Is diarrhea a prepartum sign?

Diarre is an antepartum symptom, woman giving birth

Diarrhea and labor. How many times at term of pregnancy have you heard from mothers and grandmothers: "If you have DiarrheaYou are about to give birth" ? In fact, episodes of Diarrhea They are very frequent in women when the important contractile activity is about to start, that is, that of the muscle itself. childbirth.

Often (but not always) coinciding with the onset of labor contractions, intestinal spasms are felt and discharge Diarrhea. This happens for two reasons: a hormonal action and a mechanical action. Both have a functional purpose.

Diarrhea pathogenesis

The natural rhythm of the digestive system allows food and liquid to pass regularly from the stomach to the small intestine. Once food is broken down, the body assimilates its nutrients and most of its fluids. The waste passes to the colon, where more water is absorbed, before being eliminated in the form of feces. When cells in the small intestine or colon are irritated, bowel movements become irregular. Mineral salts and essential fluids, along with nutrients from food, pass through the colon too quickly. The body absorbs less fluid, which comes back in the form of loose stools, also known as Diarrhea.

At the end of pregnancy

From a point of view hormonal, you have the action of the same hormones that determine the contractions of the muscles of the uterus. In fact, these also act on the intestinal muscles, thus causing spasms throughout the abdomen. as well as the progesterone has the upper hand during the first half of pregnancy, as it acts on the uterine muscles. Consequently, it also has a muscle relaxant action on the smooth muscles of the gastrointestinal system. In the second half of pregnancy, oxytocin begins to show its action. The latter finds its maximum expression during labor and delivery. For example, some women in labor also experience retching or vomiting real.

Diarrhea at the end of pregnancy: what determines it?

then there is a mechanical action that determines the contraction of the viscera since the fetus, already in the dilation phase, performs movements to adapt to the mother's body and prepare for descent through the birth canal. Its little head, pressing on the cervix to help dilate it, also presses later on the last part of the intestine, which is then mechanically stimulated by the movements of the fetal head and induced to empty. During the progression and rotations that the fetus performs with respect to the maternal pelvis, the woman is also aware of it. There are unmistakable sensations, such as feeling a stimulus focused on the rectal area during the compression exerted by the fetal head on the last part of the intestine.

When it occurs in the ninth month. prepartum

Whether it is pregnancy, childbirth or lactation, the determining mechanism is the same. The main functional reason intestinal emptying is the need to increase the internal diameters to help the fetus in its descent. In addition, the emptying of the intestines before a signal that the body perceives as danger is an ancestral reflex that we have had since the times of primitive man, called "fight-flight reaction".

When, for example, the presence of a lion in the jungle is perceived through sensory capabilities, the first thing the body does is increase the heart rate through vasoconstriction and empty the viscera. This happens because when one is faced with the need to face a physical commitment, such as flight, which requires a better functioning of the heart, lungs and muscles capable of making the effort, the body immediately activates the release of a series of hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, which bring more blood to these organs.

Dysentery: how does it happen?

The secondary result of what has just been said is that the blood is drawn from organs considered less important in this case, such as the intestine and the bladder. Here these organs deprived of their blood "get sick" then contract and empty. In childbirth, practically the same thing happens. The body, through the painful stimulus of the contraction, perceives a kind of "danger" that executes this reaction.

We will therefore have this defecation disorder characterized by an increase in the emission of a daily amount of feces greater than 200 g, with a decrease in its consistency and by an increase in the frequency of bowel discharge. can be defined as Acute diarrhea if it lasts less than two weeks, persistent diarrhea if it lasts between two and four weeks and chronic diarrhea if it lasts longer

Is there always diarrhea when giving birth?

Obviously these hormonal mechanisms are different in each individual, and may be more or less efficient depending on the perceptive capacity and sensory response. There are also women who do not experience diarrhea at all before giving birth and that they actually use enemas to be able to empty the intestines.

Can we say that the Is diarrhea a symptom of labor? Not quite! The statement expressed in this way would not be correct. You can have diarrhea at any stage of pregnancy and it does not mean that you are about to give birth. The intestine is also known as the second brain and it is also very sensitive to emotional stimuli, such as anxiety and fear, depression. In addition, it may be related to intestinal viruses, chronic inflammation such as irritable bowel syndrome, intolerances, or food poisoning.

stomach pain and diarrhea

Late in pregnancy, isolated episodes of Diarrhea or sudden bowel irregularities may be an impending-onset symptom of nearing childbirth. If it appears, what should you do? It is important to drink fluids to balance the loss and opt for probiotics, ginger, lemon and chamomile.


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