How many days before childbirth does diarrhea begin? Everything you need to know about diarrhea before childbirth

Diarrhea before childbirth is a popular event among the fairer sex during pregnancy. Changes in hormonal levels lead to certain changes in the functioning of the body.

In the first trimester, a woman may experience the following symptoms:

• vomit;
• nausea;
• constipation;
• pain in the abdominal area.

These ailments recede towards the end of pregnancy, but others take their place.

Types of diarrhea in pregnant women

Diarrhea before childbirth has its own causes, which are divided into 2 categories:

• Pathological - can be serious complications of acute and chronic pathologies, infection penetration into the digestive tract;
• Physiological, which do not require special intervention.

Diarrhea before childbirth is an alarming situation. And no matter how this process is explained by its naturalness, it requires examination and recommendations from a doctor.

How many times have you heard in queues to see a gynecologist from patients, from nurses, and even from doctors themselves that diarrhea during the end of gestation is the preparation of the female body for labor.

A woman's body reacts differently to the time of labor. One category of pregnant women attributes diarrhea to the onset of labor.

Other women already experience diarrhea in the middle of the third trimester. It has not been scientifically proven that diarrhea is a mandatory precursor to labor.

Loose stools before childbirth, according to reviews from women who have given birth to their babies, do not always accompany pregnant women.

But there is an interesting fact that a multiparous woman can have stool that is the same during any period of pregnancy. And it happens that at the end of the gestation period constipation appears.

The presence of feces in the intestines complicates the pushing process. Therefore, nature itself took care of helping a woman giving birth in the form of cleansing the intestines.

Diarrhea, as a harbinger of childbirth, has the following characteristic features:

• Does not contain signs of dehydration, expressed in dry mouth, tongue, lips, and rare urination;
• The stool is not liquid, but more of a mushy consistency;
• The volume of bowel movements is small, but bowel movements occur up to 4 times.

Everything is not always so rosy and harmless before childbirth. During this period, there may be an exacerbation of chronic diseases or the occurrence of other pathologies.

Then pathological diarrhea begins, which is characterized by the following criteria:

• loose, copious stools containing mucus and blood. The color of the stool, which can range from yellow to greenish, will tell you about the pathology;
• nausea and vomiting accompany the condition of a pregnant woman;
• spastic nature of abdominal pain;
• heat, fever, chills;
• signs of dehydration;
• deterioration of health.

Before childbirth, any such manifestation should not be ignored by the doctor.

In addition to exacerbations and infections, the development of acute surgical pathology is possible. Diarrhea in the third trimester may also be a hint of premature birth.

Diarrhea, not aggravated by dangerous manifestations, can last several days until the intestines are cleared.

But since the situation of pregnant women still differs from the condition of non-pregnant women, the following recommendations should be followed:

• Moderate physical activity. Less walking, more relaxation. Especially if before childbirth, the time is calculated up to 14 days;
• Monitor your diet. Exclude from the menu dishes that have a laxative effect;
• If thirst begins due to fluid loss during diarrhea, increased drinking is recommended;
• Despite diarrhea, you need to be calm, not experience stress, and moderate your emotions, both positive and negative.

Diarrhea, which started as a symptom of pathology, must be treated under the supervision of a doctor, so as not to lead to premature birth as a stimulus for contractions.

After all, a primigravida woman does not always understand whether feces are pressing on the anus or whether labor pains have begun.

The basis of the treatment method is to follow the doctor’s instructions:

• Maintaining diet and drinking regime;
• In the first few days, exclude foods that are difficult to digest;
• Taking sorbents to accelerate the removal of toxins in case of food poisoning or infectious diseases;
• Treatment with drugs of symptomatic manifestations of pathologies.

How to prepare your body for childbirth

The time of birth is getting closer. Not all, but many pregnant women experience so many unpleasant symptoms that they can cause panic.

Although they are natural manifestations before childbirth, they cause discomfort in expectant mothers. Nagging pain in the lower abdomen can result in false contractions.

Diarrhea and the passage of mucus plugs accompany an upset stomach. Some people experience loss of appetite at this time.

The essence of such processes is that the uterus moves from the abdominal cavity to the pelvic part. The prolapse of the uterus before childbirth provides some relief to the woman.

The uterus does not compress the diaphragm and lungs, because of this breathing becomes freer. At this time, nausea, heartburn, and mild vomiting, which was previously caused by the backflow of the contents of the compressed stomach into the esophagus, may disappear.

Giving freedom to the upper organs of the peritoneum, the uterus compresses the pelvic organs. The primary discomfort is experienced by the bladder and rectum.

A pregnant woman experiences a frequent urge to urinate, slight nausea, and diarrhea before childbirth is possible.

Prenatal time for unpleasant manifestations is individual for each pregnant woman. Loose stools may begin much earlier than expected contractions.
Weight loss

The growing weight of the last trimester after 37-39 weeks suddenly drops by 1-1.5 kg. It is better seen in pregnant women with edema. This is a sign of imminent birth.

Nature itself encourages you to get rid of excess moisture before childbirth. This promotes slight weight loss.

Blood thickens and less is lost during childbirth. The additional moisture that was needed to produce amniotic fluid is now unnecessary, and the body excretes it.

Contractions and their nature

Delivery can be expected when contractions begin. Contractions begin, as if tentatively. There is no particular pain felt. The character resembles muscle tension.

The stomach freezes, turns to stone, and after a certain period begins to relax. A distinctive feature of false contractions is their irregularity.

True contractions are timed in minutes. They occur with enviable regularity, reducing the gap between occurrences.

2-3 weeks before birth, false contractions are an indicator of their approach. Their nature is beneficial for the uterus. Contractions help the cervix become soft and straighten, preparing for the upcoming birth.

Mucus plug as a herald of imminent birth

A woman may give birth soon if the mucus plug has passed. Its formation occurs during pregnancy as a result of the secretion of a jelly-like mass by the mucous membranes of the cervix.

The mucus plug is designed to protect the birth canal. It blocks the entrance to the cervical canal. This protects the fetus from ascending infection.

She is rejected shortly before giving birth. The period is different for different pregnant women. This could be a period of a week or two.

After the plug comes out, you need to protect the birth canal from infection, excluding any swimming in bodies of water, and even in the bathroom at home. During this period you need to use a shower.

The leakage of a liquefied plug should not be confused with the discharge of amniotic fluid. If there is no experience in distinguishing between these 2 processes, then the best solution is to be examined by a doctor.

To summarize the above, let us focus on the thirty-sixth week of pregnancy. This is the last week, which concludes the development of the fetus.

From this moment on, the baby is already full term. But he has another month of comfortable intrauterine life at his disposal. Any of the days can become the date of his birth.

But this period is quite difficult for the expectant mother. A child may be born earlier due to a cold, runny nose, oligohydramnios, polyhydramnios, in the presence of twins, or sex.

At this time, the harbingers of labor begin. And although their appearance is individual for each patient, they still need to be remembered well.

What accompanies a pregnant woman on the eve of childbirth:

• Periodically it becomes stiff or pain begins in the abdomen;
• Nausea attacks occur;
• A woman's weight suddenly decreases;
• The fetus has taken a position towards the exit from the womb;
• Diarrhea or loose stools begin as a natural cleansing of the intestines;
• Contractions are false and tend to be regular;
• A pregnant woman's temperature may rise.

One of the harbingers of labor usually confuses a pregnant woman. This is the presence of diarrhea or loose stools.

Experienced women already know that whether the intestines are cleansed naturally or not, in maternity hospitals they will definitely use bowel emptying procedures.

And this is not only because feces make labor difficult. Involuntary release of feces during pushing violates the sterility of the birth canal.

Therefore, everything for the natural cleansing of the intestines - diarrhea, enema, suppositories - is needed for the birth of a healthy baby.

Useful video

As birth approaches, starting from 37-38 weeks, the expectant mother may be bothered by some unpleasant symptoms. These are the so-called harbingers of childbirth, they are planned by nature itself, and you should not be afraid of this. In addition to nagging pain in the lower abdomen, periodic false contractions and the passage of mucous plug, a pregnant woman may experience some stomach upset, loss of appetite, and diarrhea.

These unpleasant phenomena are associated with the fact that shortly before giving birth, the expectant mother’s stomach drops down - the uterus has moved from the abdominal cavity to the pelvic part. The lowering of the abdomen brings some relief to the expectant mother - it becomes easier to breathe, since the uterus does not put pressure on the diaphragm and lungs. Heartburn, which plagues many women throughout the second half of pregnancy, may also disappear during this period. Simply, when the uterus prolapses, the compression of the stomach stops and food stops being thrown back into the esophagus, which was the cause of heartburn.

Loose stools before childbirth

However, when some organs are released, when the abdomen subsides, noticeable pressure begins on others, primarily on the bladder and rectum. And here the woman may feel a frequent urge to urinate, some nausea, and quite often diarrhea appears before childbirth. It should be noted that loose stools before childbirth are a kind of natural cleansing of a woman’s body, preparation for labor.

Every woman experiences the prenatal period differently. Some experience severe stomach upset before childbirth, where in addition to diarrhea, mild vomiting is also possible. Other women, especially multiparous women, may only be bothered by diarrhea before childbirth without any other manifestations of the disorder. Diarrhea and stomach upset can occur not only before childbirth, but also two to three weeks before it. Many expectant mothers note the onset of these phenomena as early as 36-38 weeks, and women who have given birth at least once may not be bothered by such symptoms at all during repeated births.

As a rule, women who have diarrhea before childbirth are very embarrassed by this circumstance and feel awkward. This mainly applies to pregnant women giving birth for the first time. More experienced mothers know that in maternity hospitals, before giving birth, they always use a number of procedures to empty the bowels. In some maternity hospitals they give a warm enema, in others they use special suppositories. This is done in order to ensure emptying of the rectum, causing loose stools before childbirth. After all, during childbirth, a woman has to push hard, and the presence of feces makes this process very difficult.

Constipation before childbirth

If diarrhea before childbirth is a physiological need of the body to ease the birth canal, then constipation is a condition that is unusual for the body preparing for labor. And if in the first case nature took care of everything, then with constipation a woman must independently ensure normal stool before giving birth.

Constipation can bother a woman throughout pregnancy, and can begin a few days before giving birth. If such a condition accompanied a woman throughout pregnancy, then the expectant mother has already learned to cope with it. But if a woman experiences constipation for the first time shortly before giving birth, it is necessary to take measures to eliminate it. If there are still a few weeks or days left before the expected date, it is better to consult a doctor - he will give the necessary recommendations and prescribe safe medications. It is also recommended to change your diet and introduce prunes and dried apricots, oatmeal cookies with milk, kefir and yoghurt into your diet.

Intestinal upset before childbirth is a natural phenomenon and physiologically justified. But if the disorder is too severe, accompanied by frequent and profuse vomiting, severe stomach pain or fever, you should immediately consult a doctor. These may already be signs of poisoning, completely unrelated to the usual prenatal conditions.

The last weeks before childbirth are considered the most difficult for a pregnant woman, as the body is actively preparing for the upcoming birth. She experiences various unpleasant conditions: frequent urination, nagging pain in the lower abdomen, false contractions, and in some cases, stool upset. Many people consider diarrhea before childbirth to be a physiological process, but there are also those who attribute this symptom to pathological disorders.

Preparing a woman’s body for childbirth is accompanied by unpleasant phenomena

Causes of diarrhea before childbirth

The female body is unique, so the prenatal period proceeds differently for each woman. Some people suffer from indigestion, which is accompanied by diarrhea and vomiting, while others do not feel any physiological changes. Often on forums young women ask the question: how many days does it take for diarrhea to appear before giving birth?

There is no clear answer to this question. Abnormal bowel movements can occur in a pregnant woman both a few weeks before the onset of labor and a couple of days before it. This is due to the fact that before labor begins, the uterus changes its position, moving from the abdominal cavity to the pelvic area.

The result of this process is easier breathing due to the fact that the lungs and diaphragm are relieved of pressure from the uterus. At the same time, the expectant mother’s heartburn disappears due to the absence of reflux, when the contents of the stomach are thrown into the esophagus, causing irritation. The uterus, changing its position, begins to put pressure on the pelvic organs - the intestines and bladder, as a result of which urination and bowel movements become more frequent.

In primiparous women, diarrhea may appear before childbirth already in the penultimate or last week, and with repeated births, this symptom may appear immediately before or on the day of delivery. With an intestinal disorder, there may be a decrease or loss of appetite, discomfort in the stomach and intestines, and in some cases, late gestosis (toxicosis). Taste preferences change again, selectivity in food appears, as in the early stages of pregnancy.

With the development of an intestinal infection, dizziness, weakness, abdominal pain, diarrhea are observed

When is diarrhea a pathology?

As a rule, diarrhea before delivery does not worsen a woman’s condition, since it does not cause dehydration and weight loss. Bowel movements may increase up to 5-6 times a day, with the stool having a soft consistency and small volume. In rare cases, as an exception to the rule, a woman may experience weakness and dizziness. This is due to how long before birth diarrhea begins and what symptoms accompany this disorder.

Abnormal stool characterizes the approach of labor

Important! If diarrhea occurs, a woman should monitor the condition of her body and the quality of her stool. If you experience loose stools with a characteristic odor, an admixture of mucus or greens, you should immediately consult a doctor. These alarming signs may indicate the development of an intestinal infection, which is often accompanied by deterioration in health, general weakness, fever, and dizziness.

A change in stool in a pregnant woman may occur due to other reasons that the expectant mother should know about:

• food infection;
• product incompatibility;
• acute forms of gastrointestinal diseases;
• development of allergic reactions.

Diarrhea during the postpartum period

A woman’s body after childbirth is capable of rapid recovery, however, sometimes a woman in labor may experience diarrhea after childbirth. The cause of such a rare phenomenon is considered to be a violation of the intestinal microflora, which can be caused by the consumption of foods that have a laxative effect, as well as dysbacteriosis, which is provoked by cleansing enemas.

Attention! Diarrhea during the postpartum period poses a health threat to a nursing mother as it can lead to loss of large amounts of nutrients and dehydration. To ensure the normal well-being of a nursing mother, it is necessary to consult a doctor who will prescribe therapeutic therapy aimed at restoring the intestinal microflora and water-salt balance.

As a rule, rehydrants are prescribed as therapeutic agents: and Hydrovit. More effective drugs are prescribed depending on the cause of diarrhea after childbirth. The recovery period after diarrhea is usually 7-10 days, during which you should follow a dietary diet, as well as perform a special set of exercises aimed at strengthening and restoring the body after childbirth.

What a pregnant woman does not experience while carrying a child. New sensations, discomfort, unusual pains and pathologies often accompany pregnancy. And just before giving birth, a woman may also suffer from loose stools (diarrhea). Why does this happen and is this normal? Is it typical for all pregnant women before giving birth? What should a woman know about this? We arm ourselves with knowledge.

Pathology or normal?

On many forums, women share their impressions of the prenatal period and talk about this unpleasant phenomenon. Diarrhea before childbirth torments many. Sometimes loose stools are possible even several weeks before the event. But it can begin immediately before birth. This phenomenon is associated with the fact that the baby’s head descends into the pelvis. It puts pressure on the sacrum and causes discomfort. Along with diarrhea, frequent urination may appear, and possibly discomfort when lying down and sleeping. It becomes very difficult to find a position for night rest.

By the way, in first-time mothers, symptoms of diarrhea appear at 38-39 weeks, and during the second pregnancy they are possible the day before or with the onset of contractions. During this period, appetite does not always appear. Many women in labor continue to suffer from nausea and gastrointestinal problems. A woman doesn’t want to eat, and that’s normal. After all, cleansing the female body before childbirth causes a change in appetite. A woman can radically change her taste preferences, for example, switch to dairy foods.

Positive aspects of the phenomenon

Before giving birth, a woman may experience constipation, but more often it is diarrhea. The fact that the stool softens is a positive factor for mother and child. This is a normal state provided by nature. With an empty intestine, it will be easier for the baby to be born. Nothing will bother him.

Diarrhea immediately before delivery does not mean fluid loss or dehydration. The feces are softened to a mushy state. Stool occurs 3-5 times a day, and its volume is small. Yes, this phenomenon is unpleasant. You are leaving home for a long time, and diarrhea can happen on the way to the maternity hospital!

Rare stools before childbirth may be accompanied by abdominal cramps and the passage of gas. The uterus, by the way, is susceptible to this phenomenon and may even become toned with the transition to false contractions. But practice shows that such phenomena do not last long, 1-2 days. Usually during this time, bowel cleansing stops and traditional labor begins.

When is diarrhea before childbirth dangerous?

Sometimes diarrhea before labor can be a warning sign. If before giving birth a woman has diarrhea and vomiting, and the stool itself is very liquid, mixed with greens, you should immediately consult a doctor. The same should be done when the diarrhea is yellow, with foam and a pungent odor. When the temperature also rises, then diarrhea cannot be attributed to a prenatal factor! After all, it could also be an intestinal infection, from which no pregnant woman is immune. That is, if a woman, in addition to the usual symptoms of diarrhea, experiences a general weakening of the body, has the above symptoms and is thirsty, call a doctor immediately and under no circumstances self-medicate!

If diarrhea is normal, and you are going to the maternity hospital, you must tell the doctor about bowel movements and how long you have been suffering from diarrhea. Natural cleansing will save you from a cleansing prenatal enema, because in this case there is no point in doing it.

By the way, the cause of diarrhea may also be the mobility of your baby, who seems to be anticipating his birth. There are prenatal periods when the baby actively moves and puts pressure on the pelvic organs.

To make it easier to endure diarrhea and the discomfort associated with it, you need to move less, eat fastening foods and avoid orange and red fruits and vegetables.

Especially forberemennost.net Elena TOLOCHIK

Diarrhea before childbirth

05.08 Preparing for childbirth Pregnancy is a period when a woman can experience anything. Often these are unpleasant sensations: pain, discomfort, pathologies and much more. And closer to the scheduled date of birth, a woman may experience another very unpleasant moment - diarrhea. But is this behavior normal? And how many pregnant women experience such unpleasant moments? In order to avoid such questions from arising, you need to prepare in advance and find answers to them.

Is this normal?

Very often you can find information from women who have given birth that this very unpleasant phenomenon happened to them just before giving birth. As statistics have shown, diarrhea before the approach of childbirth occurs in many people. This can happen even when there are still a few weeks left in the final pregnancy. But in most cases, diarrhea appears a day or two before the first contractions begin. The reason for this behavior of the body is that the child’s head, when lowered into the small pelvis, begins to press on the sacrum, which naturally causes some discomfort. There may also be a frequent urge to go to the toilet associated with urination.

It is not uncommon to experience discomfort while sleeping or just lying down. Then it is very difficult to choose a sleeping position that will be truly comfortable. Also, judging by statistics, mothers who give birth for the first time experience diarrhea at 38-39 weeks. For those who are not having their first birth, this unpleasant moment will be delayed almost until the last day before giving birth.

During such peculiarities of the body, appetite practically disappears. Many women experience a feeling of nausea and further gastrointestinal problems. Such changes occur due to the fact that the female body instinctively cleanses itself before imminent childbirth. At such moments, taste preferences can completely change.

The advantages of this situation

In rare cases, constipation may occur before childbirth. But this is usually very rare. To a greater extent, women are plagued by diarrhea, which has a very positive effect on the body of mother and child. This is one of the features of the body during pregnancy, because if the intestines are empty, then it will be much easier for the baby to move. Just before giving birth, painful abdominal cramps or gas may begin to pass along with diarrhea. This can affect the uterus and tone it, which of course will cause false contractions. But if you believe in practice, then this behavior of the body goes away within a few days. This time is enough for the intestines to be completely cleansed and the body to move on to active labor.

Harm of diarrhea before childbirth

But diarrhea does not always serve as a positive signal that childbirth is very close. You should consult a doctor if your stool is very loose and has a greenish tint. Plus, the woman also vomits. You should do the same if there is foam in the stool, there is a strong odor or it is yellow in color. Sometimes a high temperature may occur. Then such diarrhea cannot be ignored. Most likely, such signs are characteristic of an intestinal infection, from which it is very difficult to insure yourself. But if, apart from diarrhea, there is no weakening of the body or any other signs of malaise that are not characteristic of this situation, then you can behave calmly.

And to make it easier to survive such an unpleasant phenomenon in the body, you just need to eat fastening food and forget about red and orange foods for a while. Although it wouldn’t be superfluous to insure yourself with a visit to the doctor.

Diarrhea before childbirth

As birth approaches, starting from 37-38 weeks, the expectant mother may be bothered by some unpleasant symptoms. These are the so-called harbingers of childbirth, they are planned by nature itself, and you should not be afraid of this. In addition to nagging pain in the lower abdomen, periodic false contractions and the passage of mucous plug, a pregnant woman may experience some stomach upset, loss of appetite, and diarrhea.

These unpleasant phenomena are associated with the fact that shortly before giving birth, the expectant mother’s stomach drops down - the uterus has moved from the abdominal cavity to the pelvic part. The lowering of the abdomen brings some relief to the expectant mother - it becomes easier to breathe, since the uterus does not put pressure on the diaphragm and lungs. Heartburn, which plagues many women throughout the second half of pregnancy, may also disappear during this period. Simply, when the uterus prolapses, the compression of the stomach stops and food stops being thrown back into the esophagus, which was the cause of heartburn.

Loose stools before childbirth

However, when some organs are released, when the abdomen subsides, noticeable pressure begins on others, primarily on the bladder and rectum. And here the woman may feel a frequent urge to urinate, some nausea, and quite often diarrhea appears before childbirth. It should be noted that loose stools before childbirth are a kind of natural cleansing of a woman’s body, preparation for labor.

Every woman experiences the prenatal period differently. Some experience severe stomach upset before childbirth, where in addition to diarrhea, mild vomiting is also possible. Other women, especially multiparous women, may only be bothered by diarrhea before childbirth without any other manifestations of the disorder. Diarrhea and stomach upset can occur not only before childbirth, but also two to three weeks before it. Many expectant mothers note the onset of these phenomena as early as 36-38 weeks, and women who have given birth at least once may not be bothered by such symptoms at all during repeated births.

As a rule, women who have diarrhea before childbirth are very embarrassed by this circumstance and feel awkward. This mainly applies to pregnant women giving birth for the first time. More experienced mothers know that in maternity hospitals, before giving birth, they always use a number of procedures to empty the bowels. In some maternity hospitals they give a warm enema, in others they use special suppositories. This is done in order to ensure emptying of the rectum, causing loose stools before childbirth. After all, during childbirth, a woman has to push hard, and the presence of feces makes this process very difficult.

Constipation before childbirth

If diarrhea before childbirth is a physiological need of the body to ease the birth canal, then constipation is a condition that is unusual for the body preparing for labor. And if in the first case nature took care of everything, then with constipation a woman must independently ensure normal stool before giving birth.

Constipation can bother a woman throughout pregnancy, and can begin a few days before giving birth. If such a condition accompanied a woman throughout pregnancy, then the expectant mother has already learned to cope with it. But if a woman experiences constipation for the first time shortly before giving birth, it is necessary to take measures to eliminate it. If there are still a few weeks or days left before the expected date, it is better to consult a doctor - he will give the necessary recommendations and prescribe safe medications. It is also recommended to change your diet and introduce prunes and dried apricots, oatmeal cookies with milk, kefir and yoghurt into your diet.

Intestinal upset before childbirth is a natural phenomenon and physiologically justified. But if the disorder is too severe, accompanied by frequent and profuse vomiting, severe stomach pain or fever, you should immediately consult a doctor. These may already be signs of poisoning, completely unrelated to the usual prenatal conditions.

A pregnant woman's body undergoes significant changes. They start from the very first weeks and continue until birth. During this period, many symptoms that are usually uncharacteristic of a healthy woman are not considered a pathology. So, diarrhea in late pregnancy is absolutely normal. Every woman should know how many days before childbirth diarrhea begins, as this is one of the main harbingers of the imminent birth of a child.

Diarrhea is a condition of the body in which stool acquires a liquid consistency. The urge to defecate can be observed quite often, which can irritate a pregnant woman. If this symptom causes concern, it is best to consult a doctor. A specialist will explain when diarrhea is considered normal and when it is considered a pathology.

Diarrhea can begin a few weeks before birth, or at an earlier date. Outwardly, this condition manifests itself in the same way, but the mechanism of development of diarrhea will be different.

A woman may suffer from loose stools throughout her pregnancy. This is due to her unstable hormonal levels. However, before childbirth, diarrhea becomes especially intense. The fact is that the body begins to prepare in advance for the birth of a child.

The first mechanisms to be launched are in a special structure of the brain - the pituitary gland. In fact, this is the main center that controls the functioning of all the glands of the body. It is the substances secreted by the pituitary gland that affect the functioning of the female reproductive system.

As the baby prepares for birth, the pituitary gland initiates the synthesis of hormones that provoke rhythmic contractions of the smooth muscles of the uterus - contractions. At first they are quite weak and are not felt by a woman. These contractions may begin immediately after the 20th week. This period indicates that half of the pregnancy period is over.

From this moment on, a woman may be bothered by short-term stool disorders due to the fact that the walls of the uterus and intestines are represented by the same type of muscle tissue. Smooth muscles contract, which provokes increased peristaltic activity. This leads to a frequent urge to defecate.

Diarrhea before childbirth

Gynecologists warn women that if diarrhea begins between 37 and 42 weeks of pregnancy, this can serve as one of the precursors of childbirth. Initially light, training contractions gradually increase in strength, which leads to increased sensations. A woman may complain of pain in the lower abdomen, radiating to the lower back. This also speaks of a close birth.

Usually the day before birth, contractions become quite noticeable, but do not have a strict frequency. At this time, a woman can safely pack her things for the maternity hospital and expect regular contractions. Peristaltic activity reaches its peak, therefore, against the background of uterine contractions, stool liquefies. This is a favorable sign, indicating that all hormonal processes in the pituitary gland and uterus occur without pathologies.

In some maternity hospitals, a woman admitted with labor pains is given an enema. This procedure is traditionally considered unpleasant, but you can safely refuse it if the intestines have cleared themselves. This, as a rule, speeds up labor, which means that the period of contractions will be shorter.

What measures to take for diarrhea before childbirth?

A woman during pregnancy should closely monitor her well-being, and if the slightest alarming changes appear, notify the doctor. After 37 weeks, the baby is considered full-term, and labor can occur at any time, so diarrhea should not be a serious concern. You can determine the approach of labor by other signs. The main ones are:

Some women report sudden mood swings the day before the upcoming birth. This is also due to hormonal fluctuations. If diarrhea develops against the background of these symptoms, then there is no cause for concern. This is a signal to meet your baby as soon as possible.

Other causes of diarrhea before childbirth

Despite the fact that diarrhea is considered one of the signs of impending labor, it is imperative to respond to such changes. Pathological causes of diarrhea cannot be excluded. Even if your due date is close, loose stools may indicate illness or functional impairment.

The possibility of food poisoning cannot be ruled out. In this case, the woman will suffer from nausea and vomiting, but there will be no signs of imminent labor. This is a dangerous condition, since toxic decay products constantly penetrate into the blood of a woman and her fetus.

In later stages, treatment must be done under the supervision of a doctor.

Only a specialist will select safe means - electrolyte solutions, sorbents, antispasmodics, if in parallel with diarrhea you are bothered by abdominal pain.

If a pregnant woman feels weak rhythmic contractions, and vaginal discharge has noticeably increased and acquired a mucous consistency, then there is no cause for concern. You need to check the collected things, call an ambulance and go to the maternity hospital.

Diarrhea 2–3 days before delivery is the norm, which is explained by hormonal changes in the body of a woman preparing to become a mother. No additional measures need to be taken. It is only important to ensure that you drink plenty of fluids so that the pregnant woman can replenish the fluid lost during diarrhea.