For anyone, pregnancy brings with it a whole host of new experiences. Some can be great of course, you are counting down the days until you meet your child, after all. However, other experiences aren’t quite so exciting. Morning sickness, indigestion, and insomnia are all common discomforts expectant mothers are likely to face. But what if your main discomforts aren’t in line with the aforementioned, and are instead more to do with your gut health?
Sadly, it isn’t uncommon for women to experience IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) symptoms during pregnancy, even if they didn’t experience symptoms beforehand. This being said, it is important to keep in mind that suffering from IBS symptoms does not necessarily mean you have developed IBS. If you suspect you might be suffering from IBS symptoms, be sure to consider other possible causes, rather than settle on IBS as a cause hastily. Needless to say, as your baby grows, it will be putting your body under unique pressure. This is especially true for your gut, as both the physical pressure of your growing baby, and the hormonal changes you will undergo, often have considerable impact. Part of this impact can manifest itself as IBS symptoms.
What does IBS look like?
When experiencing issues with your gastrointestinal health, it can be tempting to make a quick conclusion, one such conclusion being IBS. Because of this, it’s important to know what to look for, in order to make a more accurate assessment. This is especially true during such a sensitive time as pregnancy.
Telltale signs of IBS can be easy to spot, though they aren’t a surefire path to a diagnosis. Queasiness is one sign, while irregular bowel movements can be another. Though during pregnancy, as you might guess, it can be difficult to discern the cause behind these issues. While feeling sick can be an indication of IBS, it is also one of the most common issues experienced by mothers-to-be, hence why jumping to conclusions is often a bad idea. Instead, problems over time, for example bloating or the aforementioned difficulties with bowel movements, can be a more accurate sign. This is characterised by the Rome III criteria, as outlined in this study. If you have suspicions, be sure to consult a professional for an expert opinion.
If you were diagnosed with IBS prior to your pregnancy, it is more likely that your symptoms are a combination of your pregnancy and your existing IBS. While this isn’t the case for everyone, the physical and hormonal changes that come with pregnancy often result in worsened IBS symptoms.
Does IBS have an impact on your pregnancy?
Understandably, this is the most important question asked by expectant mothers. The health and safety of their baby is paramount. Unfortunately, the answer to this question is yes. If left untreated, the prolonged experience of IBS symptoms may negatively impact health. This doesn’t mean that IBS poses an immense threat to your health or the health of your baby, however, as we will touch on below.
Though the literature on the effects IBS has on pregnancy as a whole is sparse, there is enough to evidence increased risks. Especially for the effects of certain symptoms. For example, there are studies, with this study from CGH Journal being one such example, that suggests a higher risk for ectopic pregnancies and miscarriages being present in women that suffer from IBS. But, though this risk is the case, the study concludes only a small increase in the chances of these complications.
Other studies argue that because there has been so little in the way of research, this conclusion is not necessarily accurate. With other factors, such as smoking or depression, likely playing a more integral role. Assuming this is correct, taking good care of yourself and avoiding known harmful substances may well reduce the risk of pregnancy complications. It is good advice for expectant mothers to follow regardless of whether they have IBS or not.
More concrete effects can be found in the difficulties certain symptoms can cause. As mentioned earlier, experiencing certain symptoms over an extended time can cause significant issues. Diarrhea, for example, may lead to serious health issues for both you and your baby. This is due to the dehydrating effect of diarrhea, especially when experienced for weeks on end. Dehydration can affect every aspect of your health, from your mood to your digestive system. Needless to say, it’s important to treat IBS once you know you have it.
Treating your IBS during pregnancy
For expectant mothers suffering from IBS symptoms, but without a history of IBS, the best course of action is to consult a professional. By doing so, you can assess the cause of your symptoms, and find appropriate treatments. If you do have a history of IBS, however, there are a few things to consider.
Assessing medication is a crucial priority. If you are currently taking medication for your IBS, you should talk to a professional. Some medications can be detrimental during pregnancy. Consulting a doctor to determine whether you should continue taking your medication is a good idea. If you think starting to take medication would be a good treatment for your symptoms, be sure to consult a professional beforehand.
Diet is another key aspect to handling IBS symptoms. It is well-known that diet influences our gut health, though exactly how differs from person to person. Some foods that harm one person might be fine for another. One good idea when looking for what works is to keep a record of what effects certain foods have. Additionally, certain symptoms will benefit more from certain treatments than others. For example, eating more fibre-rich foods may be helpful against diarrhea, though it would likely only make constipation worse. Exercise, high fluid intake, and keeping stress to a minimum are, however, more universal treatments.
