a state of panic. But don’t think the worst.
Seeing some blood in your stool or on the toilet paper is another common pregnancy occurrence, especially if you’ve been dealing with constipation.
Constipation isn’t only physically uncomfortable, it can also lead to straining. This can cause small rectal tears (fissures) or swollen veins (hemorrhoids). Both can cause bleeding from the rectum — usually a small amount of blood that appears pink or bright red.
Hemorrhoids and anal fissures can heal on their own. But to prevent the occurrence of new ones, take steps to avoid constipation and don’t strain.
Even though fissures and hemorrhoids are common, you should always notify your doctor of bleeding during bowel movements. Bleeding is sometimes due to other issues in the digestive tract — more so when blood appears black or tarry.
Be mindful that eating certain foods can also change the color of your stools, making them appear red. This can happen after eating beets or foods that contain red or black food coloring.
Fluctuating hormones during pregnancy can also cause loose or watery stools. Diarrhea occurs as your body produces the hormone relaxin. This hormone is only released during pregnancy.
It prepares your body for labor and delivery by loosening your joints and ligaments. The problem, though, is that relaxin can also loosen the joints around your rectum, causing bouts of diarrhea.
For the most part, mild diarrhea isn’t serious, but it’s important to stay hydrated and drink plenty of fluids.
Contact your doctor if you have more than three loose stools a day, or if you have other symptoms such as:
- blood or mucus in your stools
- weight loss
- stomach pain
- fever
Speak with your doctor before taking any over-the-counter medications to treat loose stools.
Interestingly, the color of your stools can also change during pregnancy. Normal stools are usually light to dark brown, but during pregnancy, your poop could turn green.
Again, don’t be alarmed. A lot of times this is triggered by an increase in fiber intake, or more specifically, eating more vegetables and leafy greens. Good for you if you’ve increased your healthy food intake during pregnancy!
If you’re taking prenatal vitamins or an iron supplement, both have also been known to change the color of poop from brown to green. You may even have green bowel movements if you take a prescribed antibiotic while pregnant.
Your stools will return to a normal color after you stop taking certain vitamins and medications.
But although green poop is normal and doesn’t usually indicate a problem, talk with your doctor if you have any concerns. Sometimes, green poop is due to an infection, gallstones, food poisoning, and irritable bowel syndrome.
Very dark stools can also occur during pregnancy. Notify your doctor if you notice black or tarry poop. Again, although food dyes can turn stools dark, a dark color can also signal bleeding in your digestive tract.
When you tell friends and family that you’re expecting, some will see this as an invitation to share their own pregnancy story — the good, the bad, and the ugly.
And when it comes to actually having the baby, you may feel it doesn’t get any uglier than losing your bowels during delivery. In fact, this might be your greatest fear.
But the truth is that pooping during delivery is common, and it’s nothing to be ashamed or worried about. (It doesn’t happen to everyone, so you might be worrying about nothing.)
The muscles you use to bring life into the world are the same muscles you use during a bowel movement. So yes, it can happen. Just know that you wouldn’t be the first mother to poop during delivery, and you won’t be the last.
If it makes you feel any better, the hospital prepares for this possibility. A nurse will swiftly clean it up — as if it never happened.
But if you’re still concerned about this, you can try and relieve yourself before you’re ready to push. Ask your nurse or doctor if it’s safe to take a suppository. These often trigger a bowel movement within minutes.
After a vaginal delivery, it’s only normal to be a little anxious about the first bowel movement after giving birth.
You might worry about additional soreness down below or irritating stitches if you had some tearing. Of course, this is only if you’re able to go. Pain medication you receive during and after labor can make your muscles a bit sluggish, initially causing constipation.
When you’re ready to go, taking a stool softener and drinking plenty of water and juice can make your first poop after delivery easier.
It also helps to have a pain reliever on hand, and maybe witch hazel cleansing pads, to reduce burning and inflammation. The important thing to remember is don’t strain.
Let things flow naturally to avoid hemorrhoids and anal fissures, which can cause more pain and discomfort.
Pregnancy poop may not be something you want to talk about, but it’s something you need to think about.
Pregnancy can affect every part of your body, so expect your bowels to go through some changes, too. Keep in mind that every pregnancy is different. The key is knowing what to expect, so when changes do occur, you’re not caught completely off guard.
If you have any concerns, talk to your doctor. They’ll be able to help figure out the cause.
90,000 what the color and composition of feces says.- Mom's health
All people tend to be embarrassed at the mention of feces, and sensitive pregnant women generally tend to avoid such a delicate topic. In fact, there is nothing funny or embarrassing in discussing these issues with doctors, since the color of the stool signals changes in the body, and during pregnancy, expectant mothers should especially carefully monitor their health. In addition, the fear of discussing topics related to feces can lead to fears and anxieties that are absolutely inappropriate in such an interesting position of a woman.
The liver is responsible for the conservation of feces, its color, consistency and smell, and during pregnancy it works in an enhanced mode. Normal stool from a healthy person is usually stained brown by bile pigments. But depending on changes in the body, the color of the stool can change from white to black. This effect may occur due to the use of foods with intense color (everyone knows what happens to feces after beetroot salad, for example), but any deviations in the body may also appear this way. A change in the color of feces during pregnancy is important for diagnosis, since in most cases it is associated with developing diseases or pathologies.
Black feces during pregnancy
Almost all pregnant women take vitamin complexes containing iron. It is this microelement that colors feces black. Thus, the body gets rid of excess, unabsorbed iron. You should not be afraid and stop drinking vitamins, especially if you feel good.
If there is no certainty about the cause of the change in feces, then you can consult a doctor and conduct an experiment: you need to stop taking the vitamin complex for several days and monitor the color of the feces. If its color has become the same, then the whole thing is in multivitamins, and one can only be glad that they are working.
Sometimes black stools during pregnancy are caused by foods such as blueberries, beets, liver, black pudding, and currants.
But if these products were not consumed and vitamin complexes were not prescribed, and the feces turned black anyway, then additional examinations should be carried out:
- Biochemistry and complete blood count.
- Fecal occult blood test for previously diagnosed gastric or duodenal ulcers.
In the second variant, dark feces during pregnancy can be a symptom of gastric bleeding, but at the same time, the well-being of a pregnant woman definitely worsens (he becomes pale, sweats), and the feces themselves look more liquid and their color is similar to coffee grounds.
Green feces during pregnancy
Such feces can appear for various reasons. If a person is healthy and nothing bothers him, then a similar phenomenon can occur when eating foods with green dyes.
Also, green feces can appear in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, for example, dysbacteriosis. It also has a putrid odor. These symptoms occur due to dead white blood cells that accumulate in the intestines as a result of an acute inflammatory process.
Green stools can also be with dysentery, but symptoms such as general weakness, vomiting, abdominal pain, nausea and fever are added.
In diseases of the blood and liver, a massive breakdown of red blood cells occurs, as a result of which bilirubin is formed - this pigment stains the stool in a dark green color.
With green stool and any associated symptoms, a pregnant woman should definitely consult a doctor to identify the cause of the deviation.
Light stool during pregnancy
The causes of light stools can be either completely harmless (a plant-based diet, eating large amounts of dairy products) or indicative of serious problems. In infectious diseases affecting the liver and pancreas - hepatitis, pancreatitis, etc. - enzymatic processes are disturbed, and bile is produced in insufficient quantities. This is the reason for the lightening of the feces.
Light yellow feces during pregnancy can also indicate the presence in the body of interference with normal bile secretion - stones, tumors, etc.
Pregnancy blood feces
Feces with fresh blood can be observed only in cases where the site of internal bleeding is located near the anus - in the rectum or one of the last sections of the large intestine. In other cases, the blood will change the color of the stool and it will turn black.
The causes of stools with blood can be: hemorrhoids, fissures in the anus, malignant tumors of the rectum.
Blood in the form of clots or streaks in the stool is a sign of the development of a chronic bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease, dysbacteriosis, or ulcerative colitis.
Pregnancy stool with mucus
Sometimes, with endocrine disorders in the body or with a sedentary lifestyle of a pregnant woman (for example, bed rest with a threat of miscarriage), expectant mothers experience constipation. If the delay in bowel emptying is long, then the stool is thinned with mucus that occurs due to irritation of the intestinal walls. In this case, the feces will be with mucus, but after the stool normalizes, this phenomenon should disappear.
Also, mucus in the feces can appear in acute inflammatory bowel diseases - colitis, enteritis, proctitis, etc.
As you can see, a change in the color of feces can indicate both developing pathologies and a change in diet, so the primary factor in this case is the general well-being of a pregnant woman.
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Light stool during pregnancy: causes and possible diseases
During pregnancy, you must strictly monitor your health, since the development of the fetus directly depends on it. It is important to observe the condition of all biological material, take all tests in a timely manner and, in case of deviation, immediately take action.
You also need to know which parameters "speak" about which pathologies and disorders in the body in order to start treatment in a timely manner and avoid complications. Now we will consider what to do if a woman has light feces during pregnancy, in what cases it can be and what to do.
Contents of the article:
- 1 Causes of light stool during pregnancy
- 1.1 Possible diseases
- 1.2 Treatment and prognosis
Feces brightened? Looking for reason
There are many reasons why feces change their permanent color. They can be as simple and harmless as serious. That is, diseases that affect the body from the inside.
The most common causes:
- nutrition, in which the expectant mother has a lot of food of plant origin in her diet
- medicines. When taking certain medicines or vitamins, the stool may become light or too dark
- infectious diseases of the pancreas and liver (hepatitis A, B, C)
- gallstone problems - stones, possible neoplasms that interfere with the full functionality of the bladder feces brightened, therefore, it is better to contact the clinic and get tested.
If the expectant mother consumed a lot of greens and fiber, while her state of health did not change, and light feces were observed once or twice, then there is no reason for concern.
Possible diseases
Light stool can be a sign of hepatitis!
If the cause of light-colored feces is a disease, it is urgent to start treatment so as not to harm the baby.
In addition to the fact that the feces become light in color, other symptoms appear that may indicate the development of a particular disease:
- loss of appetite, a sharp decrease in weight, which is not typical during pregnancy0006
- skin becomes pale or with a green-yellow tint
- urine darkens, turns brown
- there are stabbing or aching pain in the abdomen
- general weakness, sleepy state all the time
- fatigue, fatigue after sleep
- nausea vomiting (not to be confused with toxicosis)
- possible occurrence of a small rash on the skin
Useful video - Stool color and possible diseases:
Symptoms such as light stools are usually associated with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver or gallbladder. The most common of them are:
- Hepatitis or inflammation of the liver, which may result from infection, alcohol poisoning. In this case, there are sharp pains on the right under the ribs, the skin turns yellow, the work of the stomach is disturbed. Vomiting, nausea, general weakness begins. This condition requires immediate hospitalization, otherwise cirrhosis of the liver may occur. Almost at 9In 0 percent of cases, the child does not become infected, but after giving birth, he needs to be given an injection of immunoglobulin.
- Cholecystitis is a disease characterized by an inflammatory process in the gallbladder. In acute attacks, unbearable cutting pain occurs, the temperature rises, and nausea occurs. With this disease, the feces become light, very liquid, and sometimes you can see the remains of undigested foods in it.
- Pancreatitis is an inflammatory process of the pancreas that often occurs as a result of malnutrition, excessive drinking and constant medication. With an exacerbation of the disease, there is severe pain in the stomach, vomiting, nausea, indigestion, diarrhea.
- Crohn's disease is a disorder of the digestive tract that occurs as a result of many pathologies - allergies, infections, inflammation of different parts of the gastrointestinal tract. With such a pathology, feces become light in color and sometimes may contain blood clots, which “speaks” of gastrointestinal disorders.
- Onco-diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. When malignant tumors form, there are no symptoms in the initial stages. When the neoplasm begins to progress, it malfunctions in the internal organs. At the same time, pain, a violation of defecation and a change in the color of feces already occur.
In addition to those described, there are many more diseases, the symptom of which is the enlightenment of feces in a pregnant woman. They can be correctly and accurately determined using laboratory analysis.
Treatment and prognosis
The effectiveness of treatment depends on the correct diagnosis!
If a pregnant woman notices that her stool has changed color and become lighter than usual, some measures need to be taken. You should not panic, and even more so self-medicate. The first step in such a situation is to visit your gynecologist, who keeps records in the antenatal clinic for pregnancy. He will give a referral for tests and you will need to take a feces for analysis.
If the result is a hormonal failure, the consequences of taking pills or something else, the specialist will advise a diet and, possibly, a vitamin complex that will allow a pregnant woman to restore her body.
If the cause of light feces is a disease of the gastrointestinal tract, liver or gallbladder, then a number of additional diagnostics are prescribed that can be performed during pregnancy.
At the end, when an accurate diagnosis is established, the specialist prescribes a course of treatment that will minimally harm the fetus and maximally help the mother's body.
Treatment and prognosis directly depends on the type of disease that causes light-colored stools:
- with hepatitis C, there is no risk of liver cirrhosis in the expectant mother or abnormal fetal pathologies. But with this disease, the risk of miscarriage or premature birth increases. During pregnancy, the doctor prescribes treatment, and after the birth of the child, he injects him with a special remedy. Infection of a child occurs in 5-10 cases
- cancers during pregnancy have special characteristics. Firstly, it is impossible to fully examine women, since some diagnostic methods are prohibited in this situation. Secondly, if the cancer was discovered in the first trimester, the doctor must follow the dynamics of its development, and then decide how to proceed.