Bloating during early pregnancy

Some women are prone to bloating during pregnancy. This is because during pregnancy, the metabolism in the female body will slow down, and the increase in progesterone will also lead to endocrine disorders. At this time, if women eat more or have some morning sickness, they may feel stomach discomfort and bloating. So how to relieve stomach bloating in early pregnancy?

Causes of bloating in pregnant women

Many expectant mothers will experience bloating, which causes a lot of discomfort to the pregnant woman's body. So what are the causes of bloating during pregnancy?

1. Increased hormones

Pregnant women produce a lot of progesterone in their bodies, which affects the gastrointestinal function, poor peristalsis, and reduced gastric acid secretion, affecting the digestive function.

For most expectant mothers, bloating is most severe in the early stages of pregnancy, and then the situation gradually improves. Therefore, bloating is normal and will not affect the health of the child.

2. Enlarged uterus

In the middle and late stages of pregnancy, a woman's uterus will become larger, which will press on the intestines and affect the normal peristalsis of the intestines. If the pregnant woman already suffers from gastrointestinal diseases such as constipation and poor motility, the discomfort of bloating will probably continue until the 4th or 5th month of pregnancy.

3. Improper diet

Pregnant women are prone to bloating after eating foods that easily produce gas (soybeans, starch, etc.) or drinking drinks (carbonated drinks such as cola).

The impact of flatulence on pregnant women

Progesterone makes bowel movements worse

During the first trimester, that is, the early stages of pregnancy, bloating is most severe for pregnant women. The acid excretion function of the stomach of pregnant women is weakened, and the gastric acid content will be high; and from ovulation to pregnancy, the body will secrete more progesterone, and the peristaltic strength of the intestines will be poor, which affects the excretion of waste. Therefore, pregnant women will experience bloating, constipation and other symptoms. Therefore, the secretion of flatulence hormone increases at this time.

During the second trimester, the uterus of the pregnant woman will gradually become larger. After the fifth month of pregnancy, the position of the uterus will change, gradually rising above the navel, and the intestines will be easily compressed around the stomach. Most of a pregnant woman's abdomen is occupied by the uterus, so the large and small intestines are compressed by the uterus, affecting intestinal peristalsis.

Symptoms gradually subsided after 34 weeks

The bloating you feel in the later stages of pregnancy is because your uterus gradually grows larger and your stomach, duodenum, etc. are compressed by the fetus. Therefore, before thirty-four weeks of pregnancy (the stage when the uterus becomes larger), if the pregnant woman eats too much or eats too greasy food, she will experience symptoms such as nausea and stomach pain. But between the 34th and 36th weeks of pregnancy, the fetus's position will lower and pregnant women will feel relieved.

The impact of pregnant women's flatulence on the fetus

Flatulence makes pregnant women picky about food, which is not conducive to nutrient absorption

Bloating during pregnancy will not have much impact on the baby. However, if a pregnant woman has stomach discomfort, her appetite will decrease and she will not be able to absorb adequate nutrition. For example, in the early stages of pregnancy, the fetus needs to absorb enough protein, while in the middle and late stages of pregnancy, the nutrients the fetus needs become starch. If a pregnant woman feels uncomfortable due to bloating, the digestive and absorptive functions of the stomach and intestines will be affected, and she will become picky about food, resulting in the fetus not getting enough nutrition.

If you use laxatives on your own, you may suffer from vitamin deficiency

Constipation in pregnant women is sometimes related to flatulence. If the situation is more serious, feces need to be discharged from the body. Generally speaking, doctors will choose to let pregnant women take mild laxatives, which can not only help defecation but also will not affect the child. If some pregnant women cannot endure the pain of constipation and take medicine without consulting a doctor, this may cause the pregnant women to be unable to absorb enough fat-soluble vitamins, and the child will be in a dangerous situation of vitamin deficiency. Therefore, pregnant women should not take laxatives casually, and must make a choice after consulting a doctor.